DAKOTA COUNTY, MINNESOTA


Dakota County government building
Dakota County courthouse

'Dakota County' is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2000, the population was 355,904. Its county seat is Hastings6. It is part of the Seven County Metro Area of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Contents
Geography
Lakes
Rivers
Politics and Government
Major highways
Adjacent counties
Demographics
Famous people from Dakota County
Cities and towns
Libraries
Parks
External links

Geography


According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,519 km² (586 mi²). 1,475 km² (570 mi²) of it is land and 43 km² (17 mi²) of it (2.86%) is water.
Lakes


★ Chub Lake: in Eureka Township

Crystal Lake in Burnsville

★ Lake Byllesby: northern half is in Randolph Township; southern half is in Goodhue County

Lake Marion in Lakeville

★ Mud Hen Lakes: in Ravenna Township

★ Thomas Lake in Eagan

★ Thompson Lake in West St. Paul

★ Lake Rebecca in Hastings

★ Lake Isabelle in Hastings

★ Spring Lake in Hastings

★ Bullfrog Pond in Hastings

★ Pickerel Lake in Lilydale

★ Fish Lake in Eagan

★ Blackhawk Lake in Eagan

★ Holland Lake in Eagan

★ Jensen Lake in Eagan
Rivers


Mississippi River: Adjacent to South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Rosemount, and Hastings.

Minnesota River: Adjacent to Mendota Heights, Mendota, and Burnsville.

Vermillion River: From Farmington through Eureka Township to Hastings.

Politics and Government


Dakota County is governed by the Board of Commissioners. The members of the Board are:

★ 'Joseph Harris', District 1

★ 'Kathleen Gaylord', District 2

★ 'Thomas Egan', District 3

★ 'Nancy Schouweiler', District 4

★ 'Michael Turner', District 5

★ 'Paul Krause', District 6

★ 'Willis Braning', District 7
Dakota County also has an elected Sheriff '(Don Gudmundson)' and an elected County Attorney '(James Backstrom)'. Additionally there are appointed boards for the library system, community development agency, and several advisory boards. Dakota County is also served by an elected board of their Soil and Water Conservation District.
Principal employees of Dakota County include (but are not limited to) County Administrator 'Brandt Richardson', Community Services Director Dave Rooney, Parks Director Steve Sullivan, and Court Administrator Van Bostrom.
Major highways


Interstate 35:
Interstate 35E:
Interstate 35W
Interstate 494
U.S. Highway 52
U.S. Highway 61
Minnesota State Highway 3
Minnesota State Highway 13
Minnesota State Highway 19
Minnesota State Highway 20

Minnesota State Highway 50
Minnesota State Highway 55
Minnesota State Highway 56
Minnesota State Highway 77
Minnesota State Highway 110
Minnesota State Highway 149
Minnesota State Highway 156
Minnesota State Highway 291
Minnesota State Highway 316

Adjacent counties


Ramsey County (north)

Washington County (northeast)

Pierce County, Wisconsin (east, across the Mississippi River)

Goodhue County (southeast)

Rice County (southwest)

Scott County (west)

Hennepin County (northwest)

Demographics


As of the census² of 2000, there were 355,904 people, 131,151 households, and 94,035 families residing in the county. The population density was 241/km² (625/mi²). There were 133,750 housing units at an average density of 91/km² (235/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 91.36% White, 2.27% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 2.89% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.29% from other races, and 1.75% from two or more races. 2.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.0% were of German, 13.0% Norwegian, 9.7% Irish and 5.9% Swedish ancestry according to Census 2000. About two thirds of the county's residents live in a cluster of large suburbs in the northwestern corner of the county: Burnsville, Lakeville, Apple Valley, Rosemount and Eagan.
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data.

There were 131,151 households out of which 40.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.20% were married couples living together, 9.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 21.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.19.
In the county the population was spread out with 29.20% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 34.30% from 25 to 44, 21.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 97.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $61,863, and the median income for a family was $71,062. Males had a median income of $46,827 versus $32,189 for females. The per capita income for the county was $27,008. About 2.40% of families and 3.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 3.90% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over.

Famous people from Dakota County



Pierce Butler, U.S. Supreme Court justice

Harold Stassen (R), Former Governor of Minnesota, Aide to Adm. Bull Halsey, Aide to President Dwight Eisenhower, Participant/Drafter of the United Nations Charter

Cities and towns



Cities Townships

Apple Valley
Burnsville
Coates
Eagan
Farmington
Hampton
Hastings
Inver Grove Heights
Lakeville
Lilydale

Mendota
Mendota Heights
Miesville
New Trier
Northfield
Randolph
Rosemount
South St. Paul
Sunfish Lake
Vermillion
West St. Paul

Castle Rock Township
Douglas Township
Empire Township
Eureka Township
Greenvale Township
Hampton Township
Marshan Township

Nininger Township
Randolph Township
Ravenna Township
Sciota Township
Vermillion Township
Waterford Township


† Hastings is in Dakota County; a part of the city extends into Washington County.

‡ Northfield is mainly in Rice County; a part of the city extends into Dakota County.

Libraries



Burnhaven Library in Burnsville

Farmington Library in Farmington

Galaxie Library in Apple Valley

Heritage Library in Lakeville

Inver Glen Library in Inver Grove Heights

Pleasant Hill Library in Hastings

City of South St. Paul Library in South St. Paul

Wentworth Library in West St. Paul

Wescott Library in Eagan

Parks



Big Rivers Regional Trail in Mendota Heights

Lake Byllesby Regional Park in Cannon Falls

Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan/Apple Valley

Miesville Ravine Park Reserve in Miesville

Dakota Woods Dog Park in Empire Township

Spring Lake Park Reserve in Hastings/Rosemount

Thompson County Park in West St. Paul

Dakota County Bikeway System

External links



Dakota County government's website

Dakota County Library's website

Park maps
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