Fillmore County, Minnesota

Fillmore County, Minnesota
Location in the state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location in the U.S.
Founded	March 5, 1853 [1]
Named for	President Millard Fillmore
Seat	Preston
Largest city	Spring Valley
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	862.15 sq mi (2,233 km²) 861.25 sq mi (2,231 km²) 0.90 sq mi (2 km²), 0.10%
Population  - (2010)  - Density	20,866 24/sq mi (9/km²)
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	www.co.fillmore.mn.us

Fillmore County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2010, the population was 20,866. Its county seat is Preston.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 862.15 square miles (2,233.0 km²), of which 861.25 square miles (2,230.6 km²) (or 99.90%) is land and 0.90 square miles (2.3 km²) (or 0.10%) is water.

Major highways

U.S. Highway 52 U.S. Highway 63 Minnesota State Highway 16 Minnesota State Highway 30 Minnesota State Highway 43 Minnesota State Highway 44

Minnesota State Highway 56 Minnesota State Highway 80 Minnesota State Highway 74 Minnesota State Highway 139 Minnesota State Highway 250

Adjacent counties

• Winona County (northeast)
• Houston County (east)
• Winneshiek County, Iowa (southeast)
• Howard County, Iowa (southwest)
• Mower County (west)
• Olmsted County (northwest)

Geology

The county is part of the Driftless Area, or in its own documents, the Paleozoic plateau. This part of Minnesota was ice-free during the last ice age. The county to the east is more rugged, but Fillmore County also displays a karst topography.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1860	13,542		—
1870	24,887		83.8%
1880	28,162		13.2%
1890	25,996		−7.7%
1900	28,288		8.8%
1910	25,680		−9.2%
1920	25,330		−1.4%
1930	24,748		−2.3%
1940	25,830		4.4%
1950	24,465		−5.3%
1960	23,768		−2.8%
1970	21,916		−7.8%
1980	21,930		0.1%
1990	20,777		−5.3%
2000	21,122		1.7%
2010	20,866		−1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

As of the census of 2000, there were 21,122 people, 8,228 households, and 5,718 families residing in the county. The population density was 24 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 8,908 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.92% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.49% from two or more races. 0.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 39.9% were of Norwegian, 31.1% German and 5.8% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000.

Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data.

There were 8,228 households out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.60% were married couples living together, 6.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 26.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county the population was spread out with 26.10% under the age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 25.10% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 19.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $36,651, and the median income for a family was $44,883. Males had a median income of $29,094 versus $21,906 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,067. About 6.80% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.40% of those under age 18 and 11.20% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

Fillmore County Courthouse

County landscape in autumn.

Cities	Townships		Unincorporated communities
Canton Chatfield† Fountain Harmony Lanesboro Mabel Ostrander Peterson Preston Rushford Village Rushford Spring Valley Whalan Wykoff	Amherst Township Arendahl Township Beaver Township Bloomfield Township Bristol Township Canton Township Carimona Township Carrolton Township Chatfield Township Fillmore Township Forestville Township Fountain Township	Harmony Township Holt Township Jordan Township Newburg Township Norway Township Pilot Mound Township Preble Township Preston Township Spring Valley Township Sumner Township York Township	Cherry Grove Etna Fillmore Forestville Granger Greenleafton Hamilton Prosper

† Chatfield is split between Filmore County and Olmsted County.

See also

• Dream Acres
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Fillmore County, Minnesota

External links

• Fillmore County government's website
• Fillmore County Health and Demographic Data