Wright County, Minnesota
| Wright County, Minnesota | |
 Location in the state of Minnesota |
|
 Minnesota's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | February 20, 1855 |
|---|---|
| Named for | Silas Wright |
| Seat | Buffalo |
| Largest city | St. Michael (2005 est.[1]) |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
714.39 sq mi (1,850 km²) 660.75 sq mi (1,711 km²) 53.63 sq mi (139 km²), 7.51% |
| PopulationEst. - (2012) - Density |
127,336 136/sq mi (53/km²) |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
| Website | www.co.wright.mn.us |
Wright County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1855.[2] As of the 2010 census, the population was 124,700.[3] Its county seat is Buffalo[4].
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History [edit]
The county was established in 1855, and was named after New York politician Silas Wright. The first county seat was Monticello, then in 1868 the county seat was changed to Buffalo. The majority of people to first settle this area were German and Swedish. The population of the county in 1860 was 3,729 people; in 1875, it was 13,775.[5]
The 1998 thriller A Simple Plan was set in Wright County, though the specific town name is never mentioned.
| Year | Democrat | Republican |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 40.7% 26,343 | 57.6% 37,779 |
| 2004 | 37.99% 22,618 | 60.77% 36,176 |
| 2000 | 38.65% 16,762 | 55.02% 23,861 |
Geography [edit]
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 714.39 square miles (1,850.3 km2), of which 660.75 square miles (1,711.3 km2) (or 92.49%) is land and 53.63 square miles (138.9 km2) (or 7.51%) is water.[6] The terrain is undulating and contains numerous small lakes. The county is bounded on the northeast by the Mississippi River.[5]
Major highways [edit]
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Adjacent counties [edit]
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Stearns County | Sherburne County | |
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| Meeker County |  |
Hennepin County | ||
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| McLeod County | Carver County |
Demographics [edit]
| Historical populations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1860 | 3,729 |
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| 1870 | 9,457 | 153.6% | |
| 1880 | 18,104 | 91.4% | |
| 1890 | 24,164 | 33.5% | |
| 1900 | 29,157 | 20.7% | |
| 1910 | 28,082 | −3.7% | |
| 1920 | 28,685 | 2.1% | |
| 1930 | 27,119 | −5.5% | |
| 1940 | 27,550 | 1.6% | |
| 1950 | 27,716 | 0.6% | |
| 1960 | 29,935 | 8.0% | |
| 1970 | 38,933 | 30.1% | |
| 1980 | 58,681 | 50.7% | |
| 1990 | 68,710 | 17.1% | |
| 2000 | 89,986 | 31.0% | |
| 2010 | 124,700 | 38.6% | |
| Est. 2012 | 127,336 | 2.1% | |
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2012 Estimate[8] |
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As of the census of 2000, there were 89,986 people, 31,465 households, and 23,913 families residing in the county. The population density was 136 people per square mile (53/km²). There were 34,355 housing units at an average density of 52 per square mile (20/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 97.85% White, 0.26% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.44% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 1.10% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 42.3% were of German, 11.9% Norwegian, 7.4% Swedish and 6.6% Irish ancestry according to the 2000 census.
There were 31,465 households out of which 42.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.50% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.00% were non-families. 18.80% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83 and the average family size was 3.26.
In the county the population was spread out with 31.10% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 32.60% from 25 to 44, 19.90% from 45 to 64, and 8.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 101.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $53,945, and the median income for a family was $60,940. Males had a median income of $40,630 versus $28,201 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,844. About 3.60% of families and 4.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.50% of those under age 18 and 7.40% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns [edit]
| Cities | Townships | Ghost town | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
† Located in Wright County, the city extends into neighboring counties as well.
‡ Based in an adjacent county, part of Dayton extends into Wright County.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ Estimates: Number and Characteristics of the Current Population
- ^ Minnesota Government Series, State Symbols
- ^ "2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File". American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
- ^ a b
"Wright. I. A central county of Minnesota". The American Cyclopædia. 1879. - ^ "Census 2000 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Counties". United States Census. Retrieved 2011-02-13.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". Census.gov. Retrieved May 9, 2013.
- ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Retrieved May 9, 2013.
External links [edit]
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