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Anoka County, Minnesota

Coordinates: 45°16′N 93°14′W / 45.27°N 93.24°W / 45.27; -93.24
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Anoka County
County
The Anoka County Courthouse and Government Center in downtown Anoka, July 2009
The Anoka County Courthouse and Government Center in downtown Anoka, July 2009
Map of Minnesota highlighting Anoka County
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°16′N 93°14′W / 45.27°N 93.24°W / 45.27; -93.24
Country United States
State Minnesota
FoundedMay 23, 1857[1]
Named forCity of Anoka
SeatAnoka
Largest cityBlaine
Area
 • Total
446 sq mi (1,160 km2)
 • Land423 sq mi (1,100 km2)
 • Water23 sq mi (60 km2)  5.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
363,887
 • Estimate 
(2023)
372,441 Increase
 • Density862/sq mi (333/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts3rd, 5th, 6th
Websitewww.co.anoka.mn.us

Anoka County (/əˈnoʊkə/ ə-NOH-kə)[2] is the fourth-most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, its population was 363,887.[3] The county seat and namesake of the county is the city of Anoka,[4] which is derived from the Dakota word anoka meaning "on (or from) both sides", referring to its location on both banks of the Rum River.[5][6] The largest city in the county is Blaine, the tenth-largest city in Minnesota and the sixth-largest Twin Cities suburb.

Anoka County comprises the north portion of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul statistical area, the largest metropolitan area in the state and the 16th-largest in the United States with about 3.64 million residents.

The county is bordered by the counties of Isanti on the north, Chisago and Washington on the east, Hennepin and Ramsey on the south, Sherburne on the west, and the Mississippi River on the southwest. The Rum River cuts through the county and was the site of many early European settlements. It was a common route to the Mille Lacs Lake, the spiritual homeland of the Ojibwe people. Father Louis Hennepin traveled the river in his first exploration of the region.[7] The area became a center of fur trade and logging as French and French Canadian communities grew in the cities of Anoka and Centerville.[8] Organized in 1857, the county's southern border eventually met Minneapolis and has become a predominantly suburban area following the construction of Interstate 35W. The county is home to local Twin Cities destinations such as the Heights Theater in Columbia Heights and Northtown Mall and the National Sports Center in Blaine.

Soils of Anoka County[9]
Soils of Springbrook Nature Center area

History

[edit]

Anoka County was organized by an act of the Minnesota Territorial Legislature on May 23, 1857, the year prior to Minnesota's admission to the Union. It was formed from parts of Ramsey County and Benton County; the Rum River previously formed the line between the two counties. The boundaries were mainly the same as they are now, except for a small part of the southeastern tip along the Mississippi River and at the south, formerly known as Manomin County. It was a small portion that connected to Ramsey and occupied one-third of the congressional township. It was then attached to Anoka County by constitutional amendment November 2, 1869. It became known as Fridley in 1879.

The first European descendants to explore what is now Anoka County were Franciscan friar Louis Hennepin and his party. Fur traders soon began to settle in the area that is now Ramsey County. They settled on the Rum River and more people were attracted to the area now called Anoka.

Geography

[edit]

The Mississippi River flows southeasterly along the county's southwestern boundary. The Rum River flows southerly through the western part of the county, discharging into the Mississippi at the county's southwestern boundary. The terrain consists of low, rolling, wooded hills.[10] The terrain slopes to the south and east; its highest point is a small hillock 1.2 miles (1.9 km) east of the county's northwest corner, at 1,100 ft (340 m) ASL.[11] Otherwise the terrain's highest point is along the western part of the north boundary line, at 1,083 ft (330 m) ASL.[12] The county has a total area of 446 square miles (1,160 km2), of which 23 square miles (60 km2) (5.2%) are covered by water.[13]

Lakes

[edit]
  • Baldwin Lake
  • Bunker Lake
  • Cedar Lake
  • Centerville Lake
  • Coon Lake
  • Crooked Lake
  • George Watch Lake
  • Golden Lake
  • Ham Lake
  • Laddie Lake
  • Lake George
  • Marshan Lake
  • McKay Lake
  • Moore Lake
  • Peltier Lake
  • Reshanau Lake
  • Rice Lake
  • Round Lake
  • Sherman Lake
  • Spring Lake
  • Smith Lake
  • Wards Lake

Waterways

[edit]

Major highways

[edit]

Adjacent counties

[edit]

Protected areas

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  • Bethel Wildlife Management Area
  • Boot Lake Scientific and Natural Area
  • Bunker Hills Regional Park
  • Carl E Bonnell Wildlife Management Area
  • Carlos Avery State Wildlife Management Area
  • Cedar Creek Conservation Area
  • Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park
  • East Bethel Booster Park
  • Gordie Mikkelson Wildlife Management Area
  • Helen Allison Savanna Scientific and Natural Area
  • Lake George Regional Park
  • Martin Island-Linwood Lakes Regional Park
  • Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (part)
  • Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Park Preserve
  • Robert and Marilyn Burman Wildlife Management Area

[10]

Climate and weather

[edit]
See also: Climate of Minnesota and Climate of the Twin Cities
Anoka, Minnesota
Climate chart (explanation)
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[14]
Metric conversion
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█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm

Anoka County has a hot-summer humid continental climate zone (Dfa in the Köppen climate classification),[15] typical of southern parts of the Upper Midwest, and is situated in USDA plant hardiness zone 4b.[16][17][18] As is typical in a continental climate, the difference between average temperatures in the coldest winter month and the warmest summer month is great: 60.1 °F (33.4 °C). In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Anoka have ranged from a low of 5 °F (−15 °C) in January to a high of 81 °F (27 °C) in July, although a record low of −50 °F (−46 °C) was recorded in January 2019 and a record high of 103 °F (39 °C) was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.87 inches (22 mm) in February to 4.45 inches (113 mm) in July.[14]

Demographics

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18602,106—
18703,94087.1%
18807,10880.4%
18909,88439.1%
190011,31314.5%
191012,49310.4%
192015,62625.1%
193018,41517.8%
194022,44321.9%
195035,57958.5%
196085,916141.5%
1970154,71280.1%
1980195,99826.7%
1990243,64124.3%
2000298,08422.3%
2010330,84411.0%
2020363,88710.0%
2023 (est.)372,441[19]2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[20]
1790-1960[21] 1900-1990[22]
1990-2000[23] 2010-2020[3]

2020 census

[edit]
Anoka County, Minnesota - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[24] Pop 2020[25] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 281,929 276,205 85.22% 75.90%
Black or African American alone (NH) 14,282 28,378 4.32% 7.80%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 1,994 1,912 0.60% 0.52%
Asian alone (NH) 12,796 19,158 3.87% 5.27%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 91 93 0.03% 0.03%
Some other race alone (NH) 378 1,401 0.11% 0.39%
Mixed/multiracial (NH) 7,354 17,234 2.22% 4.74%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 12,020 19,506 3.63% 5.36%
Total 330,844 363,887 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

2010 census

[edit]

As of the census of 2010, 330,844 people were in the county.[26]

2000 census

[edit]
2022 US Census population pyramid for Anoka County, from ACS 5-year estimates

As of the census of 2000, 298,084 people, 106,428 households, and 79,395 families resided in the county. The population density was 705 per square mile (272/km2). The 108,091 housing units had an average density of 256 per square mile (99/km2).

At the time of the 2000 Census, the racial makeup of the county was 93.64% White, 1.60% African American, 0.70% Native American, 1.69% Asian, 0.67% from other races, and 1.71 percent from two or more races; 1.66% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. The 2000 Census found 30.2% were of German, 14.3% Norwegian, 9.0% Swedish, 7.3% Irish, and 5.9% Polish ancestry.

Of the 106,428 households, 39.9% had children under 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.4% were not families. About 19.3% were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.77, and the average family size was 3.19.

The county's age distribution was 28.9% under 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 34.1% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 7.1% who were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.10 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 99.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $57,754, and for a family was $64,261. Males had a median income of $41,527 versus $30,534 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,297. About 2.90% of families and 4.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.90% of those under age 18 and 4.50% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

[edit]

Anoka County was once one of the most Democratic suburban counties in any metropolitan area nationwide and one of the rare few to have trended Republican in the 21st century. On a national level, Anoka County has voted for the Republican presidential candidate from 2000 onward, though with the margins remaining within 3% outside of 2004 and 2016. However, incumbent Democratic-Farmer-Labor Senator Amy Klobuchar defeated Jim Newberger by over 20,000 votes here in the 2018 midterms; Klobuchar also won this county in 2006, 2012, and 2024. Despite this, Republican Karin Housley narrowly defeated Democrat Tina Smith in the concurrent Senate special election in 2018, despite Smith winning the overall election by a margin over 10 points.

County commissioners

[edit]

As of April 2023:

  • District 1 - Matt Look
  • District 2 - Julie Braastad
  • District 3 - Jeff Reinert
  • District 4 - Scott Schulte
  • District 5 - Mike Gamache
  • District 6 - Julie Jeppson
  • District 7 - Mandy Meisner

National elections

[edit]
United States presidential election results for Anoka County, Minnesota[27]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 106,974 50.82% 97,667 46.40% 5,840 2.77%
2020 104,902 49.69% 100,893 47.79% 5,337 2.53%
2016 93,339 50.25% 75,500 40.64% 16,919 9.11%
2012 93,430 50.11% 88,614 47.52% 4,421 2.37%
2008 91,357 50.13% 86,976 47.73% 3,891 2.14%
2004 91,853 52.77% 80,226 46.09% 1,987 1.14%
2000 69,256 47.56% 68,008 46.70% 8,355 5.74%
1996 41,745 33.66% 63,756 51.41% 18,521 14.93%
1992 39,458 30.35% 54,621 42.01% 35,941 27.64%
1988 46,853 44.28% 57,953 54.77% 1,003 0.95%
1984 46,578 47.80% 50,305 51.63% 557 0.57%
1980 33,100 37.68% 45,532 51.83% 9,211 10.49%
1976 27,863 35.58% 48,173 61.51% 2,279 2.91%
1972 29,546 49.77% 28,031 47.22% 1,783 3.00%
1968 16,358 32.63% 30,656 61.15% 3,120 6.22%
1964 13,201 29.33% 31,714 70.47% 90 0.20%
1960 14,114 40.90% 20,324 58.89% 73 0.21%
1956 9,359 44.37% 11,697 55.46% 36 0.17%
1952 7,425 44.09% 9,344 55.49% 70 0.42%
1948 3,853 32.30% 7,730 64.80% 346 2.90%
1944 3,958 41.80% 5,431 57.36% 79 0.83%
1940 4,302 43.53% 5,501 55.66% 80 0.81%
1936 2,586 32.70% 4,501 56.91% 822 10.39%
1932 2,718 38.00% 4,253 59.47% 181 2.53%
1928 3,816 59.05% 2,571 39.79% 75 1.16%
1924 3,146 57.15% 458 8.32% 1,901 34.53%
1920 3,505 72.13% 865 17.80% 489 10.06%
1916 1,262 48.95% 1,171 45.42% 145 5.62%
1912 562 27.03% 591 28.43% 926 44.54%
1908 1,577 68.99% 610 26.68% 99 4.33%
1904 1,557 82.25% 283 14.95% 53 2.80%
1900 1,511 70.87% 555 26.03% 66 3.10%
1896 1,553 64.90% 791 33.05% 49 2.05%
1892 1,002 52.76% 720 37.91% 177 9.32%

Communities

[edit]

Cities

[edit]

Township

[edit]

Census-designated place

[edit]

Unincorporated community

[edit]

Education

[edit]

School districts include:[28]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 17, 2014.[dead link‍]
  2. ^ "Minnesota Pronunciation Guide". Associated Press. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  4. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  5. ^ "History". Anoka, Minnesota. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  6. ^ Upham, Warren (2001). Minnesota Place Names: A Geographical Encyclopedia (3rd ed.). Minnesota Historical Society. p. 23. ISBN 0-87351-396-7.
  7. ^ "Anoka County Early Years". Anoka County Historical Society. Archived from the original on August 20, 2008. Retrieved October 22, 2008.
  8. ^ June D. Holmquist (1981). They Chose Minnesota. Minnesota Historical Society Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-87351-231-2.
  9. ^ Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 61-64. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2[self-published source]
  10. ^ a b Anoka County MN Google Maps (accessed March 4, 2019)
  11. ^ Anoka County High Point, Minnesota. PeakBagger.com (accessed May 4, 2019)
  12. ^ ""Find an Altitude/Anoka County MN" Google Maps (accessed March 4, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  13. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Anoka MN". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2011.
  15. ^ Peel, M. C.; Finlayson, B. L.; McMahon, T. A. (October 2007). "Updated world map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification". Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. 11 (5): 1633–1644. Bibcode:2007HESS...11.1633P. doi:10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007.
  16. ^ Normals, Means, and Extremes for Minneapolis/Saint Paul (1971–2000)[dead link‍] Archived July 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine: Mean of Extreme Mins for January
  17. ^ Pioneer Press staff (January 24, 2012). "USDA: Milder winters mean some changes in plant hardiness zones". St. Paul Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on July 21, 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  18. ^ "USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map". Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2012. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
  19. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  20. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  21. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  22. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  23. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  24. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Anoka County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau.
  25. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Anoka County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau.
  26. ^ "2010 Census Data - 2010 Census". Archived from the original on July 6, 2011. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
  27. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  28. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Anoka County, MN" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 22, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2022. - Text list
[edit]

45°16′N 93°14′W / 45.27°N 93.24°W / 45.27; -93.24

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