County outline
Where Rock County is located
Area breakdown
Land accounts for 99.9% of Rock County’s measured area and water for 0.1%. Its combined area converts to 1,250.3 square kilometers or approximately 308,947 acres.
Green: land · blue: water
| Measurement | Square miles | Square kilometers | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land | 482.459 | 1,249.563 | 308,773.8 |
| Water | 0.27 | 0.699 | 172.8 |
| Total | 482.729 | 1,250.262 | 308,946.6 |
How Rock County compares
By original Census land area, Rock County ranks #70 of 87 in Minnesota and #2150 of 3,222 nationally. National rankings include the 50 states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Its land area is 0.715 times the Minnesota county-equivalent median of 674.6 square miles. It accounts for 0.6% of the combined county land area in the state.
See the complete Minnesota ranking · What counts as a county equivalent?
Population and density of Rock County
The Census Bureau estimates that 9,524 people lived in Rock County on July 1, 2025. That ranks #2,521 of 3,222 county equivalents nationally and #70 of 87 in Minnesota. Since the April 1, 2020 estimates base of 9,697, the population has declined by 173 (−1.8%), compared with +2.2% for Minnesota as a whole.
With 482.5 square miles of land, that is 20 people per square mile (7.6 per km²), placing Rock County #2,335 nationally for density and #55 in Minnesota. The median county equivalent has 47 people per square mile; the Minnesota median is 27. Put another way, there are about 32 acres of land per resident.
| July 1 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estimate | 9,685 | 9,700 | 9,603 | 9,621 | 9,563 | 9,524 |
| Change | — | +15 | −97 | +18 | −58 | −39 |
U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates. Estimates are revised each year and are not decennial census counts. Density divides the whole population by the whole county’s land area, so it describes an average, not how settlement is distributed within the county. Population sources and methods.
Cities and towns in Rock County
Rock County is divided into 20 municipalities and townships. In Minnesota, county subdivisions are local governments, and together they cover all of the county’s land and residents.
The most populous is Luverne city, with 4,984 residents (52.3% of the county). The largest by land is Springwater township, at 48.6 mi², or 10.1% of the county’s land.
| County subdivision | Population 2025 | Since 2020 | Land mi² | Share of county land |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luverne cityCounty seat | 4,984 | +0.9% | 3.666 | 0.8% |
| Hills city | 656 | −4.7% | 0.63 | 0.1% |
| Luverne townshipCounty seat | 442 | −4.5% | 32.3 | 6.7% |
| Beaver Creek township | 371 | −4.1% | 48.2 | 10% |
| Martin township | 365 | −4.7% | 47.9 | 9.9% |
| Beaver Creek city | 268 | −5.3% | 0.529 | 0.1% |
| Springwater township | 254 | −4.2% | 48.6 | 10.1% |
| Kanaranzi township | 240 | −4.4% | 36.1 | 7.5% |
| Clinton township | 228 | −4.2% | 35.6 | 7.4% |
| Mound township | 227 | −3.8% | 35.7 | 7.4% |
| Magnolia township | 209 | −5% | 35.2 | 7.3% |
| Hardwick city | 187 | −1.1% | 1.756 | 0.4% |
| Battle Plain township | 184 | −4.7% | 36.3 | 7.5% |
| Magnolia city | 184 | −6.1% | 0.798 | 0.2% |
| Steen city | 159 | −7% | 0.437 | 0.1% |
Show the other 5 subdivisions
| Name | Population 2025 | Since 2020 | Land mi² |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver township | 155 | −4.9% | 34.2 |
| Rose Dell township | 149 | −4.5% | 48 |
| Vienna township | 148 | −4.5% | 35 |
| Kenneth city | 59 | −6.3% | 1.062 |
| Jasper city | 55 | −5.2% | 0.522 |
Population: U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 subcounty estimates, counting only the part of each subdivision inside Rock County. Land: 2026 Census Gazetteer. How communities are listed.
Metropolitan area
Rock County is an outlying county of the Sioux Falls, SD-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. Its 5 county equivalents have 314,638 residents on 3,057.9 square miles of land; Rock County accounts for 15.8% of the land and 3% of the residents. By combined land it ranks #97 of 393 metropolitan areas, and #171 by population.
| County equivalent | Population 2025 | Land mi² |
|---|---|---|
| Minnehaha CountySouth Dakota | 212,691 | 806.9 |
| Lincoln CountySouth Dakota | 77,145 | 577.3 |
| Rock County | 9,524 | 482.5 |
| Turner CountySouth Dakota | 9,314 | 617.1 |
| McCook CountySouth Dakota | 5,964 | 574.2 |
ZIP codes
13 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas have land in Rock County; 8 of them have most of their land inside the county, and the others mainly cover neighboring areas.
56116561285612956134561385614456146561475615656158561735703057068
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas are the Census Bureau’s approximations of USPS ZIP Code service areas, from the 2020 Census relationship files. Lighter codes have less than half of their land in this county. Post-office-box and single-address ZIP Codes have no tabulation area.
Counties bordering Rock County
Rock County shares a land border with 5 county equivalents, including 2 in South Dakota and Iowa. It has more land than 1 of them. The largest neighbor is Minnehaha County (806.9 mi²) and the smallest is Pipestone County (465.1 mi²). Together with its neighbors, Rock County forms a block of 3,761.8 mi² of land, of which it holds 12.8%.
| Bordering county equivalent | Land mi² | Size vs. Rock | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnehaha CountySouth Dakota | 806.9 | 1.7× larger | Compare |
| Nobles County | 715.1 | 1.5× larger | Compare |
| Murray County | 704.7 | 1.5× larger | Compare |
| Lyon CountyIowa | 587.6 | 1.2× larger | Compare |
| Pipestone County | 465.1 | about the same | Compare |
How big is Rock County compared with U.S. states?
Rock County has less land than any of the 50 states. Rhode Island, the smallest state by land area, has 1,033.9 mi², about 2.1 times as much. Minnesota’s county land could hold about 165 areas the size of Rock County.
Another way to picture it: the same land area would fill a square about 22 miles (35.3 km) on each side. Real county shapes are rarely square, so this is a scale reference rather than a width or driving distance.
State figures are the sums of each state’s county-equivalent land measurements in the same Census release, so states and counties are compared on the same basis. Published state totals can differ slightly because of rounding. Compare all states · Counties bigger than entire states.
What stands out about Rock County?
Rock County has more land than 1,072 of the other 3,221 county equivalents in the dataset.
A median is the middle county-equivalent measurement, not the average of the largest and smallest. All three bars use the same linear scale. Very small areas may appear as a thin sliver; the labels retain their values.
Does including water change its rank?
Using land plus water places Rock County at #2,237 nationally by total area, 87 places farther from the top than its land rank. Other county equivalents gain more area when their water measurements are included.
Its water share is 0.1%, compared with a national county-equivalent median of 1.2% — 1.1 percentage points lower. This describes the statistical geography’s land/water mix, not flood exposure or developable land.
Closest positions in the national land ranking
These entries sit immediately beside Rock County in the national ranking. They can be in different states and are not necessarily geographic neighbors.
| Land rank | County equivalent | Land mi² | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| #2149 | Putnam County, Ohio | 482.5 | Compare |
| #2150 | Rock County, Minnesota | 482.5 | This county |
| #2151 | Door County, Wisconsin | 481.9 | Compare |
Calculated from the same Census release as the area table. Total-area order uses original ALAND + AWATER; water shares and chart labels use published square miles. Calculation details.
Representative coordinates
The Census internal point is 43.669587, -96.263238. It represents a location inside the geography; it is not necessarily the centroid or the address of a courthouse.
Source and precision
U.S. Census Bureau, 2026 Gazetteer Files, Counties. Original ALAND: 1,249,562,282 m²; AWATER: 698,231 m². Rankings use ALAND; exact ties use ascending GEOID. Tables preserve Census-published square miles to three decimals, with conversions based on those values.
Common questions
How big is Rock County?
Rock County, Minnesota has 482.5 square miles (1,249.6 km²) of land and 0.27 square miles of water, for a total area of 482.7 square miles. It ranks #2150 of 3,222 U.S. county equivalents by land area.
Is Rock County the largest county in Minnesota?
No. Rock County ranks #70 of 87 in Minnesota by land area. The largest is St. Louis County, with 6,248.1 square miles of land.
What counties border Rock County?
Rock County shares a land border with Nobles County, Minnehaha County, South Dakota, Lyon County, Iowa, Pipestone County, and Murray County.
What is the population of Rock County?
The Census Bureau estimates Rock County had 9,524 residents on July 1, 2025, ranking #2,521 of 3,222 county equivalents. That is 20 people per square mile of land.
What is the county seat of Rock County?
The county seat of Rock County is Luverne.
What cities and towns are in Rock County?
Rock County has 20 county subdivisions (cities, towns and townships). The most populous five are Luverne city, Hills city, Luverne township, Beaver Creek township, and Martin township.
Is Rock County part of a metropolitan area?
Yes. It is an outlying county of the Sioux Falls, SD-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has 5 county equivalents and 314,638 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Rock County?
13 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas have land in Rock County, and 8 of them have most of their land inside the county. Census ZIP Code Tabulation Areas approximate USPS ZIP Code areas.
How does Rock County compare with U.S. states?
It has less land than every state. Rhode Island, the smallest, has 2.1 times as much land.
How many acres of land are in Rock County?
The land measurement converts to approximately 308,774 acres. Including water, total area is approximately 308,947 acres. One square mile equals 640 acres.
Why might another source show a different area?
Check whether it reports land or total area, its Census vintage, and its rounding. Our guide explains how to reconcile county area figures.
Can this establish a property boundary?
No. Statistical measurements and generalized maps do not establish property lines. Consult the relevant local surveying or land-records authority.