Minnesota County Area & Size Rankings

Understanding Minnesota’s county areas

The land-area range runs from Ramsey County at 152.3 mi² to St. Louis County at 6,248.1 mi². The largest has 41 times the land area of the smallest and accounts for 7.8% of the combined county land in Minnesota. Compare with every state’s largest county.

The median county-equivalent land area is 674.6 mi², above the national median of 604.5 mi². The median describes the middle of the county size distribution; it does not describe how people or development are distributed. A state with a few very large counties can have a much smaller median than its largest entry suggests.

Where water changes the picture

Cook County has the most assigned water area, at 1,887.2 mi². It also has the highest water share, with water making up 56.5% of its total area. Water area and water percentage answer different questions: the first measures an amount, while the second measures the mix of land and water.

Across all 87 entries, water accounts for 8.4% of the combined total area. This is calculated from the summed land and water measurements, rather than averaging county percentages, which would give each small and large county equal weight.

Where people live

An estimated 5,830,405 people lived in Minnesota on July 1, 2025 (+2.2% since 2020), or 1.7% of the national total in this dataset. Hennepin County is the most populous county equivalent, with 1,284,784 residents — 22% of the state. The largest by land, St. Louis County, has 200,518.

Across the state there are 73 people per square mile of land. County densities range from 3,557 in Ramsey County to 2.9 in Lake of the Woods County; the median county equivalent has 27. Switch the map above to density to see where the state’s population concentrates.

Compare the largest and smallest county equivalents in Minnesota to see land, water, and total area on the same scale.

These calculations use the 2026 Census county records listed below. County-equivalent boundaries vary between states; area alone does not measure population, density, or usable land. See coverage and calculation rules.

#	County / equivalent	Land	Water	Water share	Population	Per mi²
1	St. Louis CountyGEOID 27137	6,248.1 mi²	612.4 mi²	8.9%	200,518	32
2	Koochiching CountyGEOID 27071	3,104.7 mi²	51.3 mi²	1.6%	11,587	3.7
3	Itasca CountyGEOID 27061	2,667.5 mi²	260.3 mi²	8.9%	45,404	17
4	Beltrami CountyGEOID 27007	2,504.7 mi²	550.5 mi²	18%	47,055	19
5	Lake CountyGEOID 27075	2,109.1 mi²	881.8 mi²	29.5%	10,746	5.1
6	Cass CountyGEOID 27021	2,021.5 mi²	392.5 mi²	16.3%	31,430	16
7	Otter Tail CountyGEOID 27111	1,971.6 mi²	252.7 mi²	11.4%	61,041	31
8	Polk CountyGEOID 27119	1,971 mi²	26.8 mi²	1.3%	30,545	15
9	Aitkin CountyGEOID 27001	1,821.3 mi²	173.5 mi²	8.7%	16,252	8.9
10	Marshall CountyGEOID 27089	1,775.1 mi²	37.8 mi²	2.1%	8,798	5
11	Roseau CountyGEOID 27135	1,671.7 mi²	6.5 mi²	0.4%	15,246	9.1
12	Cook CountyGEOID 27031	1,452.6 mi²	1,887.2 mi²	56.5%	5,522	3.8
13	Pine CountyGEOID 27115	1,411.3 mi²	23.3 mi²	1.6%	30,472	22
14	Stearns CountyGEOID 27145	1,342.9 mi²	47 mi²	3.4%	164,110	122
15	Becker CountyGEOID 27005	1,315 mi²	130.1 mi²	9%	35,497	27
16	Lake of the Woods CountyGEOID 27077	1,297.7 mi²	482.2 mi²	27.1%	3,770	2.9
17	Morrison CountyGEOID 27097	1,125.1 mi²	28.3 mi²	2.5%	34,620	31
18	Kittson CountyGEOID 27069	1,099 mi²	4.8 mi²	0.4%	4,031	3.7
19	Clay CountyGEOID 27027	1,045.2 mi²	7.5 mi²	0.7%	67,734	65
20	Clearwater CountyGEOID 27029	999 mi²	31.1 mi²	3%	8,647	8.7
21	Crow Wing CountyGEOID 27035	998.5 mi²	158.2 mi²	13.7%	69,132	69
22	Renville CountyGEOID 27129	982.9 mi²	4.2 mi²	0.4%	14,356	15
23	Todd CountyGEOID 27153	945.1 mi²	34.4 mi²	3.5%	26,060	28
24	Hubbard CountyGEOID 27057	926 mi²	73.5 mi²	7.4%	22,369	24
25	Redwood CountyGEOID 27127	878.6 mi²	3.2 mi²	0.4%	15,265	17
26	Norman CountyGEOID 27107	872.8 mi²	3.9 mi²	0.4%	6,336	7.3
27	Fillmore CountyGEOID 27045	861.3 mi²	0.8 mi²	0.1%	21,540	25
28	Carlton CountyGEOID 27017	861.2 mi²	14 mi²	1.6%	36,711	43
29	Kandiyohi CountyGEOID 27067	797.4 mi²	65 mi²	7.5%	44,720	56
30	Lac qui Parle CountyGEOID 27073	765 mi²	13.1 mi²	1.7%	6,704	8.8
31	Yellow Medicine CountyGEOID 27173	759.1 mi²	4.1 mi²	0.5%	9,477	12
32	Goodhue CountyGEOID 27049	756.7 mi²	22.8 mi²	2.9%	48,195	64
33	Wilkin CountyGEOID 27167	751 mi²	0.2 mi²	0%	6,288	8.4
34	Blue Earth CountyGEOID 27013	747.8 mi²	17.7 mi²	2.3%	70,634	94
35	Swift CountyGEOID 27151	742 mi²	10.1 mi²	1.3%	9,763	13
36	Nobles CountyGEOID 27105	715.1 mi²	7.4 mi²	1%	22,338	31
37	Lyon CountyGEOID 27083	714.4 mi²	7.3 mi²	1%	25,684	36
38	Faribault CountyGEOID 27043	712.5 mi²	9.4 mi²	1.3%	13,888	19
39	Martin CountyGEOID 27091	712.3 mi²	17.2 mi²	2.4%	19,440	27
40	Mower CountyGEOID 27099	711.3 mi²	0.2 mi²	0%	40,971	58
41	Freeborn CountyGEOID 27047	707.2 mi²	15.2 mi²	2.1%	30,440	43
42	Murray CountyGEOID 27101	704.7 mi²	14.8 mi²	2.1%	7,942	11
43	Jackson CountyGEOID 27063	703 mi²	16.3 mi²	2.3%	9,857	14
44	Pope CountyGEOID 27121	674.6 mi²	42.4 mi²	5.9%	11,420	17
45	Wright CountyGEOID 27171	661.2 mi²	53.2 mi²	7.5%	157,559	238
46	Olmsted CountyGEOID 27109	653.5 mi²	1.2 mi²	0.2%	166,731	255
47	Cottonwood CountyGEOID 27033	640 mi²	8.6 mi²	1.3%	11,405	18
48	Douglas CountyGEOID 27041	636.9 mi²	83.3 mi²	11.6%	40,120	63
49	Winona CountyGEOID 27169	626.2 mi²	15.5 mi²	2.4%	50,523	81
50	Pennington CountyGEOID 27113	616.5 mi²	1.7 mi²	0.3%	13,686	22
51	Brown CountyGEOID 27015	611.3 mi²	7.2 mi²	1.2%	25,517	42
52	Meeker CountyGEOID 27093	608 mi²	36.6 mi²	5.7%	23,603	39
53	Sibley CountyGEOID 27143	589 mi²	11.6 mi²	1.9%	15,356	26
54	Chippewa CountyGEOID 27023	581.2 mi²	6.7 mi²	1.1%	12,406	21
55	Traverse CountyGEOID 27155	573.9 mi²	12 mi²	2%	3,130	5.5
56	Mille Lacs CountyGEOID 27095	572.3 mi²	109.2 mi²	16%	27,753	48
57	Stevens CountyGEOID 27149	563.7 mi²	11.7 mi²	2%	9,747	17
58	Dakota CountyGEOID 27037	562.6 mi²	24.3 mi²	4.1%	457,710	814
59	Mahnomen CountyGEOID 27087	557.9 mi²	25 mi²	4.3%	5,153	9.2
60	Hennepin CountyGEOID 27053	554 mi²	52.7 mi²	8.7%	1,284,784	2,319
61	Houston CountyGEOID 27055	552.1 mi²	16.7 mi²	2.9%	18,400	33
62	Grant CountyGEOID 27051	547.8 mi²	27.7 mi²	4.8%	6,085	11
63	Lincoln CountyGEOID 27081	536.8 mi²	11.6 mi²	2.1%	5,583	10
64	Wadena CountyGEOID 27159	536.3 mi²	7 mi²	1.3%	14,388	27
65	Wabasha CountyGEOID 27157	523 mi²	26.6 mi²	4.8%	21,537	41
66	Kanabec CountyGEOID 27065	521.6 mi²	12.1 mi²	2.3%	16,628	32
67	Big Stone CountyGEOID 27011	499.1 mi²	28.9 mi²	5.5%	5,054	10
68	Rice CountyGEOID 27131	495.8 mi²	20.1 mi²	3.9%	69,939	141
69	McLeod CountyGEOID 27085	491.5 mi²	14.1 mi²	2.8%	36,631	75
70	Rock CountyGEOID 27133	482.5 mi²	0.3 mi²	0.1%	9,524	20
71	Pipestone CountyGEOID 27117	465.1 mi²	0.9 mi²	0.2%	9,260	20
72	Le Sueur CountyGEOID 27079	448.8 mi²	25.2 mi²	5.3%	29,453	66
73	Nicollet CountyGEOID 27103	448.3 mi²	18.3 mi²	3.9%	34,273	76
74	Dodge CountyGEOID 27039	439.4 mi²	0.3 mi²	0.1%	21,376	49
75	Isanti CountyGEOID 27059	435.8 mi²	15.9 mi²	3.5%	44,386	102
76	Watonwan CountyGEOID 27165	435 mi²	4.8 mi²	1.1%	11,459	26
77	Sherburne CountyGEOID 27141	432.9 mi²	18.2 mi²	4%	104,194	241
78	Red Lake CountyGEOID 27125	432.4 mi²	0.1 mi²	0%	3,940	9.1
79	Steele CountyGEOID 27147	429.6 mi²	2.7 mi²	0.6%	37,464	87
80	Waseca CountyGEOID 27161	423.4 mi²	9.6 mi²	2.2%	18,688	44
81	Anoka CountyGEOID 27003	422 mi²	24.1 mi²	5.4%	381,605	904
82	Chisago CountyGEOID 27025	414.9 mi²	27.5 mi²	6.2%	59,142	143
83	Benton CountyGEOID 27009	408.3 mi²	4.7 mi²	1.1%	41,744	102
84	Washington CountyGEOID 27163	384.8 mi²	38.5 mi²	9.1%	286,895	746
85	Scott CountyGEOID 27139	356.1 mi²	12.2 mi²	3.3%	159,017	447
86	Carver CountyGEOID 27019	353.9 mi²	22 mi²	5.9%	114,379	323
87	Ramsey CountyGEOID 27123	152.3 mi²	17.8 mi²	10.4%	541,623	3,557

County / equivalent

Land

Water

Water share

Population

Per mi²

St. Louis CountyGEOID 27137

6,248.1 mi²

612.4 mi²

8.9%

200,518

Koochiching CountyGEOID 27071

3,104.7 mi²

51.3 mi²

1.6%

11,587

3.7

Itasca CountyGEOID 27061

2,667.5 mi²

260.3 mi²

8.9%

45,404

Beltrami CountyGEOID 27007

2,504.7 mi²

550.5 mi²

18%

47,055

Lake CountyGEOID 27075

2,109.1 mi²

881.8 mi²

29.5%

10,746

5.1

Cass CountyGEOID 27021

2,021.5 mi²

392.5 mi²

16.3%

31,430

Otter Tail CountyGEOID 27111

1,971.6 mi²

252.7 mi²

11.4%

61,041

Polk CountyGEOID 27119

1,971 mi²

26.8 mi²

1.3%

30,545

Aitkin CountyGEOID 27001

1,821.3 mi²

173.5 mi²

8.7%

16,252

8.9

Marshall CountyGEOID 27089

1,775.1 mi²

37.8 mi²

2.1%

8,798

Roseau CountyGEOID 27135

1,671.7 mi²

6.5 mi²

0.4%

15,246

9.1

Cook CountyGEOID 27031

1,452.6 mi²

1,887.2 mi²

56.5%

5,522

3.8

Pine CountyGEOID 27115

1,411.3 mi²

23.3 mi²

1.6%

30,472

Stearns CountyGEOID 27145

1,342.9 mi²

47 mi²

3.4%

164,110

122

Becker CountyGEOID 27005

1,315 mi²

130.1 mi²

35,497

Lake of the Woods CountyGEOID 27077

1,297.7 mi²

482.2 mi²

27.1%

3,770

2.9

Morrison CountyGEOID 27097

1,125.1 mi²

28.3 mi²

2.5%

34,620

Kittson CountyGEOID 27069

1,099 mi²

4.8 mi²

0.4%

4,031

3.7

Clay CountyGEOID 27027

1,045.2 mi²

7.5 mi²

0.7%

67,734

Clearwater CountyGEOID 27029

999 mi²

31.1 mi²

8,647

8.7

Crow Wing CountyGEOID 27035

998.5 mi²

158.2 mi²

13.7%

69,132

Renville CountyGEOID 27129

982.9 mi²

4.2 mi²

0.4%

14,356

Todd CountyGEOID 27153

945.1 mi²

34.4 mi²

3.5%

26,060

Hubbard CountyGEOID 27057

926 mi²

73.5 mi²

7.4%

22,369

Redwood CountyGEOID 27127

878.6 mi²

3.2 mi²

0.4%

15,265

Norman CountyGEOID 27107

872.8 mi²

3.9 mi²

0.4%

6,336

7.3

Fillmore CountyGEOID 27045

861.3 mi²

0.8 mi²

0.1%

21,540

Carlton CountyGEOID 27017

861.2 mi²

14 mi²

1.6%

36,711

Kandiyohi CountyGEOID 27067

797.4 mi²

65 mi²

7.5%

44,720

Lac qui Parle CountyGEOID 27073

765 mi²

13.1 mi²

1.7%

6,704

8.8

Yellow Medicine CountyGEOID 27173

759.1 mi²

4.1 mi²

0.5%

9,477

Goodhue CountyGEOID 27049

756.7 mi²

22.8 mi²

2.9%

48,195

Wilkin CountyGEOID 27167

751 mi²

0.2 mi²

6,288

8.4

Blue Earth CountyGEOID 27013

747.8 mi²

17.7 mi²

2.3%

70,634

Swift CountyGEOID 27151

742 mi²

10.1 mi²

1.3%

9,763

Nobles CountyGEOID 27105

715.1 mi²

7.4 mi²

22,338

Lyon CountyGEOID 27083

714.4 mi²

7.3 mi²

25,684

Faribault CountyGEOID 27043

712.5 mi²

9.4 mi²

1.3%

13,888

Martin CountyGEOID 27091

712.3 mi²

17.2 mi²

2.4%

19,440

Mower CountyGEOID 27099

711.3 mi²

0.2 mi²

40,971

Freeborn CountyGEOID 27047

707.2 mi²

15.2 mi²

2.1%

30,440

Murray CountyGEOID 27101

704.7 mi²

14.8 mi²

2.1%

7,942

Jackson CountyGEOID 27063

703 mi²

16.3 mi²

2.3%

9,857

Pope CountyGEOID 27121

674.6 mi²

42.4 mi²

5.9%

11,420

Wright CountyGEOID 27171

661.2 mi²

53.2 mi²

7.5%

157,559

238

Olmsted CountyGEOID 27109

653.5 mi²

1.2 mi²

0.2%

166,731

255

Cottonwood CountyGEOID 27033

640 mi²

8.6 mi²

1.3%

11,405

Douglas CountyGEOID 27041

636.9 mi²

83.3 mi²

11.6%

40,120

Winona CountyGEOID 27169

626.2 mi²

15.5 mi²

2.4%

50,523

Pennington CountyGEOID 27113

616.5 mi²

1.7 mi²

0.3%

13,686

Brown CountyGEOID 27015

611.3 mi²

7.2 mi²

1.2%

25,517

Meeker CountyGEOID 27093

608 mi²

36.6 mi²

5.7%

23,603

Sibley CountyGEOID 27143

589 mi²

11.6 mi²

1.9%

15,356

Chippewa CountyGEOID 27023

581.2 mi²

6.7 mi²

1.1%

12,406

Traverse CountyGEOID 27155

573.9 mi²

12 mi²

3,130

5.5

Mille Lacs CountyGEOID 27095

572.3 mi²

109.2 mi²

16%

27,753

Stevens CountyGEOID 27149

563.7 mi²

11.7 mi²

9,747

Dakota CountyGEOID 27037

562.6 mi²

24.3 mi²

4.1%

457,710

814

Mahnomen CountyGEOID 27087

557.9 mi²

25 mi²

4.3%

5,153

9.2

Hennepin CountyGEOID 27053

554 mi²

52.7 mi²

8.7%

1,284,784

2,319

Houston CountyGEOID 27055

552.1 mi²

16.7 mi²

2.9%

18,400

Grant CountyGEOID 27051

547.8 mi²

27.7 mi²

4.8%

6,085

Lincoln CountyGEOID 27081

536.8 mi²

11.6 mi²

2.1%

5,583

Wadena CountyGEOID 27159

536.3 mi²

7 mi²

1.3%

14,388

Wabasha CountyGEOID 27157

523 mi²

26.6 mi²

4.8%

21,537

Kanabec CountyGEOID 27065

521.6 mi²

12.1 mi²

2.3%

16,628

Big Stone CountyGEOID 27011

499.1 mi²

28.9 mi²

5.5%

5,054

Rice CountyGEOID 27131

495.8 mi²

20.1 mi²

3.9%

69,939

141

McLeod CountyGEOID 27085

491.5 mi²

14.1 mi²

2.8%

36,631

Rock CountyGEOID 27133

482.5 mi²

0.3 mi²

0.1%

9,524

Pipestone CountyGEOID 27117

465.1 mi²

0.9 mi²

0.2%

9,260

Le Sueur CountyGEOID 27079

448.8 mi²

25.2 mi²

5.3%

29,453

Nicollet CountyGEOID 27103

448.3 mi²

18.3 mi²

3.9%

34,273

Dodge CountyGEOID 27039

439.4 mi²

0.3 mi²

0.1%

21,376

Isanti CountyGEOID 27059

435.8 mi²

15.9 mi²

3.5%

44,386

102

Watonwan CountyGEOID 27165

435 mi²

4.8 mi²

1.1%

11,459

Sherburne CountyGEOID 27141

432.9 mi²

18.2 mi²

104,194

241

Red Lake CountyGEOID 27125

432.4 mi²

0.1 mi²

3,940

9.1

Steele CountyGEOID 27147

429.6 mi²

2.7 mi²

0.6%

37,464

Waseca CountyGEOID 27161

423.4 mi²

9.6 mi²

2.2%

18,688

Anoka CountyGEOID 27003

422 mi²

24.1 mi²

5.4%

381,605

904

Chisago CountyGEOID 27025

414.9 mi²

27.5 mi²

6.2%

59,142

143

Benton CountyGEOID 27009

408.3 mi²

4.7 mi²

1.1%

41,744

102

Washington CountyGEOID 27163

384.8 mi²

38.5 mi²

9.1%

286,895

746

Scott CountyGEOID 27139

356.1 mi²

12.2 mi²

3.3%

159,017

447

Carver CountyGEOID 27019

353.9 mi²

22 mi²

5.9%

114,379

323

Ramsey CountyGEOID 27123

152.3 mi²

17.8 mi²

10.4%

541,623

3,557

Minnesota counties by area

Understanding Minnesota’s county areas

Where water changes the picture

Where people live

Complete area table