# Mahnomen County, Minnesota

Mahnomen County (/məˈnoʊmən/ mə-NOH-mən) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 5,411. Its county seat is Mahnomen.
The county is part of the White Earth Indian Reservation. It is the only county in Minnesota entirely within an Indian reservation. Mahnomen, East Polk, and Becker counties constitute one of northwestern Minnesota's biggest cattle-raising areas.

## History

The county was created from the east half of Norman County on December 27, 1906, with Mahnomen, a former railway station town, as the county seat. The county was named for the town, the name of which is one spelling of the Ojibwe word for "wild rice".
From 1857 to 1858, similarly named Manomin County existed in Minnesota, which merged into Anoka County.

## Geography

The Wild Rice River enters the county from Clearwater County and flows west through the central part of the county. The White Earth River originates from White Earth Lake on the county's southern border and flows northwest to its confluence with the Wild Rice near Mahnomen. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, carved with drainages. The eastern part of the county is dotted with lakes and ponds and largely wooded. All non-wooded areas are devoted to agriculture where possible. The county slopes to the west and north, with its highest point near the middle of the east border, at 1,825 ft (556 m) ASL. The county has an area of 583 square miles (1,510 km$^2$), of which 558 square miles (1,450 km$^2$) is land and 25 square miles (65 km$^2$) (4.3%) is water. Mahnomen is one of 17 Minnesota savanna region counties with more savanna soils than either prairie or forest soils.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 59
* Minnesota State Highway 113
* Minnesota State Highway 200

### Airports

* Mahnomen County Airport (3N8) - south of Mahnomen

### Adjacent counties

* Polk County - north
* Clearwater County - east
* Becker County - south
* Norman County - west

### Protected areas

Source:
* Beaulife State Wildlife Management Area
* Bejou State Wildlife Management Area
* Budde Meadow State Wildlife Management Area
* Dittmer State Wildlife Management Area
* Foot State Wildlife Management Area
* Hasselton State Wildlife Management Area (part)
* Loncrace State Wildlife Management Area
* Mahgre State Wildlife Management Area
* Rush Lake State Wildlife Management Area
* Santee Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
* Wambach State Wildlife Management Area
* Warren Lake State Wildlife Management Area

## Demographics
### 2020 Census

Mahnomen County Racial Composition :
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
| White (NH) | 2,278 | 42.1% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 8 | 0.1% |
| Native American (NH) | 2,256 | 41.7% |
| Asian (NH) | 7 | 0.13% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 0 | 0.% |
| Other/Mixed (NH) | 708 | 13.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 154 | 2.84% |

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 5,190 people, 1,969 households, and 1,366 families in the county. The population density was 9.3 per square mile (3.6/km$^2$). There were 2,700 housing units at an average density of 4.84 per square mile (1.87/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 62.85% White (3,262 people) 0.13% Black or African American (7 people), 28.55% Native American (1,482 people), 0.06% Asian (3 people), 0.31% from other races (16 people), and 8.09% (420 people) from two or more races. 0.89% of the population (46 people) were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 29.4% (1525 people) were of German and 17.0% (882 people) Norwegian ancestry.
There were 1,969 households, out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.60% were married couples living together, 11.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 27.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.14.
The county population contained 29.20% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 23.50% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.40 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,053, and the median income for a family was $35,500. Males had a median income of $23,614 versus $21,000 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,438. About 11.80% of families and 16.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.30% of those under age 18 and 15.30% of those age 65 or over.

## Communities
### Cities

* Bejou
* Mahnomen (county seat)
* Waubun

### Census-designated places

* Beaulieu
* Midway
* Naytahwaush
* Pine Bend
* Riverland
* Roy Lake
* The Ranch
* Twin Lakes
* West Roy Lake

### Unincorporated community

* Mahkonce

### Townships

* Beaulieu Township
* Bejou Township
* Chief Township
* Clover Township
* Gregory Township
* Heier Township
* Island Lake Township
* La Garde Township
* Lake Grove Township
* Little Elbow Township
* Marsh Creek Township
* Oakland Township
* Pembina Township
* Popple Grove Township
* Rosedale Township
* Twin Lakes Township

## Government and politics

For several decades, Mahnomen County voters have tended to vote Democratic. As of 2020, the county has selected the Democratic candidate in six of the past ten presidential elections. However, since 2016, the county has trended Republican, voting for Donald Trump all three times, with Trump increasing his voteshare in 2020 and 2024. The county also voted Republican by a wider margin in the 2022 Midterm Elections, potentially signifying a realignment.
United States presidential election results for Mahnomen County, Minnesota :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 1,165 | 53.37% | 975 | 44.66% | 43 | 1.97% |
| 2020 | 1,142 | 49.57% | 1,112 | 48.26% | 50 | 2.17% |
| 2016 | 991 | 47.46% | 930 | 44.54% | 167 | 8.00% |
| 2012 | 871 | 39.92% | 1,276 | 58.48% | 35 | 1.60% |
| 2008 | 843 | 35.98% | 1,436 | 61.29% | 64 | 2.73% |
| 2004 | 1,132 | 45.14% | 1,339 | 53.39% | 37 | 1.48% |
| 2000 | 1,122 | 50.45% | 921 | 41.41% | 181 | 8.14% |
| 1996 | 877 | 39.70% | 1,026 | 46.45% | 306 | 13.85% |
| 1992 | 854 | 35.75% | 1,035 | 43.32% | 500 | 20.93% |
| 1988 | 1,051 | 44.57% | 1,277 | 54.16% | 30 | 1.27% |
| 1984 | 1,328 | 51.14% | 1,241 | 47.79% | 28 | 1.08% |
| 1980 | 1,275 | 48.39% | 1,175 | 44.59% | 185 | 7.02% |
| 1976 | 905 | 34.63% | 1,590 | 60.85% | 118 | 4.52% |
| 1972 | 1,246 | 46.30% | 1,397 | 51.91% | 48 | 1.78% |
| 1968 | 893 | 34.28% | 1,508 | 57.89% | 204 | 7.83% |
| 1964 | 648 | 24.74% | 1,967 | 75.11% | 4 | 0.15% |
| 1960 | 880 | 32.01% | 1,864 | 67.81% | 5 | 0.18% |
| 1956 | 875 | 36.58% | 1,513 | 63.25% | 4 | 0.17% |
| 1952 | 1,220 | 45.86% | 1,436 | 53.98% | 4 | 0.15% |
| 1948 | 579 | 20.86% | 2,125 | 76.58% | 71 | 2.56% |
| 1944 | 748 | 33.10% | 1,494 | 66.11% | 18 | 0.80% |
| 1940 | 1,069 | 35.14% | 1,959 | 64.40% | 14 | 0.46% |
| 1936 | 474 | 18.00% | 2,025 | 76.88% | 135 | 5.13% |
| 1932 | 264 | 12.76% | 1,734 | 83.81% | 71 | 3.43% |
| 1928 | 606 | 29.90% | 1,378 | 67.98% | 43 | 2.12% |
| 1924 | 629 | 33.69% | 122 | 6.53% | 1,116 | 59.78% |
| 1920 | 1,076 | 71.97% | 215 | 14.38% | 204 | 13.65% |
| 1916 | 262 | 36.39% | 411 | 57.08% | 47 | 6.53% |
| 1912 | 68 | 10.88% | 293 | 46.88% | 264 | 42.24% |
| 1908 | 265 | 53.64% | 143 | 28.95% | 86 | 17.41% |
County Board of Commissioners :
| Position | Name | District | Next Election |
| Commissioner and Vice Chair | Darvin Schoenborn | District 1 | 2024 |
| Commissioner and Chairperson | David Geray | District 2 | 2026 |
| Commissioner | Larry Olson | District 3 | 2024 |
| Commissioner | Karen Ahmann | District 4 | 2026 |
| Commissioner | John Darco | District 5 | 2024 |
State Legislature (2018-2020) :
| Position | Position | Name | Affiliation | District |
| | Senate | Steve Green | Republican | District 2 |
| | House of Representatives | Matt Bliss | Republican | District 2B |
U.S Congress (2022-2025) :
| Position | Name | Affiliation | District |
| House of Representatives | Pete Stauber | Republican | 8th |
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar | Democrat | N/A |
| Senate | Tina Smith | Democrat | N/A |