Polk County, Minnesota

Polk County, Minnesota
Polk County is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its population was 31,192 at the 2020 census. Its county seat is Crookston, and the largest community is East Grand Forks.
Polk County is part of the Grand Forks, ND-MN metropolitan statistical area.
History
In one of its early acts as a state entity, the Minnesota Legislature created the county on July 20, 1858, but did not organize it at that time. The county was named for the 11th president of the United States, James Knox Polk, who signed the congressional act that organized the Minnesota Territory. The county was organized in 1872 and 1873, with the newly settled community of Crookston as the county seat.
Geography
Polk County lies on Minnesota's border with North Dakota (across the Red River). The Red Lake River flows west through the upper central part of the county, discharging into the Red at Grand Forks. The county terrain consists of low, rolling hills, devoted to agriculture. The county slopes to the west and north, with its highest point near its southeast corner, at above sea level. The county has an area of , of which (1.3%) is covered by water.
USGS surveys show the county's high point to be south of U.S. 2, about 2 km east of Spring Lake, at 47.5197°N, 95.5906°W.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 2
U.S. Highway 59
U.S. Highway 75
Minnesota State Highway 9
Minnesota State Highway 32
Minnesota State Highway 92
Minnesota State Highway 102
Minnesota State Highway 220
Polk County State-Aid Highway 21: This is the major connector between Grand Forks and Pennington County, and connects with Pennington County State-Aid Highway 3.
Polk County State-Aid Highway 9: A major connector between Crookston and the south end of Grand Forks, it connects with Grand Forks County Road 7, and functions as a southside connector between US 75 and US 2 in Crookston.
Polk County State-Aid Highways 11 & 46: US 2 Truck Bypass of Crookston
Polk County State-Aid Highway 2: Designated and designed for heavy truck traffic connecting US 2 to Roseau County and Marshall County.
Adjacent counties
Marshall County (north)
Pennington County (northeast)
Red Lake County (northeast)
Clearwater County (east)
Mahnomen County (southeast)
Norman County (south)
Traill County, North Dakota (southwest)
Grand Forks County, North Dakota (west)
Protected areas
Agassiz Dunes Scientific and Natural Area (part)
Belgium State Wildlife Management Area
Brandsvold State Wildlife Management Area
Castor State Wildlife Management Area
Enerson State Wildlife Management Area
Erskine State Wildlife Management Area
Glacial Ridge National Wildlife Refuge
Gully Fen Scientific and Natural Area
Hangaard State Wildlife Management Area
Hasselton State Wildlife Management Area (part)
Hill River State Wildlife Management Area
Kroening State Wildlife Management Area
Lavoi State Wildlife Management Area
Lessor State Wildlife Management Area
Mahgre State Wildlife Management Area
Malmberg Prairie Scientific and Natural Area
Pembina State Wildlife Management Area
Polk State Wildlife Management Area
Red River State Recreation Area (part)
Red River Valley Natural History Area
Rindahl State Wildlife Management Area
Rydell National Wildlife Refuge
Sand Hill Recreation Area
Shypoke State Wildlife Management Area
Stipa State Wildlife Management Area
Demographics
2020 Census
As of the census of 2020, there were 31,192 people.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,369 people, 12,070 households, and 8,050 families were in the county. The population density was . The 14,008 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.18% White, 0.33% African American, 1.30% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 2.77% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. About 4.79% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race; 41.7% were of Norwegian, 19.7% German, and 5.8% French ancestry.
Of the 12,070 households, 32.3% had children under 18 living with them, 54.9% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were not families. About 28.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.47, and the average family size was 3.07.
The county's age distribution was 25.9% under 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 38. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
The median income for a household was $35,105, and for a family was $44,310. Males had a median income of $31,472 versus $21,535 for females. The per capita income was $17,279. About 7.3% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.3% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Beltrami
Climax
Crookston (county seat)
East Grand Forks
Erskine
Fertile
Fisher
Fosston
Gully
Lengby
McIntosh
Mentor
Nielsville
Trail
Winger
Unincorporated communities
Benoit
Cisco
Dugdale
Euclid
Greenview
Maple Bay
Olga
Sherack
Tabor
Townships
Andover Township
Angus Township
Badger Township
Belgium Township
Brandsvold Township
Brandt Township
Brislet Township
Bygland Township
Chester Township
Columbia Township
Crookston Township
Eden Township
Esther Township
Euclid Township
Fairfax Township
Fanny Township
Farley Township
Fisher Township
Garden Township
Garfield Township
Gentilly Township
Godfrey Township
Grand Forks Township
Grove Park-Tilden Township
Gully Township
Hammond Township
Helgeland Township
Higdem Township
Hill River Township
Hubbard Township
Huntsville Township
Johnson Township
Kertsonville Township
Keystone Township
King Township
Knute Township
Lessor Township
Liberty Township
Lowell Township
Nesbit Township
Northland Township
Onstad Township
Parnell Township
Queen Township
Reis Township
Rhinehart Township
Roome Township
Rosebud Township
Russia Township
Sandsville Township
Scandia Township
Sletten Township
Sullivan Township
Tabor Township
Tynsid Township
Vineland Township
Winger Township
Woodside Township
Government and politics
Polk County was a swing district for several decades, before shifting solidly Republican as of late. As of 2020, it has selected the Republican nominee in presidential elections in 56% of elections since 1980.
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Polk County, Minnesota
References
Further reading
R.I. Holcombe and William H Bingham, Compendium of History and Biography of Polk County, Minnesota. Minneapolis: W. H. Bingham & Co., 1916.
Huber D. McLellan, The History of the Early Settlement and Development of Polk County, Minnesota. PhD dissertation. Northwestern University, 1928.
Polk County Historical Society, Bicentennial History of Polk County, Minnesota: Pioneers of the Valley. n.c.: Polk County Historical Society, 1976.
Polk County Historical Society, The Polk County Historian. (journal)
Claude Eugene Wentsel, Polk County, Minnesota, in the World War. Ada, MN: C.E. Wentsel, 1922.
Winger Golden Jubilee Historical Committee, Golden Jubilee, Winger, Minnesota, 1904-1954. Winger, MN: Winger Enterprise, n.d. [1954].
Maxine Workman, Minnesota Cemeteries, Polk County. West Fargo, ND: Red River Genealogy Society, 1988.
External links
Polk County official website
Minnesota counties
Greater Grand Forks
1872 establishments in Minnesota
Populated places established in 1872