Clearwater County, Minnesota

Clearwater County, Minnesota
Clearwater County is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,524. Its county seat is Bagley.
Clearwater County is home to Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi River. Parts of the Red Lake and White Earth Indian reservations extend into the county.
Geography
The Red Lake River flows west out of Red Lake across the top of Clearwater County on its way to discharge into the Red River at Grand Forks, North Dakota. The Clearwater River flows west-southwest across the central part of the county on its way to discharge into the Red Lake River. The county terrain consists of wooded rolling hills, dotted with lakes and ponds. The terrain slopes to the north, with the highest point on the lower west boundary, at ASL. The county has an area of , of which is land and (3.0%) is water. The county's high point, just south of Scoop Lake, is one of a few places to exceed 2000 feet in Minnesota, rising to 2005 feet at 47.2318°N, -95.5034°W.
Major highways
U.S. Highway 2
Minnesota State Highway 1
Minnesota State Highway 92
Minnesota State Highway 113
Minnesota State Highway 200
Minnesota State Highway 223
Adjacent counties
Beltrami County - northeast
Hubbard County - southeast
Becker County - south
Mahnomen County - southwest
Polk County - west
Pennington County - northwest
Protected areas
Bagley Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Clearwater State Wildlife Management Area
Iron Springs Bog SNA
Itasca State Park (part)
Jackson Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Little Pine State Wildlife Management Area
Lower Rice Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Old Red Lake Trail State Wildlife Management Area
Upper Rice Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Climate and weather
In recent years average temperatures in Bagley have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, with a record low of recorded in February 1996 and a record high of recorded in August 1976. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in December to in June.
Demographics
2020 Census
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 8,423 people, 3,330 households, and 2,287 families in the county. The population density was . There were 4,114 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.26% White, 0.19% Black or African American, 8.58% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.24% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. 0.77% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 43.6% were of Norwegian, 15.6% German, 6.5% Swedish, and 6.2% American ancestry.
There were 3,330 households, out of which 30.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.80% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.30% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.02.
The county population contained 26.00% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 24.60% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $30,517, and the median income for a family was $39,698. Males had a median income of $29,338 versus $20,417 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,694. About 11.00% of families and 15.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.90% of those under age 18 and 18.20% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Bagley (county seat)
Clearbrook
Gonvick
Leonard
Shevlin
Census-designated places
Ebro
Elbow Lake
Rice Lake
Roy Lake
South End
Unincorporated communities
Alida
Big Bear Landing
Bonga Landing
Bush Landing
Lake Itasca
Mallard
Ponsford Landing
Vern
Weme
Zerkel
Townships
Bear Creek Township
Clover Township
Copley Township
Dudley Township
Eddy Township
Falk Township
Greenwood Township
Hangaard Township
Holst Township
Itasca Township
La Prairie Township
Leon Township
Long Lost Lake Township
Minerva Township
Moose Creek Township
Nora Township
Pine Lake Township
Popple Township
Rice Township
Shevlin Township
Sinclair Township
Winsor Township
Unorganized territories
North Clearwater
South Clearwater
Government and politics
Clearwater County was long a swing precinct (from 1968 through 2020, the Republican presidential candidate won 58% of the time), but no Democratic presidential candidate has carried the county since 1996.
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Clearwater County MN
References
External links
Clearwater County government website
City of Bagley website
Minnesota counties
Minnesota counties on the Mississippi River
1902 establishments in Minnesota
Populated places established in 1902