| Cottonwood County, Minnesota | |
| Map | |
 Location in the state of Minnesota |
|
 Minnesota's location in the USA |
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| Statistics | |
| Founded | May 23, 1857[1] |
|---|---|
| Seat | Windom |
| Largest City | Windom |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
649 sq mi (1,681 km²) 640 sq mi (1,658 km²) 9 sq mi (23 km²), 1.37% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
12,167 19/sq mi (7/km²) |
| Time zone | Central: UTC-6/-5 |
| Website: www.co.cottonwood.mn.us | |
| Named for: Cottonwood River, translated from Waraju, a Dakota name of the abundant Eastern Cottonwood along its banks.[1] | |
Cottonwood County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of 2000, the population is 12,167. Its county seat is Windom6.
Contents |
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,681 km² (649 sq mi). 1,658 km² (640 sq mi) of it is land and 23 km² (9 sq mi) of it (1.37%) is water.
Watersheds
The northeast part of the county drains north to the Minnesota River through numerous small creeks, the Cottonwood River and Watonwan River. The southwest part of the county drains south through the Des Moines River. These two watersheds come together at the Mississippi River near Keokuk, Iowa. Most wetlands in the county have been drained for agricultural use.
Lakes
| Des Moine River Watershed | Minnesota River Watershed |
|---|---|
|
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Major Highways
Adjacent counties
- Redwood County (north)
- Brown County (northeast)
- Watonwan County (east)
- Martin County (southeast)
- Jackson County (south)
- Nobles County (southwest)
- Murray County (west)
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 12,167 people, 4,917 households, and 3,338 families residing in the county. The population density was 19 people per square mile (7/km²). There were 5,376 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.23% White, 0.34% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.63% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 1.35% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 50.2% were of German and 18.6% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000. There were 4,917 households out of which 28.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.10% were non-families. 28.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.94. In the county the population was spread out with 25.00% under the age of 18, 6.50% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 22.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 94.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.50 males. The median income for a household in the county was $31,943, and the median income for a family was $40,237. Males had a median income of $28,993 versus $19,934 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,647. About 7.40% of families and 11.70% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.40% of those under age 18 and 8.70% of those age 65 or over.
Cities and towns
| Cities | Townships | |
|---|---|---|
† Most of Comfrey is in Brown County, but the city extends into Cottonwood County.
County Parks
- Dynamite (Great Bend Township)
- Lady Bird (Southbrook Township)
- Pat's Grove (Springfield Township)
- Mountain (Mountain Lake Township)
- Red Rock (Germantown Township)
- South Dutch Charlie (Westbrook Township)
- Talcot Lake (Southbrook Township)
Notes
- ^ a b Minnesota Place Names at Minnesota Historical Society
References
- Cottonwood County Minnesota Highway Map, Cottonwood County Highway Department, 2003.
- DeLorme's Minnesota Atlas and Gazetteer (ISBN 0-89933-333-8)
