Counties in Minnesota by land in farms

Polk County had the highest land in farms of 85 counties in 1997, at 1,180,478 acres. Lake County had the lowest, at 4,906 acres. The median was 288,538 acres and the figure for Minnesota was 27,560,621 acres. Source: the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

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Highest1,180,478Polk County
Lowest4,906Lake County
Median288,53885 counties
Minnesota27,560,621History

Map of counties, 1997

Aitkin County: 192,152 acresAnoka County: 60,176 acresBecker County: 442,673 acresBeltrami County: 245,736 acresBenton County: 185,370 acresBig Stone County: 273,209 acresBlue Earth County: 409,560 acresBrown County: 350,319 acresCarlton County: 120,612 acresCarver County: 159,012 acresCass County: 207,438 acresChippewa County: 319,030 acresChisago County: 131,305 acresClay County: 607,129 acresClearwater County: 232,333 acresCottonwood County: 380,808 acresCrow Wing County: 145,737 acresDakota County: 226,753 acresDodge County: 253,543 acresDouglas County: 288,538 acresFaribault County: 418,700 acresFillmore County: 432,804 acresFreeborn County: 376,923 acresGoodhue County: 396,367 acresGrant County: 301,040 acresHennepin County: 71,864 acresHouston County: 301,114 acresHubbard County: 145,512 acresIsanti County: 152,216 acresItasca County: 115,380 acresJackson County: 382,192 acresKanabec County: 152,157 acresKandiyohi County: 394,915 acresKittson County: 581,505 acresKoochiching County: 88,075 acresLac qui Parle County: 408,033 acresLake County: 4,906 acresLake of the Woods County: 158,907 acresLe Sueur County: 217,338 acresLincoln County: 275,950 acresLyon County: 400,808 acresMcLeod County: 256,398 acresMahnomen County: 219,476 acresMarshall County: 921,143 acresMartin County: 424,254 acresMeeker County: 304,171 acresMille Lacs County: 149,832 acresMorrison County: 456,837 acresMower County: 407,685 acresMurray County: 387,758 acresNicollet County: 253,483 acresNobles County: 393,866 acresNorman County: 530,516 acresOlmsted County: 303,388 acresOtter Tail County: 910,179 acresPennington County: 378,589 acresPine County: 279,296 acresPipestone County: 239,922 acresPolk County: 1,180,478 acresPope County: 345,689 acresRed Lake County: 237,605 acresRedwood County: 503,690 acresRenville County: 603,911 acresRice County: 256,572 acresRock County: 278,544 acresRoseau County: 711,732 acresSt. Louis County: 187,502 acresScott County: 120,442 acresSherburne County: 113,104 acresSibley County: 316,722 acresStearns County: 657,581 acresSteele County: 235,872 acresStevens County: 315,360 acresSwift County: 409,202 acresTodd County: 406,162 acresTraverse County: 344,484 acresWabasha County: 256,970 acresWadena County: 188,331 acresWaseca County: 243,634 acresWashington County: 92,683 acresWatonwan County: 260,057 acresWilkin County: 483,592 acresWinona County: 299,386 acresWright County: 258,783 acresYellow Medicine County: 420,068 acres
  • Under 150K
  • 150K to 240K
  • 240K to 290K
  • 290K to 380K
  • 380K to 420K
  • 420K and over
  • No data
acres, 1997. Hatched areas have no value for this period. Source: USDA NASS, Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022) via Data Commons. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 1997

Polk County: 1,180,478 acresPolk County1,180,478Marshall County: 921,143 acresMarshall County921,143Otter Tail County: 910,179 acresOtter Tail County910,179Roseau County: 711,732 acresRoseau County711,732Stearns County: 657,581 acresStearns County657,581Clay County: 607,129 acresClay County607,129Renville County: 603,911 acresRenville County603,911Kittson County: 581,505 acresKittson County581,505Norman County: 530,516 acresNorman County530,516Redwood County: 503,690 acresRedwood County503,690Wilkin County: 483,592 acresWilkin County483,592Morrison County: 456,837 acresMorrison County456,837Becker County: 442,673 acresBecker County442,673Fillmore County: 432,804 acresFillmore County432,804Martin County: 424,254 acresMartin County424,254Yellow Medicine County: 420,068 acresYellow Medicine County420,068Faribault County: 418,700 acresFaribault County418,700Blue Earth County: 409,560 acresBlue Earth County409,560Swift County: 409,202 acresSwift County409,202Lac qui Parle County: 408,033 acresLac qui Parle County408,033Mower County: 407,685 acresMower County407,685Todd County: 406,162 acresTodd County406,162Lyon County: 400,808 acresLyon County400,808Goodhue County: 396,367 acresGoodhue County396,367Kandiyohi County: 394,915 acresKandiyohi County394,915Nobles County: 393,866 acresNobles County393,866Murray County: 387,758 acresMurray County387,758Jackson County: 382,192 acresJackson County382,192Cottonwood County: 380,808 acresCottonwood County380,808Pennington County: 378,589 acresPennington County378,589Freeborn County: 376,923 acresFreeborn County376,923Brown County: 350,319 acresBrown County350,319Pope County: 345,689 acresPope County345,689Traverse County: 344,484 acresTraverse County344,484Chippewa County: 319,030 acresChippewa County319,030Sibley County: 316,722 acresSibley County316,722Stevens County: 315,360 acresStevens County315,360Meeker County: 304,171 acresMeeker County304,171Olmsted County: 303,388 acresOlmsted County303,388Houston County: 301,114 acresHouston County301,114Polk County: 1,180,478 acresPolk County1,180,478Marshall County: 921,143 acresMarshall County921,143Otter Tail County: 910,179 acresOtter Tail County910,179Roseau County: 711,732 acresRoseau County711,732Stearns County: 657,581 acresStearns County657,581Clay County: 607,129 acresClay County607,129Renville County: 603,911 acresRenville County603,911Kittson County: 581,505 acresKittson County581,505Norman County: 530,516 acresNorman County530,516Redwood County: 503,690 acresRedwood County503,690Wilkin County: 483,592 acresWilkin County483,592Morrison County: 456,837 acresMorrison County456,837Becker County: 442,673 acresBecker County442,673Fillmore County: 432,804 acresFillmore County432,804Martin County: 424,254 acresMartin County424,254Yellow Medicine County: 420,068 acresYellow Medicine County420,068Faribault County: 418,700 acresFaribault County418,700Blue Earth County: 409,560 acresBlue Earth County409,560Swift County: 409,202 acresSwift County409,202Lac qui Parle County: 408,033 acresLac qui Parle County408,033Mower County: 407,685 acresMower County407,685Todd County: 406,162 acresTodd County406,162Lyon County: 400,808 acresLyon County400,808Goodhue County: 396,367 acresGoodhue County396,367Kandiyohi County: 394,915 acresKandiyohi County394,915Nobles County: 393,866 acresNobles County393,866Murray County: 387,758 acresMurray County387,758Jackson County: 382,192 acresJackson County382,192Cottonwood County: 380,808 acresCottonwood County380,808Pennington County: 378,589 acresPennington County378,589Freeborn County: 376,923 acresFreeborn County376,923Brown County: 350,319 acresBrown County350,319Pope County: 345,689 acresPope County345,689Traverse County: 344,484 acresTraverse County344,484Chippewa County: 319,030 acresChippewa County319,030Sibley County: 316,722 acresSibley County316,722Stevens County: 315,360 acresStevens County315,360Meeker County: 304,171 acresMeeker County304,171Olmsted County: 303,388 acresOlmsted County303,388Houston County: 301,114 acresHouston County301,114
acres. Source: USDA NASS, Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022) via Data Commons. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties1997
acres
1Polk County1,180,478
2Marshall County921,143
3Otter Tail County910,179
4Roseau County711,732
5Stearns County657,581
6Clay County607,129
7Renville County603,911
8Kittson County581,505
9Norman County530,516
10Redwood County503,690
11Wilkin County483,592
12Morrison County456,837
13Becker County442,673
14Fillmore County432,804
15Martin County424,254
16Yellow Medicine County420,068
17Faribault County418,700
18Blue Earth County409,560
19Swift County409,202
20Lac qui Parle County408,033
21Mower County407,685
22Todd County406,162
23Lyon County400,808
24Goodhue County396,367
25Kandiyohi County394,915
26Nobles County393,866
27Murray County387,758
28Jackson County382,192
29Cottonwood County380,808
30Pennington County378,589
31Freeborn County376,923
32Brown County350,319
33Pope County345,689
34Traverse County344,484
35Chippewa County319,030
36Sibley County316,722
37Stevens County315,360
38Meeker County304,171
39Olmsted County303,388
40Houston County301,114
41Grant County301,040
42Winona County299,386
43Douglas County288,538
44Pine County279,296
45Rock County278,544
46Lincoln County275,950
47Big Stone County273,209
48Watonwan County260,057
49Wright County258,783
50Wabasha County256,970
51Rice County256,572
52McLeod County256,398
53Dodge County253,543
54Nicollet County253,483
55Beltrami County245,736
56Waseca County243,634
57Pipestone County239,922
58Red Lake County237,605
59Steele County235,872
60Clearwater County232,333
61Dakota County226,753
62Mahnomen County219,476
63Le Sueur County217,338
64Cass County207,438
65Aitkin County192,152
66Wadena County188,331
67St. Louis County187,502
68Benton County185,370
69Carver County159,012
70Lake of the Woods County158,907
71Isanti County152,216
72Kanabec County152,157
73Mille Lacs County149,832
74Crow Wing County145,737
75Hubbard County145,512
76Chisago County131,305
77Carlton County120,612
78Scott County120,442
79Itasca County115,380
80Sherburne County113,104
81Washington County92,683
82Koochiching County88,075
83Hennepin County71,864
84Anoka County60,176
85Lake County4,906

Other periods

About this ranking

Land operated by farms in the census year, in acres, including cropland, pasture, woodland and land under farm buildings, as counted by the USDA Census of Agriculture every five years.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. 2 counties with data in other periods have no value for 1997 and are left out rather than filled from another source. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. (2026). Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022) (Counties in Minnesota by land in farms, 1997) [Data set]. Data Commons. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/

MLA 9

Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022), Counties in Minnesota by land in farms, 1997. U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 11 Oct. 2026, https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Data Commons, https://datacommons.org. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/minnesota-counties?period=1997. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2026. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Counties in Minnesota by land in farms, 1997. Dataset. Distributed by Data Commons. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/minnesota-counties?period=1997.

Harvard

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service (2026) Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022), Counties in Minnesota by land in farms, 1997 [Dataset]. Via Data Commons. Available at: https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/minnesota-counties?period=1997 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{department_counties_in_minnesota_by_1997,
  author = {{U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service}},
  title = {{Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022): Counties in Minnesota by land in farms, 1997}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  publisher = {Data Commons},
  url = {https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/},
  urldate = {2026-10-11},
  note = {Retrieved through Data Commons (https://datacommons.org). Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/minnesota-counties?period=1997. Publisher attribution: Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service
TI  - Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022): Counties in Minnesota by land in farms, 1997
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/11
PB  - Data Commons
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/minnesota-counties?period=1997
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Retrieved through Data Commons (https://datacommons.org).
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/minnesota-counties?period=1997.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest land in farms?

Polk County, with 1,180,478 acres in 1997, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Which county has the lowest land in farms?

Lake County, with 4,906 acres in 1997.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved 2026-10-11. 2 counties have no value for 1997 and are not ranked.

Land in farms: other rankings

Counties in Minnesota: more rankings