Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Minnesota

Counties in Minnesota by population density

Ramsey County had the highest population density of 87 counties in 2020, at 1,399.1 inhabitants per km². Lake of the Woods County had the lowest, at 1.1 inhabitants per km². The median was 10.3 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Minnesota was 27.7 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest1,399.1Ramsey County
Lowest1.1Lake of the Woods County
Median10.387 counties
Minnesota27.7History

Top 40 counties, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

Ramsey CountyRamsey County: 1,399.1 inhabitants per km²1,399.1Hennepin CountyHennepin County: 893.2 inhabitants per km²893.2Anoka CountyAnoka County: 333.5 inhabitants per km²333.5Dakota CountyDakota County: 302.3 inhabitants per km²302.3Washington CountyWashington County: 269.3 inhabitants per km²269.3Scott CountyScott County: 164.1 inhabitants per km²164.1Carver CountyCarver County: 117.1 inhabitants per km²117.1Olmsted CountyOlmsted County: 96.3 inhabitants per km²96.3Sherburne CountySherburne County: 87 inhabitants per km²87Wright CountyWright County: 82.9 inhabitants per km²82.9Chisago CountyChisago County: 52.8 inhabitants per km²52.8Rice CountyRice County: 52.3 inhabitants per km²52.3Stearns CountyStearns County: 45.6 inhabitants per km²45.6Benton CountyBenton County: 39.1 inhabitants per km²39.1Isanti CountyIsanti County: 36.7 inhabitants per km²36.7Blue Earth CountyBlue Earth County: 35.7 inhabitants per km²35.7Steele CountySteele County: 33.6 inhabitants per km²33.6Winona CountyWinona County: 30.6 inhabitants per km²30.6Nicollet CountyNicollet County: 29.7 inhabitants per km²29.7McLeod CountyMcLeod County: 28.9 inhabitants per km²28.9Crow Wing CountyCrow Wing County: 25.6 inhabitants per km²25.6Le Sueur CountyLe Sueur County: 24.6 inhabitants per km²24.6Goodhue CountyGoodhue County: 24.3 inhabitants per km²24.3Clay CountyClay County: 24.1 inhabitants per km²24.1Douglas CountyDouglas County: 23.7 inhabitants per km²23.7Mower CountyMower County: 21.8 inhabitants per km²21.8Kandiyohi CountyKandiyohi County: 21.2 inhabitants per km²21.2Dodge CountyDodge County: 18.4 inhabitants per km²18.4Mille Lacs CountyMille Lacs County: 17.9 inhabitants per km²17.9Waseca CountyWaseca County: 17.3 inhabitants per km²17.3Freeborn CountyFreeborn County: 16.9 inhabitants per km²16.9Brown CountyBrown County: 16.4 inhabitants per km²16.4Carlton CountyCarlton County: 16.2 inhabitants per km²16.2Wabasha CountyWabasha County: 15.8 inhabitants per km²15.8Meeker CountyMeeker County: 14.9 inhabitants per km²14.9Lyon CountyLyon County: 13.7 inhabitants per km²13.7Houston CountyHouston County: 13.2 inhabitants per km²13.2St. Louis CountySt. Louis County: 12.4 inhabitants per km²12.4Nobles CountyNobles County: 12 inhabitants per km²12Kanabec CountyKanabec County: 11.9 inhabitants per km²11.9
inhabitants per km². Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020
inhabitants per km²
1Ramsey County1,399.1
2Hennepin County893.2
3Anoka County333.5
4Dakota County302.3
5Washington County269.3
6Scott County164.1
7Carver County117.1
8Olmsted County96.3
9Sherburne County87
10Wright County82.9
11Chisago County52.8
12Rice County52.3
13Stearns County45.6
14Benton County39.1
15Isanti County36.7
16Blue Earth County35.7
17Steele County33.6
18Winona County30.6
19Nicollet County29.7
20McLeod County28.9
21Crow Wing County25.6
22Le Sueur County24.6
23Goodhue County24.3
24Clay County24.1
25Douglas County23.7
26Mower County21.8
27Kandiyohi County21.2
28Dodge County18.4
29Mille Lacs County17.9
30Waseca County17.3
31Freeborn County16.9
32Brown County16.4
33Carlton County16.2
34Wabasha County15.8
35Meeker County14.9
36Lyon County13.7
37Houston County13.2
38St. Louis County12.4
39Nobles County12
40Kanabec County11.9
41Otter Tail County11.8
42Morrison County11.7
43Martin County10.8
44Todd County10.3
45Becker County10.3
46Wadena County10.2
47Watonwan County10
48Sibley County9.7
49Fillmore County9.5
50Hubbard County8.9
51Pennington County8.7
52Chippewa County8.4
53Pine County7.9
54Pipestone County7.8
55Rock County7.8
56Faribault County7.5
57Beltrami County7.1
58Cottonwood County6.9
59Redwood County6.8
60Stevens County6.6
61Itasca County6.5
62Pope County6.5
63Polk County6.1
64Renville County5.8
65Cass County5.8
66Jackson County5.5
67Swift County5.1
68Yellow Medicine County4.8
69Murray County4.5
70Grant County4.3
71Lincoln County4
72Big Stone County4
73Mahnomen County3.7
74Roseau County3.5
75Red Lake County3.5
76Lac qui Parle County3.4
77Aitkin County3.3
77Wilkin County3.3
79Clearwater County3.3
80Norman County2.8
81Traverse County2.3
82Lake County2
83Marshall County2
84Koochiching County1.5
85Cook County1.5
86Kittson County1.5
87Lake of the Woods County1.1

Other periods

About this ranking

Resident population divided by land area in km². World Bank figures use mid-year population and land area excluding inland water.

United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July divided by land area (water excluded) from the latest Census Gazetteer files. US tables often give people per square mile; multiply persons per km² by 2.59 to compare.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.

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Questions

Which county has the highest population density?

Ramsey County, with 1,399.1 inhabitants per km² in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Lake of the Woods County, with 1.1 inhabitants per km² in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². Retrieved 2026-10-09.

Population density: other rankings

Counties in Minnesota: more rankings