Counties in Minnesota by population density

Ramsey County had the highest population density of 87 counties in 2021, at 1,377.8 inhabitants per km². Lake of the Woods County had the lowest, at 1.1 inhabitants per km². The median was 10.4 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Minnesota was 27.7 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest1,377.8Ramsey County
Median10.487 counties
Minnesota27.7History

Top 40 counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Ramsey CountyRamsey County: 1,377.8 inhabitants per km²1,377.8Hennepin CountyHennepin County: 883.2 inhabitants per km²883.2Anoka CountyAnoka County: 336.3 inhabitants per km²336.3Dakota CountyDakota County: 303.9 inhabitants per km²303.9Washington CountyWashington County: 273.6 inhabitants per km²273.6Scott CountyScott County: 166.4 inhabitants per km²166.4Carver CountyCarver County: 118.8 inhabitants per km²118.8Olmsted CountyOlmsted County: 96.7 inhabitants per km²96.7Sherburne CountySherburne County: 88.5 inhabitants per km²88.5Wright CountyWright County: 84.8 inhabitants per km²84.8Chisago CountyChisago County: 53.6 inhabitants per km²53.6Rice CountyRice County: 52.5 inhabitants per km²52.5Stearns CountyStearns County: 45.7 inhabitants per km²45.7Benton CountyBenton County: 39.3 inhabitants per km²39.3Isanti CountyIsanti County: 37.2 inhabitants per km²37.2Blue Earth CountyBlue Earth County: 35.8 inhabitants per km²35.8Steele CountySteele County: 33.7 inhabitants per km²33.7Winona CountyWinona County: 30.7 inhabitants per km²30.7Nicollet CountyNicollet County: 29.6 inhabitants per km²29.6McLeod CountyMcLeod County: 28.9 inhabitants per km²28.9Crow Wing CountyCrow Wing County: 26.1 inhabitants per km²26.1Le Sueur CountyLe Sueur County: 24.9 inhabitants per km²24.9Goodhue CountyGoodhue County: 24.5 inhabitants per km²24.5Clay CountyClay County: 24.3 inhabitants per km²24.3Douglas CountyDouglas County: 23.8 inhabitants per km²23.8Mower 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: 18.2 inhabitants per km²18.2Waseca CountyWaseca County: 17.3 inhabitants per km²17.3Freeborn CountyFreeborn County: 16.8 inhabitants per km²16.8Brown CountyBrown County: 16.4 inhabitants per km²16.4Carlton CountyCarlton County: 16.3 inhabitants per km²16.3Wabasha CountyWabasha County: 15.9 inhabitants per km²15.9Meeker CountyMeeker County: 14.9 inhabitants per km²14.9Lyon CountyLyon County: 13.8 inhabitants per km²13.8Houston CountyHouston County: 13.2 inhabitants per km²13.2St. Louis CountySt. Louis County: 12.3 inhabitants per km²12.3Kanabec CountyKanabec County: 12 inhabitants per km²12Nobles CountyNobles 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

RankCounties2021
inhabitants per km²
Change on 2020
1Ramsey County1,377.8-1.5%
2Hennepin County883.2-1.1%
3Anoka County336.3+0.8%
4Dakota County303.9+0.5%
5Washington County273.6+1.6%
6Scott County166.4+1.4%
7Carver County118.8+1.5%
8Olmsted County96.7+0.4%
9Sherburne County88.5+1.7%
10Wright County84.8+2.4%
11Chisago County53.6+1.5%
12Rice County52.5+0.4%
13Stearns County45.7+0.4%
14Benton County39.3+0.5%
15Isanti County37.2+1.4%
16Blue Earth County35.8+0.3%
17Steele County33.7+0.1%
18Winona County30.7+0.3%
19Nicollet County29.6-0.4%
20McLeod County28.9+0.2%
21Crow Wing County26.1+1.7%
22Le Sueur County24.9+0.9%
23Goodhue County24.5+1%
24Clay County24.3+0.5%
25Douglas County23.8+0.6%
26Mower County21.8+0.4%
27Kandiyohi County21.2+0.2%
28Dodge County18.4+0.4%
29Mille Lacs County18.2+1.7%
30Waseca County17.3+0.2%
31Freeborn County16.8-0.3%
32Brown County16.4-0%
33Carlton County16.3+0.7%
34Wabasha County15.9+0.5%
35Meeker County14.9-0.1%
36Lyon County13.8+0.3%
37Houston County13.2-0.1%
38St. Louis County12.3-0.4%
39Kanabec County12+0.8%
40Nobles County11.9-0.6%
41Otter Tail County11.8+0.2%
42Morrison County11.7+0.2%
43Martin County10.8-0.3%
44Becker County10.4+0.4%
45Todd County10.30%
46Wadena County10.2+0.2%
47Watonwan County9.9-0.7%
48Sibley County9.8+1%
49Fillmore County9.6+0.5%
50Hubbard County9.1+1.6%
51Pennington County8.6-1.1%
52Chippewa County8.2-1.8%
53Pine County8+0.7%
54Pipestone County7.8-0.6%
55Rock County7.8+0.2%
56Faribault County7.5+0.1%
57Beltrami County7.2+0.5%
58Cottonwood County7+0.7%
59Redwood County6.8-0.2%
60Stevens County6.6+0.2%
61Pope County6.5+0.8%
62Itasca County6.5+0.2%
63Polk County6-0.8%
64Cass County5.9+1.7%
65Renville County5.7-0.6%
66Jackson County5.5+0.1%
67Swift County5.1-0.1%
68Yellow Medicine County4.8-0.6%
69Murray County4.5-0.4%
70Grant County4.3+0.9%
71Lincoln County4-0.8%
72Big Stone County4+0.2%
73Mahnomen County3.7+0.2%
74Roseau County3.5-0.2%
75Red Lake County3.5+0.2%
76Aitkin County3.4+1.6%
77Lac qui Parle County3.40%
78Clearwater County3.3+0.1%
79Wilkin County3.3-1%
80Norman County2.9+0.1%
81Traverse County2.2-2.3%
82Lake County2+0.8%
83Marshall County2-0.3%
84Cook County1.5+0.5%
85Koochiching County1.5-0.7%
86Kittson County1.5-0.7%
87Lake of the Woods County1.1+1.6%

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 1,377.8 inhabitants per km² in 2021, 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 2021.

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