Data / Rankings / Population density / Counties in Minnesota

Counties in Minnesota by population density

Ramsey County had the highest population density of 87 counties in 2022, at 1,365.2 inhabitants per km². Lake of the Woods County had the lowest, at 1.2 inhabitants per km². The median was 10.4 inhabitants per km² and the figure for Minnesota was 27.8 inhabitants per km². Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest1,365.2Ramsey County
Lowest1.2Lake of the Woods County
Median10.487 counties
Minnesota27.8History

Top 40 counties, 2022

CSVChart (SVG)

Ramsey CountyRamsey County: 1,365.2 inhabitants per km²1,365.2Hennepin CountyHennepin County: 879.5 inhabitants per km²879.5Anoka CountyAnoka County: 338.1 inhabitants per km²338.1Dakota CountyDakota County: 304.7 inhabitants per km²304.7Washington CountyWashington County: 277.2 inhabitants per km²277.2Scott CountyScott County: 167.9 inhabitants per km²167.9Carver CountyCarver County: 120.2 inhabitants per km²120.2Olmsted CountyOlmsted County: 96.8 inhabitants per km²96.8Sherburne CountySherburne County: 90 inhabitants per km²90Wright CountyWright County: 86.6 inhabitants per km²86.6Chisago CountyChisago County: 54 inhabitants per km²54Rice CountyRice County: 52.9 inhabitants per km²52.9Stearns CountyStearns County: 46 inhabitants per km²46Benton CountyBenton County: 39.3 inhabitants per km²39.3Isanti CountyIsanti County: 37.8 inhabitants per km²37.8Blue Earth CountyBlue Earth County: 36.2 inhabitants per km²36.2Steele CountySteele County: 33.7 inhabitants per km²33.7Winona CountyWinona County: 30.7 inhabitants per km²30.7Nicollet CountyNicollet County: 29.7 inhabitants per km²29.7McLeod CountyMcLeod County: 28.9 inhabitants per km²28.9Crow Wing CountyCrow Wing County: 26.2 inhabitants per km²26.2Le Sueur CountyLe Sueur County: 25.1 inhabitants per km²25.1Goodhue CountyGoodhue County: 24.5 inhabitants per km²24.5Clay CountyClay County: 24.4 inhabitants per km²24.4Douglas CountyDouglas County: 24 inhabitants per km²24Mower CountyMower County: 21.8 inhabitants per km²21.8Kandiyohi CountyKandiyohi County: 21.3 inhabitants per km²21.3Dodge CountyDodge County: 18.5 inhabitants per km²18.5Mille Lacs CountyMille Lacs County: 18.4 inhabitants per km²18.4Waseca CountyWaseca County: 17.3 inhabitants per km²17.3Freeborn CountyFreeborn County: 16.8 inhabitants per km²16.8Carlton CountyCarlton County: 16.5 inhabitants per km²16.5Brown CountyBrown County: 16.2 inhabitants per km²16.2Wabasha CountyWabasha County: 16 inhabitants per km²16Meeker CountyMeeker County: 15 inhabitants per km²15Lyon CountyLyon County: 13.8 inhabitants per km²13.8Houston CountyHouston County: 13.1 inhabitants per km²13.1St. Louis CountySt. Louis County: 12.4 inhabitants per km²12.4Kanabec CountyKanabec County: 12.2 inhabitants per km²12.2Nobles 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

RankCounties2022
inhabitants per km²		Change on 2021
1Ramsey County1,365.2-0.9%
2Hennepin County879.5-0.4%
3Anoka County338.1+0.5%
4Dakota County304.7+0.3%
5Washington County277.2+1.3%
6Scott County167.9+0.9%
7Carver County120.2+1.2%
8Olmsted County96.8+0.1%
9Sherburne County90+1.8%
10Wright County86.6+2%
11Chisago County54+0.7%
12Rice County52.9+0.9%
13Stearns County46+0.6%
14Benton County39.3-0%
15Isanti County37.8+1.8%
16Blue Earth County36.2+1%
17Steele County33.7+0.1%
18Winona County30.70%
19Nicollet County29.7+0.4%
20McLeod County28.9-0.1%
21Crow Wing County26.2+0.7%
22Le Sueur County25.1+0.9%
23Goodhue County24.50%
24Clay County24.4+0.7%
25Douglas County24+0.9%
26Mower County21.8-0.3%
27Kandiyohi County21.3+0.5%
28Dodge County18.5+0.4%
29Mille Lacs County18.4+1.4%
30Waseca County17.3-0.3%
31Freeborn County16.8-0.4%
32Carlton County16.5+0.8%
33Brown County16.2-0.8%
34Wabasha County16+0.7%
35Meeker County15+0.6%
36Lyon County13.8+0.1%
37Houston County13.1-0.4%
38St. Louis County12.4+0.6%
39Kanabec County12.2+1.8%
40Nobles County11.9+0.1%
41Otter Tail County11.9+0.6%
42Morrison County11.8+0.6%
43Martin County10.7-1.2%
44Todd County10.4+1.1%
45Becker County10.4+0.1%
46Wadena County10.3+0.9%
47Watonwan County10+0.8%
48Sibley County9.8+0.1%
49Fillmore County9.6+0.6%
50Hubbard County9.1+0.8%
51Pennington County8.7+0.3%
52Chippewa County8.2-0.1%
53Pine County8.2+2.5%
54Pipestone County7.7-0.3%
55Rock County7.7-1%
56Faribault County7.6+0.4%
57Beltrami County7.2+0.5%
58Cottonwood County6.9-1.6%
59Redwood County6.8-0.2%
60Stevens County6.7+0.9%
61Itasca County6.6+0.4%
62Pope County6.50%
63Polk County6-0.1%
64Cass County6+1.9%
65Renville County5.7-0.5%
66Jackson County5.4-1.1%
67Swift County5.1-0.3%
68Yellow Medicine County4.8+0.4%
69Murray County4.4-1%
70Grant County4.30%
71Lincoln County4+0.5%
72Big Stone County4-0.5%
73Mahnomen County3.7-1.2%
74Roseau County3.5+0.5%
75Red Lake County3.5-1.6%
76Aitkin County3.4+1.2%
77Lac qui Parle County3.4-0.3%
78Clearwater County3.3+0.8%
79Wilkin County3.3-0.8%
80Norman County2.8-1.4%
81Traverse County2.2-0.6%
82Lake County2-0.8%
83Marshall County1.9-1.4%
84Cook County1.5+1.7%
85Koochiching County1.5-0.9%
86Kittson County1.4-2.5%
87Lake of the Woods County1.2+1.8%

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 1,365.2 inhabitants per km² in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population density?

Lake of the Woods County, with 1.2 inhabitants per km² in 2022.

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