Kandiyohi County ( ) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

. As of the 2020 census, its population is 43,732. As of November 20, 1871, its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

is Willmar. Kandiyohi County comprises the US Census Bureau's "Willmar, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area".

History

Kandiyohi County is named for a

Dakota Dakota may refer to: * Dakota people, a sub-tribe of the Sioux ** Dakota language, their language Dakota may also refer to: Places United States * Dakota, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Dakota, Illinois, a town * Dakota, Minnesota, ...

word meaning "where the

buffalo fish ''Ictiobus'', also known as buffalofish or simply buffalo, is a genus of freshwater fish native to North America, specifically the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Guatemala. They are the largest and longest-lived of the North American sucke ...

come". (''kandi’'' - the buffalo fish + ''oh-hi’-yu'' - v. of ''hiyu'' - to come through). It was organized on March 20, 1858, with Kandiyohi established as the county seat in 1870 (it was then called Kandiyohi Station, as it was merely a stop on the railroad line). The original county occupied only the southern half of its current area. Development was slow, and in 1870 the state legislature called for Monongalia County to merge with Kandiyohi. It took until November 21, 1871, to agree on the centrally located Willmar as the county seat.

Geography

The terrain of Kandiyohi County consists of rolling hills, partly wooded, mostly devoted to agriculture.''Kandiyohi County MN'' Google Maps (accessed March 14, 2019)
/ref> The territory slopes to the south and west, with the highest point near its northeastern corner, at 1,306' (398m) ASL. The county has a total area of , of which are land and (7.6%) are covered by water. Kandiyohi County is one of seven southern Minnesota counties that have no forest soils; only prairie ecosystems of savannas and prairies exist.

Lakes

* Bass Lake * Bear Lake * Big Kandiyohi Lake * Burr Oak Lake * Calhoun Lake * Cherry Lake * Church Lake * Crook Lake * Diamond Lake * Dog Lake * Downs Lake * Eagle Lake * East Solomon Lake * East Sunburg Lake * Elkhorn Lake * Ella Lake * Emma Lake * Florida Lake * Foot Lake * Games Lake * George Lake * Ging Lake * Green Lake * Hefta Lake * Henchien Lake * Henderson Lake * Henium Lake * Hubbard Lake * Johnson Lake * Knutsons Lake * Lake Andrew * Lake Carrie * Lake Eight * Lake Eleanor * Lake Elizabeth * Lake Kasota * Lake Lillian * Lake Minnetaga * Lindgren Lake * Little Kandiyohi Lake * Long Lake (Dovre Township) * Long Lake: (Irving and Roseville townships) * Mamre Lake * Mary Lake * Middle Lake * Mud Lake * Nest Lake * Norstedt Lake * Norway Lake * Olson Lake * Otter Lake * Point Lake * Prairie Lake * Ringo Lake * Saint Johns Lake * Schultz Lake * Shoemaker Lake * Skataas Lake * Skull Lake * Sperry Lake * Stevens Lake * Summit Lake * Swan Lake (Colfax and Lake Andrew townships) * Swan Lake: (Dovre and Willmar townships) * Swan Lake: (Kandiyohi Township) * Swan Lake: (Mamre Township) * Swenson Lake * Taits Lake * Thompson Lake * Timber Lake * Twin Lakes * Wagonga Lake * West Solomon Lake * West Sunburg Lake (part) * Wheeler Lake * Willmar Lake * Woodcock Lake (Green Lake Township) * Woodcock Lake: (New London and Green Lake townships)

Major highways

* U.S. Highway 12 *

U.S. Highway 71 U.S. Route 71 or U.S. Highway 71 (US 71) is a major north–south United States highway that extends for over 1500 miles (2500 km) in the central United States. This original 1926 route has remained largely unchanged by encroaching Interstat ...

* *

Minnesota State Highway 4 Minnesota State Highway 4 (MN 4) is a highway in southwest and west-central Minnesota, which runs from Iowa Highway 4 at the Iowa state line (near Dunnell, MN and Estherville, IA), and continues north to its northern terminus at its interchange ...

Minnesota State Highway 7 Minnesota State Highway 7, or Trunk Highway 7, (MN 7, TH 7) is a state highway in Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with MN 28 near Beardsley and continues east to its terminus with MN 100 and County Road&nb ...

Minnesota State Highway 9 State Highway 9 or Trunk Highway 9 (MN 9, TH 9) is a state highway in west-central and northwest Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with MN 23 in New London and continues west and then north to its northern ter ...

Minnesota State Highway 23 Minnesota State Highway 23 (MN 23) is a state highway that stretches from southwestern to northeastern Minnesota. At in length, it is the second longest state route in Minnesota, after MN 1. This route, signed east–west, runs roughl ...

* * Minnesota State Highway 40 *

Minnesota State Highway 55 Minnesota State Highway 55 (MN 55) is a highway in west-central, central, and east-central Minnesota, which runs from the North Dakota state line near Tenney and continues east and southeast to its eastern terminus at its intersection with U.S. Hi ...

* Minnesota State Highway 104

Adjacent counties

* Stearns County (north) * Meeker County (east) * Renville County (south) * Chippewa County (southwest) * Swift County (west) * Pope County (northwest)

Protected areas

* Burbank State Wildlife Management Area * Dietrich Lange State Wildlife Management Area * Oleander State Wildlife Management Area * Ringo-Nest State Wildlife Management Area * Roseville State Wildlife Management Area * Sibley State Park * Sunburg State Wildlife Management Area * Yohi State Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

2020 census

''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.''

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 41,203 people, 15,936 households, and 10,979 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was 51.7/sqmi (20.0/km²). There were 18,415 housing units at an average density of 23.1/sqmi (8.92/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 93.62%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.51%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.33% Native American, 0.38%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.07%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 4.17% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.91% from two or more races. 8.00% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. 31.4% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, 25.8%

Norwegian Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to: *Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe * Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway * Demographics of Norway *The Norwegian language, including ...

, 9.9%

Swedish Swedish or ' may refer to: Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically: * Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland ** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...

and 5.6%

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

ancestry. There were 15,936 households, out of which 33.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.05. The county population contained 26.60% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $39,772, and the median income for a family was $48,016. Males had a median income of $32,272 versus $22,128 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $19,627. About 5.90% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 11.10% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

* Atwater * Blomkest * Kandiyohi * Lake Lillian *

New London New London may refer to: Places United States *New London, Alabama *New London, Connecticut *New London, Indiana *New London, Iowa *New London, Maryland *New London, Minnesota *New London, Missouri *New London, New Hampshire, a New England town ** ...

* Pennock * Prinsburg *

Raymond Raymond is a male given name. It was borrowed into English from French (older French spellings were Reimund and Raimund, whereas the modern English and French spellings are identical). It originated as the Germanic ᚱᚨᚷᛁᚾᛗᚢᚾᛞ ( ...

* Regal * Spicer * Sunburg * Willmar (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

Hawick Hawick ( ; sco, Haaick; gd, Hamhaig) is a town in the Scottish Borders council area and historic county of Roxburghshire in the east Southern Uplands of Scotland. It is south-west of Jedburgh and south-south-east of Selkirk. It is one of ...

* Norway Lake *

Priam In Greek mythology, Priam (; grc-gre, Πρίαμος, ) was the legendary and last king of Troy during the Trojan War. He was the son of Laomedon. His many children included notable characters such as Hector, Paris, and Cassandra. Etymology Mo ...

* Roseland *

Svea Svea may refer to: Name * Svea (name), Swedish female given name meaning "Swede" * Mother Svea, personification of Sweden * Svea (singer) (Svea Virginia Kågemark, born 1999), a Swedish singer Places * United States ** Svea, Florida, unincorpor ...

Townships

* Arctander Township * Burbank Township * Colfax Township * Dovre Township * East Lake Lillian Township * Edwards Township * Fahlun Township * Gennessee Township * Green Lake Township * Harrison Township * Holland Township * Irving Township * Kandiyohi Township * Lake Andrew Township * Lake Elizabeth Township * Lake Lillian Township * Mamre Township * New London Township * Norway Lake Township * Roseland Township * Roseville Township * St. Johns Township * Whitefield Township * Willmar Township

Politics

Kandiyohi County voters have switched from Democratic to Republican in recent years. In no national election since 1996 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020). However, Democratic incumbent

Amy Klobuchar Amy Jean Klobuchar ( ; born May 25, 1960) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Minnesota, a seat she has held since 2007. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Minne ...

won the county in 2018 as she coasted to an easy reelection over Republican challenger

Jim Newberger James Newberger (born March 6, 1964) is an American politician who served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2013 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he represented District 15B in the state's central part. He was t ...

. Klobuchar also carried Kandiyohi County in her 2006 and 2012 victories.

References

External links

Kandiyohi County & City of Willmar economic development Commission

Kandiyohi County government website

MNGenWebUSGenWeb website for Kandiyohi County, Minnesota
{{Coord, 45.15, -95.01, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990 Minnesota counties Minnesota placenames of Native American origin 1858 establishments in Minnesota Territory Populated places established in 1858 Dakota toponyms