Runeberg Township is a township in Becker County,

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 ...

, United States. The population was 387 as of the 2000 census.

History

Runeberg was organized in 1887. It was named for

J. L. Runeberg Johan Ludvig Runeberg (; 5 February 1804 – 6 May 1877) was a Finnish priest, lyric and epic poet. He wrote exclusively in Swedish. He is considered a national poet of Finland. He is the author of the lyrics to (''Our Land'', ''Maamme'' in Fin ...

, a

Swedo-Finnish The Swedish-speaking population of Finland (whose members are called by many names; fi, suomenruotsalainen) can be used as an attribute., group=Note—see below; sv, finlandssvenskar; fi, suomenruotsalaiset) is a linguistic minority in Finl ...

national poet of Finland.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the township has a total area of 35.7 square miles (92.5 km), of which 35.7 square miles (92.5 km) is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km) (0.06%) is water. The

Blueberry Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' within the genus ''Vaccinium''. ''Vaccinium'' also includes cranberries, bi ...

and

Kettle A kettle, sometimes called a tea kettle or teakettle, is a type of pot specialized for boiling water, commonly with a ''lid'', ''spout'', and ''handle'', or a small electric kitchen appliance of similar shape that functions in a self-contained ...

Rivers flow through the township.

Major highway

Minnesota State Highway 87 Minnesota State Highway 87 (MN 87) is a highway in north-central and northwest Minnesota, which runs from its interchange with U.S. Highway 10 at Frazee and continues east to its eastern terminus at its intersection with State Highway 84 i ...

Lakes

* Lake Katie (east quarter)

Adjacent townships

* Green Valley Township (north) * Straight River Township, Hubbard County (northeast) * Blueberry Township, Wadena County (east) * Red Eye Township, Wadena County (southeast) * Paddock Township, Otter Tail County (south) * Spruce Grove Township (west) * Wolf Lake Township (northwest)

Demographics

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 387 people, 130 households, and 101 families residing in the township. 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 10.8 people per square mile (4.2/km). There were 153 housing units at an average density of 4.3/sq mi (1.7/km). The racial makeup of the township was 97.42%

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 ...

and 2.58% Native American.

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 were 0.26% of the population. There were 130 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 66.2% 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, 3.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. 20.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.98 and the average family size was 3.43. In the township the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 23.8% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 127.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.7 males. The median income for a household in the township was $36,500, and the median income for a family was $41,667. Males had a median income of $27,946 versus $18,333 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 township was $13,747. About 7.1% of families and 10.4% 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 8.0% of those under age 18 and 24.0% of those age 65 or over.

References

United States National Atlas

United States Board on Geographic Names (GNIS)
{{authority control Townships in Becker County, Minnesota Townships in Minnesota