Chisago County ( ) is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers 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 sove ...

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 t ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 56,621. 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 ...

is Center City. Chisago County is part of the

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origin ...

St. Paul Paul; grc, Παῦλος, translit=Paulos; cop, ⲡⲁⲩⲗⲟⲥ; hbo, פאולוס השליח (previously called Saul of Tarsus;; ar, بولس الطرسوسي; grc, Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς, Saũlos Tarseús; tr, Tarsuslu Pavlus; ...

- Bloomington, MN- WI

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally incorporated as a city or tow ...

History

Chisago County was organized on September 1, 1851. It took its name from Chisago Lake. Swedish immigrants were the predominant group in Chisago County from the early to late 1800s, and strongly influenced the county's religious and cultural development. The county has retained and continues to celebrate much of its Swedish heritage.

Geography

Chisago County lies on Minnesota's eastern border, abutting the western border of

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

(across the Saint Croix River). The Saint Croix flows south-southeast along the county's eastern border. The

Sunrise River The Sunrise River is a tributary of the St. Croix River in east–central Minnesota in the United States. It originates within the boundaries of thComfort Lake - Forest Lake Watershed Districtnear the city of Forest Lake in Washington Coun ...

flows north through the county's central part, collecting the waters of the North Branch Sunrise River and Hay Creek before discharging into the St. Croix at the county's eastern boundary. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, devoted to agriculture.''Chisago County MN'' Google Maps (accessed March 6, 2019)
/ref> The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point near the northwest corner, at 1,017' (310m) ASL. The county has an area of , of which is land and (6.2%) is water.

Major highways

Interstate 35 Interstate 35 (I-35) is a major Interstate Highway in the central United States. As with most primary Interstates that end in a five, it is a major cross-country, north–south route. It stretches from Laredo, Texas, near the Mexican borde ...

* US Highway 8 *

US Highway 61 U.S. Route 61 or U.S. Highway 61 (U.S. 61) is a major United States highway that extends between New Orleans, Louisiana and the city of Wyoming, Minnesota. The highway generally follows the course of the Mississippi River and is design ...

Minnesota State Highway 95 Minnesota State Highway 95 (MN 95) is a highway in east-central Minnesota, which runs from its intersection with State Highway 23 near St. Cloud and continues east and south to its southern terminus at its intersection with U.S. Highways 61 / ...

Minnesota State Highway 243 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 t ...

* '' List of county roads''

Adjacent counties

* Pine County - north *

Burnett County, Wisconsin Burnett County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,526. Its county seat is Siren, with the majority of county governmental services located at the Burnett County Government Center ...

- northeast *

Polk County, Wisconsin Polk County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 44,977. Its county seat is Balsam Lake. The county was created in 1853. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an a ...

- east * Washington County - south *

Anoka County Anoka County ( ) is the fourth-most-populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 363,887. The county seat and namesake of the county is the city of Anoka, which is derived from the Dakota word '' ...

- southwest * Isanti County - west * Kanabec County - northwest

Protected areas

* Fish Lake County Park * Franconia Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area * Interstate State Park * Lawrence Creek Scientific and Natural Area * Ojiketa Regional Park * Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (part) * Wild River State Park

Climate and weather

In recent years, average temperatures in Center City have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of was recorded in July 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in January to in June.

Demographics

2020 census

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 inc ...

of 2020, there were 56,621 people and 20,370 households. 95.4% of residents had at least a high school education, and 22.2% had attained a Bachelor's degree or higher. 4.9% were veterans. 97.9% of residents were born in the United States, and 78.5% had been born in Minnesota. Among the foreign-born population, 56.5% were naturalized US citizens. 97.1% of residents spoke only English at home. The racial makeup of the county was 89.8% White alone (95.5% White alone or in combination), 1.5% Black, 1.4% Asian, 0.6% Native American, and 0.9% some other race. 4.9% were two or more races. 2.56% of residents were Hispanic of any race. The most common ancestries in Chisago County were

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 **Ge ...

(33.4%), Swedish (15.8%), Norwegian (13.0%), Irish (9.7%), and

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

(5.4%). Among workers 16 years and older, 80.3% commuted to work via car, 9.0% carpooled, 1.6% used public transit, and 2.2% walked, biked, or used some other method. 7.0% worked from home. The median household income in Chisago County was $86,900, slightly above the state average. 6.4% of residents lived 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 ...

, and 2.5% were unemployed. 86.4% of housing in the county was owner-occupied. The average family size in Chisago County was 3.05 persons, and 62.2% of households were married-couple families.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 53,887 people, 19,470 households, and 14,389 families 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 RosenberPopu ...

was 130/sqmi (50.1/km²). There were 21,172 housing units at an average density of 51.0/sqmi (19.7/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.80%

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 ...

, 1.20%

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 ha ...

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 ...

, 0.60% Native American, 0.90% Asian, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.30% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. 1.50% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, 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 viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 19,470 households, out of which 37.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.00% 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 ...

living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.10% were non-families. 20.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.09. The county population contained 25.70% under the age of 18, 7.30% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 28.60% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.50 males. 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 $29,293. About 6.20% of the population was below the

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 41,101 people, 14,454 households, and 11,086 families in the county. The population density was 99.0/sqmi (38.2/km²). There were 15,533 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.21%

, 0.51%

, 0.45% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.03%

, 0.31% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 1.15% of the population were

or Latino of any race. 31.3% were of

, 18.1% Swedish, 11.3% Norwegian and 6.9% Irish ancestry. There were 14,454 households, out of which 41.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.50% were

living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.30% were non-families. 18.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.79 and the average family size was 3.18. The county population contained 30.20% under the age of 18, 7.10% from 18 to 24, 32.20% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 9.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 103.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $52,012, and the median income for a family was $57,335. Males had a median income of $40,743 versus $27,653 for females. The

for the county was $21,013. About 3.20% of families and 5.10% of the population were below the

, including 5.40% of those under age 18 and 8.00% of those age 65 or over.

Education

* Chisago Lakes High School * North Branch Area High School * Rush City High School

Communities

Cities

* Center City (county seat) * Chisago City * Harris * Lindström * North Branch * Rush City *

Shafer Schaefer is an alternative spelling and cognate for the German word ''schäfer'', meaning 'shepherd', which itself descends from the Old High German '' scāphare''. Variants "Shaefer", "Schäfer" (a standardized spelling in many German-speaking ...

* Stacy * Taylors Falls *

Wyoming Wyoming () is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to t ...

Unincorporated communities

* Almelund *

Franconia Franconia (german: Franken, ; Franconian dialect: ''Franggn'' ; bar, Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: ''Fränkisch''). The three administrative regions of Lower, Middle and Upper ...

Palmdale Palmdale is a city in northern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. The city lies in the Antelope Valley region of Southern California. The San Gabriel Mountains separate Palmdale from the Los Angeles Basin to the south. On Aug ...

* Rush Point * Stark *

Sunrise Sunrise (or sunup) is the moment when the upper rim of the Sun appears on the horizon in the morning. The term can also refer to the entire process of the solar disk crossing the horizon and its accompanying atmospheric effects. Terminology A ...

Townships

* Amador Township * Chisago Lake Township * Fish Lake Township * Franconia Township * Lent Township * Nessel Township * Rushseba Township * Shafer Township * Sunrise Township * Wyoming Township (former, now defunct)

Arts and culture

Chisago County is strongly influenced by the

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 Norwegian immigrants who settled there in the mid-19th century. It provided the setting for much of Swedish author

Vilhelm Moberg Karl Artur Vilhelm Moberg (20 August 1898 – 8 August 1973) was a Swedish journalist, author, playwright, historian, and debater. His literary career, spanning more than 45 years, is associated with his series ''The Emigrants''. The fou ...

's suite of novels ''The Emigrants'' in the 1950s, and Moberg engaged in both archival and oral history research for his books to recreate the early Swedish immigration in the area. Sculptor Ian Dudley's bronze statue of Moberg stands in Chisago City's park. His fictional characters Karl-Oskar and Kristina Nilsson from Ljuder parish in

Småland Småland () is a historical province () in southern Sweden. Småland borders Blekinge, Scania, Halland, Västergötland, Östergötland and the island Öland in the Baltic Sea. The name Småland literally means ''Small Lands''. The Latinized f ...

settled around the Lake Ki-Chi-Saga (from the

Ojibwe language Ojibwe , also known as Ojibwa , Ojibway, Otchipwe,R. R. Bishop Baraga, 1878''A Theoretical and Practical Grammar of the Otchipwe Language''/ref> Ojibwemowin, or Anishinaabemowin, is an indigenous language of North America of the Algonquian la ...

''Ki-chi-saga-igun'' (''Gichi-zaaga'igan'' in the contemporary spelling) meaning "Big Lake-with-an-outlet," which was later shortened to Lake Chisago). The early settlers' heritage is still honored by the annual Karl Oskar Days in Lindström.

Government and politics

Chisago County has trended conservative in recent state and federal elections, backing every Republican nominee for president since 2000.

References

External links

*
Chisago County Historical Society website

Minnesota DOT Highway map of Chisago County
{{Coord, 45.50247, -92.90834, format=dms, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:wikidata 1851 establishments in Minnesota Territory Minnesota placenames of Native American origin Minneapolis–Saint Paul Minnesota counties Populated places established in 1851