Freeborn County is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state, state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 30,895. Its county seat is Albert Lea, Minnesota, Albert Lea. Freeborn County comprises the Albert Lea Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Freeborn County was created on February 20, 1855, the territory being separated from Blue Earth and Rice Counties. Twelve other Minnesota counties were created the same day by the Minnesota Territorial Legislature. Freeborn County was named for William Freeborn, an early Minnesota pioneer, merchant, and territorial legislator.

Geography

Freeborn County lies on Minnesota's border with Iowa. The Shell Rock River flows southward from Albert Lea Lake in central Freeborn County, crossing into Iowa. Turtle Creek flows eastward through the upper eastern part of the county, crossing into Mower County, Minnesota, Mower County. The terrain is hilly and etched with drainages and gullies. The Le Sueur River, a tributary of the Minnesota River, begins in the northern part of the county and flows northward into Waseca County, Minnesota, Waseca County. The Cobb River (Minnesota), Cobb River and the Maple River (Minnesota), Maple River, two other small rivers, begin in the extreme northwest corner of the county, the Cobb from Freeborn Lake and the Maple from Penny Lake. Both run generally northwest, emptying into the LeSueur River, just upstream from where the LeSueur empties into the Minnesota River, on the western edge of Mankato. Most of the available land is devoted to agriculture.''Freeborn County MN'' Google Maps (accessed March 8, 2019)
/ref> The terrain generally slopes to the south and east, although the highest point is near the northeast corner, at 1,296' (395m) ASL. The county has an area of , of which is land and (2.1%) is water.

Lakes

* Albert Lea Lake * Bear Lake * Church Lake * Everhart Lake * Fountain Lake * Freeborn Lake * Geneva Lake * Goose Lake * Halls Lake * Hickory Lake * Lower Twin Lake * Penny Lake * Pickerel Lake * School Section Lake * State Line Lake * Sugar Lake * Trenton Lake (part) * Upper Twin Lake * White Lake

Protected areas

* Bear Lake State Wildlife Management Area * Carex State Wildlife Management Area * Halls Lake State Wildlife Area * Moscow State Game Refuge * Myre-Big Island State Park * White Woods County Park

Major highways

* Interstate 35 in Minnesota, Interstate 35 * Interstate 90 in Minnesota, Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 65 in Minnesota, U.S. Highway 65 * U.S. Route 69 in Minnesota, U.S. Highway 69 * Minnesota State Highway 13 * Minnesota State Highway 109 * Minnesota State Highway 251

Adjacent counties

* Steele County, Minnesota, Steele County - northeast * Mower County, Minnesota, Mower County - east * Worth County, Iowa - south * Winnebago County, Iowa - southwest * Faribault County, Minnesota, Faribault County - west * Waseca County, Minnesota, Waseca County - northwest

Demographics

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, 2000 census, there were 32,584 people, 13,356 households, and 9,015 families in the county. The population density was 46.1/sqmi (17.8/km²). There were 13,996 housing units at an average density of 19.8/sqmi (7.64/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.22% Race (United States Census), White, 0.24% Race (United States Census), Black or Race (United States Census), African American, 0.20% Race (United States Census), Native American, 0.55% Race (United States Census), Asian, 0.02% Race (United States Census), Pacific Islander, 2.92% from Race (United States Census), other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 6.29% of the population were Race (United States Census), Hispanic or Race (United States Census), Latino of any race. 34.8% were of Norwegian people, Norwegian, 26.2% German people, German and 5.8% Danish people, Danish ancestry. There were 13,356 households, of which 29.1% had children under age 18 living with them, 56.5% were Marriage, married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 28.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92. The county population contained 24.0% under 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 25.5% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.9% who were 65 or older. The median age was 40. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females 18 and older, there were 95.0 males. The median income for a household in the county was $36,964, and the median income for a family was $45,142. Males had a median income of $31,491 versus $21,799 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,325. About 5.6% of families and 8.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.0% of those under 18 and 9.1% of those over 64.

2020 Census

Communities

Cities

* Albert Lea, Minnesota, Albert Lea (county seat) * Alden, Minnesota, Alden * Clarks Grove, Minnesota, Clarks Grove * Conger, Minnesota, Conger * Emmons, Minnesota, Emmons * Freeborn, Minnesota, Freeborn * Geneva, Minnesota, Geneva * Glenville, Minnesota, Glenville * Hartland, Minnesota, Hartland * Hayward, Minnesota, Hayward * Hollandale, Minnesota, Hollandale * Manchester, Minnesota, Manchester * Myrtle, Minnesota, Myrtle * Twin Lakes, Minnesota, Twin Lakes

Unincorporated communities

* Armstrong, Minnesota, Armstrong * Corning, Minnesota, Corning (partial) * Gordonsville, Minnesota, Gordonsville * Mansfield, Minnesota, Mansfield * Maple Island, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Maple Island * Moscow, Minnesota, Moscow * Oakland, Minnesota, Oakland * Petran, Minnesota, Petran

Townships

* Albert Lea Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Albert Lea Township * Alden Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Alden Township * Bancroft Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Bancroft Township * Bath Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Bath Township * Carlston Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Carlston Township * Freeborn Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Freeborn Township * Freeman Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Freeman Township * Geneva Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Geneva Township * Hartland Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Hartland Township * Hayward Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Hayward Township * London Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, London Township * Manchester Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Manchester Township * Mansfield Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Mansfield Township * Moscow Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Moscow Township * Newry Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Newry Township * Nunda Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Nunda Township * Oakland Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Oakland Township * Pickerel Lake Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Pickerel Lake Township * Riceland Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Riceland Township * Shell Rock Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota, Shell Rock Township

Government and politics

References

External links

Freeborn County website
{{Coord, 43.67, -93.35, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-MN_source:UScensus1990 Freeborn County, Minnesota, Minnesota counties 1855 establishments in Minnesota Territory