Otsego ( ) is a city in Wright County, Minnesota, United States. It is a northwest suburb within the

Minneapolis–Saint Paul Minneapolis–Saint Paul is a metropolitan area in the Upper Midwest, Upper Midwestern United States centered around the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi, Minnesota River, Minnesota, and St. Croix River (Wisconsin–Minnesota), ...

metropolitan area. The population was 19,966 at the 2020 census, further growing to 23,241 by 2023. Otsego is the largest city in Wright County, and the 47th largest city in Minnesota. Minnesota State Highway 101 and Interstate 94 serve as the main routes in the city.

History

Otsego first became an organized township in 1858, and was named after

Otsego County, New York Otsego County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,524. The county seat is Cooperstown. The county's population center is Oneonta. The name ''Otsego'' is from a Mohawk or Oneida word m ...

. The township incorporated as the city of Otsego in 1990.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of ; is land and is water. Otsego is located at the

confluence In geography, a confluence (also ''conflux'') occurs where two or more watercourses join to form a single channel (geography), channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main ...

of the

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

and

Crow A crow is a bird of the genus ''Corvus'', or more broadly, a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not linked scientifically to any certain trait but is rathe ...

Rivers. Otsego is located approximately 30 miles Northwest of Downtown Minneapolis via I-94. Nearby places include

Albertville Albertville (; Franco-Provençal, Arpitan: ''Arbèrtvile'') is a Subprefectures in France, subprefecture of the Savoie Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Regions of France, region in Southeastern France. It is best k ...

, St. Michael, Rogers, Elk River,

Dayton Dayton () is a city in Montgomery County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of cities in Ohio, sixth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 137,644 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Dayton metro ...

, and

Monticello Monticello ( ) was the primary residence and plantation of Thomas Jefferson, a Founding Father, author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president of the United States. Jefferson began designing Monticello after inheriting l ...

Climate

Otsego has a

Humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers, and cold ...

with cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers. As is typical in the

Upper Midwest The Upper Midwest is a northern subregion of the U.S. Census Bureau's Midwestern United States. Although the exact boundaries are not uniformly agreed upon, the region is usually defined to include the states of Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wi ...

. Otsego experiences a full range of precipitation and related weather events, including snow, sleet, ice, rain, thunderstorms, and fog. Temperatures can exceed 100 °F during summer months and fall below 0 °F in winter. Due to an

urban heat island Urban areas usually experience the urban heat island (UHI) effect; that is, they are significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas. The temperature difference is usually larger at night than during the day, and is most apparent when winds ar ...

effect, Otsego is often a few degrees colder than downtown

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

during the winter months.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 13,571 people, 4,736 households, and 3,560 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 5,022 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.2%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 1.8%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.4% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, 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 th ...

, 0.8% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 2.4% of the population. There were 4,736 households, of which 44.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.9% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 24.8% were non-families. 17.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.29. The median age in the city was 31.8 years. 30.9% of residents were under the age of 18; 6.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 35.3% were from 25 to 44; 21.5% were from 45 to 64; and 5.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.7% male and 49.3% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 6,389 people, 2,062 households, and 1,674 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 2,120 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.26%

, 0.25%

, 0.36% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.56% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population. 41.0% were of German, 16.1% Norwegian, 7.0% Swedish, 6.9% Irish and 6.1% American ancestry according to Census 2000. There were 2,062 households, out of which 46.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.0% were

living together, 5.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.8% were non-families. 12.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 2.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10 and the average family size was 3.41. In the city, the population was spread out, with 32.5% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 4.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 109.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $57,422, and the median income for a family was $59,319. Males had a median income of $39,568 versus $28,273 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $20,209. About 3.1% of families and 3.2% 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 ...

, including 2.4% of those under age 18 and 13.8% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

Education

A portion of the city is in the St. Michael-Albertville Schools district., The majority of the City is In the Elk River/

Rogers, Minnesota Rogers is a city located in Hennepin County, Minnesota, Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,295 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. In 2012, the city annexed the surrounding Hassan Township, Hennepin Coun ...

School District. The far western side of Otsego is in the Monticello School District. Rogers High School serves the community.

References

External links

City of Otsego -- Official Website
{{Authority control Cities in Wright County, Minnesota Cities in Minnesota Minnesota populated places on the Mississippi River