Wikipedia

Carlton County, Minnesota

Carlton County is a county in the State of Minnesota, formed in 1857. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,207.[2] Its county seat is Carlton.[3] Part of the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation lies in northeastern Carlton County.

Carlton County
County
Carlton County Courthouse
Carlton County Courthouse
Map of Minnesota highlighting Carlton County
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°35′N 92°41′W / 46.59°N 92.68°W / 46.59; -92.68
Country United States
State Minnesota
FoundedMay 23, 1857 (created)
1870 (organized)[1]
Named forReuben B. Carlton
SeatCarlton
Largest cityCloquet
Area
 • Total
875 sq mi (2,270 km2)
 • Land861 sq mi (2,230 km2)
 • Water14 sq mi (40 km2)  1.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
36,207
 • Estimate 
(2023)
36,825 Increase
 • Density42.1/sq mi (16.3/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district8th
Websitewww.co.carlton.mn.us

Carlton County is part of the Duluth, MN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

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Carlton County lies on Minnesota's eastern edge. Its eastern boundary abuts Wisconsin. The Saint Louis River flows east-southeast through the county, discharging into Lake Superior. The Moose Horn River flows southwest through the county, discharging into the Kettle River. The Nemadji River and the South Fork Nemadji River flow east through the county, meeting a few miles east of its eastern boundary before reaching Lake Superior. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, heavily wooded,[4] and slopes to the several river valleys. The county's northwest corner lies at 1,329 ft (405 m) ASL,[5] and a small hill 0.2 miles (0.32 km) west of Rogers Lake[4] rises to 1,450 ft (440 m) ASL.[6]

The county has an area of 875 square miles (2,270 km2), of which 861 square miles (2,230 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (1.6%) is water.[7]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Protected areas

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[4]

History

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Under a 1854 Treaty of La Pointe the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation and other reservations were established in exchange for all the Lake Superior Ojibwe land in the Arrowhead Region. Carlton County was formed and organized in 1870.[8] It was named for Reuben B. Carlton, a member of the Minnesota Senate (1857–58).[9]

In October 1918, an immense forest fire occurred, known as the Cloquet fire. The Carlton County Historical Society hosts a permanent exhibit about the fire of 1918, along with ones about the Ojibwe of Carlton County and the Logging Era.[10]

Climate and weather

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Carlton, Minnesota
Climate chart (explanation)
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█ Precipitation totals in inches
Source: The Weather Channel[11]
Metric conversion
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In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Carlton have ranged from a low of 1 °F (−17 °C) in January to a high of 80 °F (27 °C) in July, although a record low of −45 °F (−43 °C) was recorded in January 1912 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.87 inches (22 mm) in February to 4.34 inches (110 mm) in September.[11]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
186051—
1870286460.8%
18801,230330.1%
18905,272328.6%
190010,01790.0%
191017,55975.3%
192019,39110.4%
193021,2329.5%
194024,21214.0%
195024,5841.5%
196027,93213.6%
197028,0720.5%
198029,9366.6%
199029,259−2.3%
200031,6718.2%
201035,38611.7%
202036,2072.3%
2023 (est.)36,825[12]1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[13]
1790-1960[14] 1900-1990[15]
1990-2000[16] 2010-2020[2]

2020 census

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Democgraphic profile of Carlton County, Minnesota
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[17] Pop 2020[18] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 31,458 30,910 88.90% 85.37%
Black or African American alone (NH) 494 556 1.40% 1.54%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 2,012 2,148 5.69% 5.93%
Asian alone (NH) 160 153 0.45% 0.42%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 2 12 0.01% 0.03%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 9 85 0.03% 0.23%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 767 1,731 2.17% 4.78%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 484 612 1.37% 1.69%
Total 35,386 36,207 100.00% 100.00%

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.

2010 census

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As of the census of 2010, there were 35,386 people living in the county. 89.7% were White, 5.9% Native American, 1.4% Black or African American, 0.5% Asian, 0.2% of some other race and 2.4% of two or more races. 1.4% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 16.4% were of German, 13.5% Finnish, 8.9% Norwegian, 8.6% Swedish and 5.6% American ancestry.[19]

2000 census

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2022 US Census population pyramid for Carlton County, from ACS 5-year estimates

As of the census of 2000, there were 31,671 people, 12,064 households, and 8,408 families in the county. The population density was 36.8 per square mile (14.2/km2). There were 13,721 housing units at an average density of 15.9 per square mile (6.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.75% White, 0.97% Black or African American, 5.19% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. 0.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.5% were of German, 16.9% Finnish, 12.5% Norwegian, 11.8% Swedish and 5.8% Polish ancestry. 95.5% spoke English, 1.8% Finnish and 1.1% Spanish as their first language.

There were 12,064 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.50% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00.

The county population contained 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $40,021, and the median income for a family was $48,406. Males had a median income of $38,788 versus $25,555 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,073. About 5.40% of families and 7.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.20% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

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Cities

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Townships

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Unorganized territories

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Government and politics

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Local government

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As of 2019, the Carlton County Sheriff is Kelly Lake.[20] The Carlton County Board of Commissioners has five members, each representing one district.[21] In April 2019 Lake and the Fond du Lac Police Department collaborated on sex trafficking training on behalf of other sheriff agencies that would be affected by the upcoming Enbridge Line 3.[22] In 2017, Carlton County published a detailed Jail & Criminal Justice System Planning Study.[23] As of 2019, Carlton County Public Health employs 36 county staff and 6 contract staff. It has been operating since 1920.[24]

National

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The Democratic Party historically dominated the county, carrying it by wide margins in every presidential election from 1932 to 2012, but Donald Trump lost by only 300 votes in 2016 and 307 votes in 2020 (a margin of under 2% and holding the Democrats to only a plurality in both elections), signaling a new competitiveness in Carlton County. The only other Republican to receive at least 40% of the vote since 1932 was Richard Nixon during his 49-state landslide in 1972. During the 2022 Midterm Elections, the Republican candidates for Attorney General and State Auditor won Carlton County,[25] and Republicans also flipped State House District 11A,[26] which includes most of Carlton County and came among other seat flips on the Iron Range despite not winning the State House overall.[27] These wins marked a potential realignment towards the Republican Party. This trend continued in 2024, with Donald Trump becoming the first Republican since Herbert Hoover in 1928 to win the county, receiving 50.13% of the vote.[28]

United States presidential election results for Carlton County, Minnesota[29]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 10,435 50.13% 9,905 47.59% 475 2.28%
2020 9,791 48.07% 10,098 49.58% 480 2.36%
2016 8,160 44.81% 8,460 46.46% 1,591 8.74%
2012 6,586 35.72% 11,389 61.78% 461 2.50%
2008 6,549 35.50% 11,501 62.34% 399 2.16%
2004 6,642 36.23% 11,462 62.52% 230 1.25%
2000 5,578 36.99% 8,620 57.16% 883 5.86%
1996 4,034 28.99% 8,052 57.87% 1,829 13.14%
1992 3,922 26.60% 7,736 52.46% 3,089 20.95%
1988 4,626 34.12% 8,790 64.82% 144 1.06%
1984 4,877 34.34% 9,189 64.70% 137 0.96%
1980 4,760 32.09% 8,822 59.48% 1,251 8.43%
1976 4,371 31.33% 9,247 66.28% 334 2.39%
1972 5,445 42.77% 7,116 55.90% 169 1.33%
1968 3,016 25.10% 8,538 71.04% 464 3.86%
1964 2,780 22.49% 9,552 77.29% 27 0.22%
1960 4,613 37.74% 7,576 61.98% 35 0.29%
1956 4,168 39.04% 6,484 60.73% 25 0.23%
1952 4,175 39.03% 6,432 60.12% 91 0.85%
1948 2,742 27.00% 6,967 68.59% 448 4.41%
1944 2,653 29.96% 6,153 69.48% 50 0.56%
1940 3,400 31.87% 7,159 67.09% 111 1.04%
1936 2,163 22.82% 7,136 75.29% 179 1.89%
1932 3,336 42.56% 3,586 45.75% 916 11.69%
1928 4,582 64.01% 2,138 29.87% 438 6.12%
1924 3,142 49.76% 303 4.80% 2,869 45.44%
1920 2,833 59.47% 1,152 24.18% 779 16.35%
1916 1,096 40.18% 1,115 40.87% 517 18.95%
1912 283 10.94% 631 24.39% 1,673 64.67%
1908 1,487 62.37% 506 21.22% 391 16.40%
1904 1,480 76.92% 236 12.27% 208 10.81%
1900 1,119 68.78% 467 28.70% 41 2.52%
1896 1,169 67.15% 543 31.19% 29 1.67%
1892 737 58.49% 370 29.37% 153 12.14%
County Board of Commissioners[30]
Position Name District Next Election
Commissioner and Chairperson Dick Brenner District 1 2024
Commissioner Marv Bodie District 2 2026
Commissioner Thomas R. Proulx District 3 2024
Commissioner and Vice Chair Susan Zmyslony District 4 2026
Commissioner Gary Peterson District 5 2024
State Legislature (2023-2025)
Position Name Affiliation District
  Senate Jason Rarick[31] Republican District 11
  House of Representatives Jeff Dotseth[32] Republican District 11A
U.S Congress (2023-2025)
Position Name Affiliation District
  House of Representatives Pete Stauber[33] Republican 8th
  Senate Amy Klobuchar[34] Democrat N/A
  Senate Tina Smith[35] Democrat N/A

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 14, 2023.
  3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ^ a b c Carlton County MN Google Maps (accessed March 5, 2019)
  5. ^ ""Find an Altitude/Carlton County MN" Google Maps (accessed March 5, 2019)". Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved March 6, 2019.
  6. ^ Carlton County High Point, Minnesota. PeakBagger.com (accessed May 5, 2019)
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  8. ^ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 73.
  9. ^ Minnesota Legislative Reference Library: RBCarlton (accessed March 5, 2019)
  10. ^ Carlton County Historical Society
  11. ^ a b "Monthly Averages for Carlton MN". The Weather Channel. Retrieved November 6, 2011.
  12. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  13. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  14. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  15. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  16. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  17. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Carlton County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau.
  18. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Carlton County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau.
  19. ^ ""American FactFinder"". Archived from the original on January 8, 2015. Retrieved January 8, 2015.
  20. ^ "Sheriff's Office, Carlton County, MN". www.co.carlton.mn.us. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  21. ^ "County Board of Commissioners Carlton County, MN". www.co.carlton.mn.us. n.d. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  22. ^ "Nahgahchiwanong Dibahjim owinn an" (PDF). Fond du Lac Reservation Business Committee. June 2019. p. 17. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 10, 2019.
  23. ^ CARLTON COUNTY JAIL & CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM PLANNING STUDY (Report). December 5, 2017. p. 196. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  24. ^ "Public Health". Carlton County, MN www.co.carlton.mn.us. Retrieved November 10, 2019.
  25. ^ https://electionresults.sos.mn.gov/results/Index?ErsElectionId=149&scenario=StateFedCounty&CountyId=9&show=Go
  26. ^ https://www.jsonline.com/elections/results/race/2022-11-08-state_house-MN-24362/
  27. ^ https://minnesotareformer.com/2022/11/11/iron-range-seething-at-the-twin-cities-continues-right-turn/
  28. ^ https://electionresults.sos.mn.gov/results/Index?ErsElectionId=170&scenario=StateFedCounty&CountyId=9&show=Go
  29. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 17, 2018.
  30. ^ "County Board of Commissioners | Carlton County, MN". www.co.carlton.mn.us. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  31. ^ "MN State Senate". www.senate.mn. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  32. ^ "Rep. Jeff Dotseth (11A) – Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved March 23, 2023.
  33. ^ "Representative Pete Stauber". Representative Pete Stauber. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  34. ^ "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar". www.klobuchar.senate.gov. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  35. ^ "Home". Senator Tina Smith. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
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46°35′N 92°41′W / 46.59°N 92.68°W / 46.59; -92.68

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