Freeborn County, Minnesota

County in Minnesota, United States

County in Minnesota

Freeborn County

County

Freeborn County Courthouse

Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota

Minnesota's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 43°40′N 93°21′W﻿ / ﻿43.67°N 93.35°W﻿ / 43.67; -93.35
Country|  United States
State|  Minnesota
Founded| February 20, 1855[1]
Named after| William Freeborn
Seat| Albert Lea
Largest city| Albert Lea
Area

• Total

| 722 sq mi (1,870 km2)
• Land| 707 sq mi (1,830 km2)
• Water| 15 sq mi (40 km2)  2.1%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 30,895

• Estimate

(2023)

| 30,515
• Density| 43.7/sq mi (16.9/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district| 1st
Website| www.co.freeborn.mn.us

Freeborn County is a county in the state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,895.[2] Its county seat is Albert Lea.[3] Freeborn County comprises the Albert Lea Micropolitan Statistical Area.

## History

[edit]

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.[4] Freeborn County was named for William Freeborn, an early Minnesota pioneer, merchant, and territorial legislator.[5]

## Geography

[edit]

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. 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. The Cobb River and the 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.[6] The terrain generally slopes to the south and east, although the highest point is near the northeast corner, at 1,296 ft (395 m) ASL.[7] The county has an area of 722 square miles (1,870 km2), of which 707 square miles (1,830 km2) is land and 15 square miles (39 km2) (2.1%) is water.[8]

Soils of Freeborn County[9] Soils of Island in Myhre-Big Island State Park

### Lakes

[edit]

Source:[6]

* 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

[edit]

Source:[6]

* 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

### Transit

[edit]

* Southern Minnesota Area Rural Transit

### Major highways

[edit]

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

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

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

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1860| 3,367| | —
1870| 10,578| | 214.2%
1880| 16,069| | 51.9%
1890| 17,962| | 11.8%
1900| 21,838| | 21.6%
1910| 22,282| | 2.0%
1920| 24,692| | 10.8%
1930| 28,741| | 16.4%
1940| 31,780| | 10.6%
1950| 34,517| | 8.6%
1960| 37,891| | 9.8%
1970| 38,064| | 0.5%
1980| 36,329| | −4.6%
1990| 33,060| | −9.0%
2000| 32,584| | −1.4%
2010| 31,255| | −4.1%
2020| 30,895| | −1.2%
2023 (est.)| 30,515| [10]| −1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
1790-1960[12] 1900-1990[13]
1990-2000[14] 2010-2020[2]

### 2020 Census

[edit]

Freeborn County Racial Composition[15] Race  | Num.  | Perc.

|
|

White (NH)  | 25,071  | 81.2%
Black or African American (NH)  | 460  | 1.5%
Native American (NH)  | 76  | 0.3%
Asian (NH)  | 1,135  | 3.7%
Pacific Islander (NH)  | 5  | 0.02%
Other/Mixed (NH)  | 965  | 3.12%
Hispanic or Latino | 3,183  | 10.3%

### 2000 census

[edit]

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

As of the census of 2000, there were 32,584 people, 13,356 households, and 9,015 families in the county. The population density was 46.1 per square mile (17.8/km2). There were 13,996 housing units at an average density of 19.8 per square mile (7.6/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.22% White, 0.24% Black or African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.55% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.92% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 6.29% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.8% were of Norwegian, 26.2% German and 5.8% Danish ancestry.

There were 13,356 households, of which 29.1% had children under age 18 living with them, 56.5% were 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.

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

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

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Armstrong
* Corning (partial)
* Gordonsville
* Mansfield
* Maple Island
* Moscow
* Oakland
* Petran

### Townships

[edit]

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

## Government and politics

[edit]

From 1932 to 2012, Freeborn County voted for the Democratic candidate in all but five elections, four of which were nationwide Republican landslides (1952, 1956, 1972, and 1980), and the fifth was in 1960 in one of the closest elections in American history. After voting for Bill Clinton by at least 15% in both 1992 and 1996, against George W. Bush by at least 10% in both 2000 and 2004, and for Barack Obama by at least 14% in both 2008 and 2012, the 2016 election saw a dramatic swing to the right, as Donald Trump won the county by more than 17%. Though his margin of victory slightly shrank to 16% in 2020, his vote share of nearly 57% was the best for a Republican in the county since 1928. In 2024, Trump won the county with nearly 60% of the vote and by a margin of over 21%, the largest margin of victory for a Republican presidential candidate since Herbert Hoover 1928.[16]

United States presidential election results for Freeborn County, Minnesota[17] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No.  | % | No.  | % | No.  | %
2024 | 10,003  | 59.88% | 6,448  | 38.60%  | 253  | 1.51%
2020 | 9,578  | 56.95% | 6,889  | 40.96%  | 351  | 2.09%
2016 | 8,808  | 54.88% | 6,041  | 37.64%  | 1,202  | 7.49%
2012 | 6,969  | 41.72%  | 9,326  | 55.82% | 411  | 2.46%
2008 | 6,955  | 40.25%  | 9,915  | 57.38% | 410  | 2.37%
2004 | 7,681  | 43.48%  | 9,733  | 55.09% | 252  | 1.43%
2000 | 6,843  | 42.40%  | 8,514  | 52.75% | 782  | 4.85%
1996 | 5,166  | 32.31%  | 8,458  | 52.90% | 2,364  | 14.79%
1992 | 5,089  | 28.57%  | 7,759  | 43.56% | 4,965  | 27.87%
1988 | 7,226  | 44.56%  | 8,836  | 54.48% | 156  | 0.96%
1984 | 8,413  | 47.09%  | 9,338  | 52.26% | 116  | 0.65%
1980 | 8,475  | 47.65% | 8,212  | 46.17%  | 1,098  | 6.17%
1976 | 8,220  | 45.62%  | 9,470  | 52.56% | 328  | 1.82%
1972 | 9,747  | 56.90% | 7,163  | 41.82%  | 220  | 1.28%
1968 | 7,315  | 44.16%  | 8,671  | 52.35% | 577  | 3.48%
1964 | 6,136  | 36.72%  | 10,554  | 63.16% | 19  | 0.11%
1960 | 8,970  | 52.73% | 8,018  | 47.14%  | 22  | 0.13%
1956 | 7,632  | 51.63% | 7,138  | 48.29%  | 11  | 0.07%
1952 | 8,450  | 56.25% | 6,525  | 43.44%  | 46  | 0.31%
1948 | 5,238  | 39.45%  | 7,825  | 58.94% | 213  | 1.60%
1944 | 5,728  | 46.77%  | 6,486  | 52.96% | 32  | 0.26%
1940 | 6,683  | 48.85%  | 6,942  | 50.75% | 55  | 0.40%
1936 | 4,653  | 37.81%  | 7,378  | 59.96% | 274  | 2.23%
1932 | 4,931  | 44.62%  | 5,838  | 52.82% | 283  | 2.56%
1928 | 7,815  | 72.70% | 2,859  | 26.60%  | 76  | 0.71%
1924 | 6,139  | 63.75% | 480  | 4.98%  | 3,011  | 31.27%
1920 | 6,772  | 81.96% | 1,131  | 13.69%  | 360  | 4.36%
1916 | 2,418  | 60.07% | 1,347  | 33.47%  | 260  | 6.46%
1912 | 672  | 17.04%  | 880  | 22.31%  | 2,392  | 60.65%
1908 | 2,465  | 61.14% | 976  | 24.21%  | 591  | 14.66%
1904 | 2,876  | 78.19% | 461  | 12.53%  | 341  | 9.27%
1900 | 2,934  | 74.17% | 838  | 21.18%  | 184  | 4.65%
1896 | 3,400  | 72.25% | 1,179  | 25.05%  | 127  | 2.70%
1892 | 2,004  | 61.27% | 743  | 22.71%  | 524  | 16.02%
County Board of Commissioners[18] Position  | Name  | District  | Next Election

|
|
|

Commissioner and Chairman  | Brad Edwin  | District 1  | 2028
Commissioner  | Dawn Kaasa  | District 2  | 2026
Commissioner  | Lukas Severson  | District 3  | 2028
Commissioner  | Christopher Shoff  | District 4  | 2026
Commissioner  | Nicole Eckstrom  | District 5  | 2028
State Legislature (2025-2027)  Position  | Name  | Affiliation  | District

|
|
|

| Senate | Gene Dornink[19] | Republican | 23
| House of Representatives | Peggy Bennett[20] | Republican | 23A
| House of Representatives | Patricia Mueller[21] | Republican | 23B
U.S Congress (2025-2027)  Position  | Name  | Affiliation  | District

|
|
|

| House of Representatives | Brad Finstad[22] | Republican | 1st
| Senate | Amy Klobuchar[23] | Democrat | N/A
| Senate | Tina Smith[24] | Democrat | N/A

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Freeborn County, Minnesota
* Peter Lund Creek

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
2. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. ^ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 198.
5. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 131.
6. ^ a b c Freeborn County MN Google Maps (accessed March 8, 2019)
7. ^ "Find an Altitude/Freeborn County MN" Google Maps (accessed March 8, 2019)
8. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
9. ^ Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp 43–48. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2
10. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". Retrieved March 18, 2024.
11. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 26, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
12. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
13. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
14. ^ "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 15, 2014.
15. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Freeborn County, Minnesota".
16. ^ Simon, Steve (November 21, 2024). "2024 State Canvassing Board Certificate". Minnesota Secretary of State. Archived from the original on April 22, 2025. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
17. ^ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
18. ^ "Board of Commissioners | Freeborn County, MN - Official Website". www.co.freeborn.mn.us. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
19. ^ annie.harman@apgsomn.com, ANNIE HARMAN (November 9, 2022). "ELECTION RESULTS: Dornink claims victory in newly drawn district". Southernminn.com. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
20. ^ Stultz, Sarah (November 6, 2024). "Bennett elected to 6th term in House". Albert Lea Tribune. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
21. ^ Johnson, Eric (November 6, 2024). "Patricia Mueller retains District 23B seat". Albert Lea Tribune. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
22. ^ "Minnesota election results: Brad Finstad wins reelection in CD1". FOX 9. November 5, 2024. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
23. ^ "U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar". www.klobuchar.senate.gov. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
24. ^ "Home". Senator Tina Smith. Retrieved June 24, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Freeborn County website

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Freeborn County, Minnesota

| Waseca County |
| Steele County

|
|

|  |
Faribault County |

Freeborn County, Minnesota

| Mower County
|  |
Winnebago County, Iowa | Worth County, Iowa |

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Freeborn County, Minnesota, United States

County seat: Albert Lea

Cities|

* Albert Lea
* Alden
* Clarks Grove
* Conger
* Emmons
* Freeborn
* Geneva
* Glenville
* Hartland
* Hayward
* Hollandale
* Manchester
* Myrtle
* Twin Lakes

Map of Minnesota highlighting Freeborn County

Townships|

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

Unincorporated
communities|

* Armstrong
* Corning‡
* Mansfield
* Gordonsville
* London
* Maple Island
* Moscow
* Oakland
* Petran

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* Minnesota portal
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* v
* t
* e

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43°40′N 93°21′W﻿ / ﻿43.67°N 93.35°W﻿ / 43.67; -93.35
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