Isanti County, Minnesota

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Isanti County

| state = Minnesota

| logo = Isanti County Minnesota Logo.png

| founded date = February 13

| founded year = 1857

| seat wl = Cambridge

| largest city wl = Cambridge

| area_total_sq_mi = 452

| area_land_sq_mi = 436

| area_water_sq_mi = 16

| area percentage = 3.5%

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 41135

| pop_est_as_of = 2024

| population_est = 43687 {{increase}}

| density_sq_mi = 88.8

| time zone = Central

| web = www.co.isanti.mn.us

| named for = Izaty Indians

| ex image = Isanti County Government Center, Cambridge, Minnesota-01.jpg

| ex image cap = Isanti County Government Center

| district = 8th

}}

Isanti County ({{IPAc-en|aɪ|ˈ|s|æ|n|t|iː}} {{respell|eye|SAN|tee}}){{Cite web |title=Minnesota Pronunciation Guide |url=http://www.ap.org/minnesota/prono.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722194213/http://www.ap.org/minnesota/prono.html |archive-date=July 22, 2011 |access-date=July 4, 2011 |website=Associated Press}} is a county in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 41,135.{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/isanticountyminnesota/PST045222 |access-date=April 19, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} Its county seat is Cambridge.{{Cite web |title=Find a County |url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 |access-date=June 7, 2011 |publisher=National Association of Counties}}

History

The county was formed on February 13, 1857.[https://archive.org/details/collections17minnuoft/page/248 Upham, Warren. Minnesota Geographic Names, p. 249 (1920). Accessed 12 March 2019] Its name came from the Izaty Indians, the ancient name for the Santee Indians, members of the Dakota alliance. Isanti is derived from the Dakota word for "knife" and refers to the Santee tribe.{{Cite book |last=Gannett, Henry |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ |title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States |publisher=Govt. Print. Off. |year=1905 |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n155 166]}}

Isanti County is included in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

The Rum River flows south through the county's central part. The county's terrain is hilly and etched with drainages and gullies, and dotted with lakes and ponds.[https://www.google.com/maps/place/Isanti+County,+MN/@45.5732012,-93.4065733,44734m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x52b3a12e0124c5f5:0xf04246612107ed8c!8m2!3d45.6301379!4d-93.2537327 Isanti County MN Google Maps (accessed March 12, 2019)] The terrain generally slopes to the south and east; its highest point is near its northwest corner, at {{convert|1,020|ft|m|abbr=on}} ASL.{{Cite web |title="Find an Altitude/Isanti County MN" Google Maps (accessed March 12, 2019) |url=https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521043409/https://www.daftlogic.com/sandbox-google-maps-find-altitude.htm |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |access-date=March 13, 2019}} The county has an area of {{convert|452|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|436|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|16|sqmi}} (3.5%) is water.{{Cite web |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006102023/http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_27.txt |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=US Census Bureau}} File:Isanti Co Pie Chart & Savannas Map.pdf{{Stack|File:Tip_Toe_Savannas_East_Isanti_County.JPG}}

=Major highways=

=Adjacent counties=

Kanabec County - north
Pine County - northeast
Chisago County - east
Anoka County - south
Sherburne County - southwest
Mille Lacs County - northwest

=Protected areas=

Source:

Cranberry Wildlife Management Area
Crooked Road State Wildlife Management Area
Marget Lake State Wildlife Management Area
Marvin W. Schubring Memorial Wildlife Management Area
Maywood County Park
Spectacle Lake Wildlife Management Area
Springvale County Park
Twin Lake Scientific and Natural Area

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1860= 284

|1870= 2035

|1880= 5063

|1890= 7607

|1900= 11675

|1910= 12615

|1920= 13278

|1930= 12081

|1940= 12950

|1950= 12123

|1960= 13530

|1970= 16560

|1980= 23600

|1990= 25921

|2000= 31287

|2010= 37816

|2020= 41135

|estyear=2024

|estimate=43687

|estref={{Cite web |title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023 |url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html |access-date=March 18, 2024}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}
1790-1960{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}} 1900-1990{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/mn190090.txt |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau}}
1990-2000{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |access-date=October 18, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}} 2010-2020

}}

=2020 census=

class="wikitable"

|+Isanti County, Minnesota - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Race / Ethnicity

!Pop 2010{{Cite web |title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Isanti County, Minnesota |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US27059&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2 |website=United States Census Bureau}}

!Pop 2020{{Cite web |title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Isanti County, Minnesota |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=0500000US27059&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |website=United States Census Bureau}}

!% 2010

!% 2020

White alone (NH)

|35,958

|37,559

|95.09%

|91.31%

Black or African American alone (NH)

|228

|314

|0.60%

|0.83%

Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|163

|201

|0.43%

|0.53%

Asian alone (NH)

|302

|488

|0.80%

|1.29%

Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|12

|13

|0.03%

Some Other Race alone (NH)

|20

|154

|0.05%

|0.41%

Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)

|517

|1,510

|1.37%

|3.99%

Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|582

|5,308

|1.54%

|2.37%

Total

|37,816

|41,135

|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.

=2000 census=

File:IsantiCountyMn2022PopPyr.png for Isanti County, from ACS 5-year estimates]]

As of the census of 2000, there were 37,816 people, 14,331 households, and 8,415 families in the county. The population density was {{convert|86.7|/mi2|/km2}}. There were 12,062 housing units at an average density of {{convert|27.7|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 96.0% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 0% Pacific Islander, 1.6% from other races, and 0.94% from two or more races. 1.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 30.3% were of German, 21.3% Swedish, 12.7% Norwegian and 5.1% Irish ancestry.

There were 11,236 households, of which 38.1% had children under 18 living with them, 62.1% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.1% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.15.

The county population contained 28.7% under 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 10.8% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.8 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $50,127, and the median income for a family was $55,996. Males had a median income of $39,381 versus $26,427 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,348. About 4.0% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.7% of those under 18 and 8.6% of those 65 or older.

Communities

=Cities=

Braham (partially in Kanabec County)
Cambridge (county seat)
Isanti
St. Francis (mostly in Anoka County)

=Census-designated place=

Stanchfield

=Unincorporated communities=

=Townships=

Politics

This rural turned exurban county is more conservative than the state as a whole. In 2008, John McCain won this county with almost 57% of the vote, while losing the state with 44% of the vote. Norm Coleman also did well, obtaining 48% of the vote while losing the state with 42%. Both George W. Bush and Tim Pawlenty won this county twice, winning a majority of the county each time.

Democrats tend to do poorly here. In 2008, Barack Obama obtained just 41% while he won the state with 54% of the vote. Al Franken received just 33% of Isanti County's votes. Since 1992, no Democrat has won this county with over 50% of the vote. In 2016, Donald Trump won almost 65% of the vote here while narrowly losing the state to Hillary Clinton. In 2020, Trump increased his vote share to just over 68% and increased his vote share further to nearly 70% in 2024.{{Cite news|url=https://officialdocuments.sos.mn.gov/Files/GetDocument/145965 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250422114344/https://officialdocuments.sos.mn.gov/Files/GetDocument/145965 |archive-date=2025-04-22 |url-status=live|title=2024 State Canvassing Board Certificate|last=Simon|first=Steve|author-link=Steve Simon|date=November 21, 2024|work=Minnesota Secretary of State|access-date=May 13, 2025}}

Independents also do well in this county. In 1998, the county's results were Jesse Ventura's best performance in the state, winning the county with over 50% of the vote. Ross Perot came in a close third place with 29% of the vote while getting 24% statewide.

{{PresHead|place=Isanti County, Minnesota|whig=no|source1={{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Atlas of US Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/ |access-date=September 19, 2018 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}}}