# Brown County, Minnesota *County in Minnesota, United States* Brown County lies in the U.S. state of [[Minnesota]], with its seat at New Ulm. The 2020 census counted 25,912 residents.[^1] It was formed in 1855 and organized the following year.[^1] The county makes up the New Ulm, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area, which belongs to the Mankato–New Ulm, MN Combined Statistical Area.[^1] The county's name honors [[Joseph Renshaw Brown]], who sat on the territorial Governor's Council in 1855.[^2] Between 1857 and 1862 much of its original area was divided into other counties.[^2] During the 1862 Dakota War, New Ulm was attacked twice and mostly burned.[^3] In 1863 the reservations along its northern edge were dissolved, and the county line was moved north to the [[Minnesota River]].[^3] ## History Brown County was established in 1855 in what was then the southwest corner of [[Minnesota Territory]].[^2] Joseph Renshaw Brown, its namesake, was a member of the territory's Governor's Council that year.[^2] An 1857 division produced Cottonwood, Jackson, Martin, Murry, Nobles, Pipestone and Rock counties. Watonwan County was separated in 1860, and Redwood County was formed from a large part of Brown County in 1862.[^2] In the 1870s Redwood was itself split to form Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon and Yellow Medicine counties.[^2] When the 1862 Dakota War began, the county's northern border ran 150 miles and coincided with the boundary of the Upper and Lower Sioux reservations.[^3] New Ulm came under heavy attack twice from a [[Mdewakanton]] force, which was repulsed.[^3] Most of the town was burned, and most residents fled to St. Peter and [[Mankato]]. The town suffered many casualties, and its dead were buried in the streets.[^3] In 1863 the treaties with the eastern [[Dakota]] were annulled and the two reservations dissolved. The county's border was then moved 10 miles north to the Minnesota River.[^3] ## Geography The Minnesota River runs east-southeast along the county's northern edge. The Cottonwood River crosses the central and upper county toward the east-northeast and joins the Minnesota at the northern border.[^4] The Little Cottonwood River runs east across the lower county and reaches the Minnesota in neighboring Blue Earth County.[^4] The land is rolling and largely farmed, falling generally toward the east and into the river valleys. The highest elevation is in the southwestern corner, at 1,263 ft (385 m) above sea level.[^4] The county covers 618 square miles (1,600 km²). Of that area, 611 square miles (1,580 km²) is land and 7.4 square miles (19 km²), or 1.2%, is water.[^5] ### Transit and major highways Hermann Express is listed as the county's transit service.[^6] The major highways are U.S. Highway 14 and Minnesota State Highways 4, 15, 68 and 257.[^6] ### Adjacent counties Brown County borders Nicollet County to the northeast, Blue Earth County to the southeast and Watonwan County to the south. Cottonwood County lies to the southwest, Redwood County to the west and Renville County to the northwest.[^6] ### Lakes Farming drained most of the county's wetlands, and a number of lakes remain. The county has at least 32 lakes, some of them designated protected waters of the State of Minnesota.[^7] The lakes sit in hollows in the driftsheet, and many have neither an inflow nor an outflow.[^7] They include Altermatt, Bachelor (in Stark Township), Boise, Clear, Gilman, Horseshoe, Linden, Lone Tree, Omsrud and School lakes, as well as Lake Cottonwood and Lake Hanska. Juni Lake is named for Benedict Juni, a Swiss settler.[^7] ## Climate and weather In recent years at New Ulm, average temperatures have run from a January low of 6 °F (−14 °C) to a July high of 83 °F (28 °C).[^8] The recorded extremes are −37 °F (−38 °C) in January 1984 and 105 °F (41 °C) in July 1988.[^8] Mean monthly precipitation has varied from 0.64 inches (16 mm) in January to 4.82 inches (122 mm) in June.[^8] ## Demographics ### 2020 census The 2020 census counted 25,912 residents, with a median age of 43.1 years. Of those residents, 21.6% were under 18 and 22.4% were 65 or older.[^9] There were 99.5 males per 100 females overall, and 96.5 males per 100 females among adults 18 and older.[^9] By race, 93.9% of residents were White and 0.5% Black or African American. Another 0.2% were American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian and under 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander.[^10] The remaining residents were 1.5% some other race and 3.4% two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 4.5% of the population.[^10] Urban areas held 51.8% of residents, and rural areas held 48.2%.[^10] The county had 10,970 households. Of these, 25.6% included children under 18 and 50.0% were married couples.[^11] A male householder with no spouse or partner present headed 19.3% of households, and a female householder with no spouse or partner present headed 24.5%.[^11] Individuals living alone made up 32.9% of households, and 15.8% were someone 65 or older living alone.[^11] Of 11,780 housing units, 6.9% were vacant. Among occupied units, 77.5% were owner-occupied and 22.5% renter-occupied.[^11] The vacancy rate was 1.5% for homeowner units and 9.5% for rental units.[^11] ### 2000 census The 2000 census recorded 26,911 people in 10,598 households and 7,164 families. Population density was 44.0 per square mile (17.0/km²).[^12] There were 11,163 housing units, an average density of 18.3 per square mile (7.1/km²).[^12] ## Communities The cities are Cobden, Comfrey (partial), Evan, Hanska, New Ulm (the county seat), Sleepy Eye and Springfield.[^13] Essig and Searles are census-designated places. Godahl (partial) and Leavenworth are unincorporated communities.[^13] The county's sixteen townships are Albin, Bashaw, Burnstown, Cottonwood, Eden, Home, Lake Hanska, Leavenworth, Linden, Milford, Mulligan, North Star, Prairieville, Sigel, Stark and Stately.[^13] ## Government and politics Brown County has a long record of voting Republican in presidential elections.[^14] As of 2024, Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 was the only Democratic presidential nominee to carry the county since 1936. He won it by 218 votes, a margin under 2%, during his national landslide that year.[^14] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Joseph Renshaw Brown, the county's namesake, was a member of the territorial Governor's Council in 1855.[^2] ### What - Brown County is a Minnesota county, and its seat is New Ulm.[^1] ### When - The county was formed in 1855 and organized in 1856.[^1] - The county was divided in 1857. Watonwan was separated in 1860, and Redwood was formed from a large portion of the county in 1862.[^2] - The 1862 Dakota War began in 1862. In 1863 the treaties with the eastern Dakota were annulled and the Upper and Lower Sioux reservations dissolved.[^3] ### Where - The county was founded in the southwest corner of Minnesota Territory. Today the Minnesota River runs along its northern border.[^2][^4] ### How - After the reservations were dissolved in 1863, the county's northern border was moved 10 miles north to the Minnesota River.[^3] ### How much - The county covers 618 square miles, of which 7.4 square miles is water.[^5] ### How many - The county has at least 32 lakes.[^7] - The 2020 census population was 25,912, down from 26,911 in 2000.[^9][^12] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), lead section — 2020 population, county seat, 1855 formation, 1856 organization, statistical areas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), History section — 1855 founding, namesake, 1857–1870s divisions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), History section — 1862 reservation border, attacks on New Ulm, 1863 treaty annulment and border change. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — rivers, terrain, highest point. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — total, land and water area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — transit, major highways, adjacent counties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section, Lakes — lake count, protected waters, named lakes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^8]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Climate and weather section — New Ulm temperature averages, records, precipitation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^9]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section, 2020 census — population, median age, age shares, sex ratios. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^10]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section, 2020 census — racial and ethnic composition, urban/rural split. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^11]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section, 2020 census — households and housing units. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^12]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section, 2000 census — population, households, families, density, housing units. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^13]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Communities section — cities, census-designated places, unincorporated communities, townships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota [^14]: Wikipedia contributors, *Brown County, Minnesota* (revision 1378407340, retrieved 2026-10-25), Government and politics section — presidential voting history, 1964 margin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_County,_Minnesota