# Clearwater County, Minnesota *County in northwestern Minnesota; county seat Bagley* Clearwater County is a county in northwestern [[Minnesota]] whose seat is the city of Bagley. The 2020 census counted 8,524 residents there.[^1] Lake Itasca, where the [[Mississippi River]] begins, lies within the county, and portions of the Red Lake and White Earth Indian reservations reach into its territory.[^1] In presidential elections the county backed the Democratic nominee in all but two contests from 1932 through 1996. It has voted Republican in every election since 2000.[^2] The 2024 Republican margin was the widest in the county's history except for its first election, in 1904.[^2] ## Geography Of the county's 1,030 square miles (2,700 km²), 999 square miles (2,590 km²) are land and 31 square miles (80 km²), or 3.0%, are water.[^3] Across the northern edge, the Red Lake River runs west from Red Lake toward its mouth on the Red River at Grand Forks, North Dakota. Through the middle of the county, the Clearwater River runs west-southwest to join the Red Lake River.[^3] The land is a mix of forested, rolling hills with numerous lakes and ponds, and it descends toward the north.[^3] The source gives two figures for the high point. One passage places it on the lower western boundary at 1,781 feet (543 m) above sea level. Another places it just south of Scoop Lake at 2,005 feet, at 47.2318°N, −95.5034°W, and counts it among the few Minnesota locations above 2,000 feet.[^3] Neighboring counties are Beltrami County to the northeast, Hubbard County to the southeast, Becker County to the south, Mahnomen County to the southwest, Polk County to the west and Pennington County to the northwest.[^4] The major routes are U.S. Highway 2 and Minnesota State Highways 1, 92, 113, 200 and 223.[^4] Protected lands in the county include part of Itasca State Park and the Iron Springs Bog SNA.[^4] They also include seven state wildlife management areas: Bagley Lake, Clearwater, Jackson Lake, Little Pine, Lower Rice Lake, Old Red Lake Trail and Upper Rice Lake.[^4] ## Climate and weather Recent average temperatures at Bagley run from a January low of −15 °F (−26 °C) to a July high of 85 °F (29 °C).[^5] The coldest reading on record, −53 °F (−47 °C), came in February 1996. The hottest, 103 °F (39 °C), came in August 1976.[^5] Mean monthly precipitation is lowest in December, at 0.64 inches (16 mm), and highest in June, at 4.62 inches (117 mm).[^5] ## Demographics The 2020 census recorded 8,524 residents with a median age of 42.3 years. Of these residents, 24.7% were under 18 and 21.4% were 65 or older.[^6] The census gives the county's racial makeup as follows: * 84.4% White * 8.9% American Indian and Alaska Native * 5.7% two or more races * 0.4% some other race * 0.3% Black or African American * 0.3% Asian Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 1.2% of the population.[^6] The census classed 100.0% of residents as living in rural areas.[^6] The county had 3,487 households. Of these, 27.6% included children under 18, 50.2% were married-couple households, and 30.7% consisted of individuals.[^6] Of the 4,448 housing units, 21.6% stood vacant. Among occupied units, 79.9% were owner-occupied and 20.1% were renter-occupied.[^6] The 2000 census had counted 8,423 people in 3,330 households and 2,287 families, at a density of 8.43 per square mile (3.25/km²). It also counted 4,114 housing units.[^7] ## Communities Five cities lie in the county: Bagley, which is the county seat, Clearbrook, Gonvick, Leonard and Shevlin.[^8] The census-designated places are Ebro, Elbow Lake, Rice Lake, Roy Lake and South End.[^8] Unincorporated communities include the following: * Alida * Big Bear Landing * Bonga Landing * Bush Landing * Lake Itasca * Mallard * Ponsford Landing * Vern * Weme * Zerkel The source lists twenty-two townships:[^8] * Bear Creek * Clover * Copley * Dudley * Eddy * Falk * Greenwood * Hangaard * Holst * Itasca * La Prairie * Leon * Long Lost Lake * Minerva * Moose Creek * Nora * Pine Lake * Popple * Rice * Shevlin * Sinclair * Winsor The county also has two unorganized territories, North Clearwater and South Clearwater.[^8] ## Government and politics Between 1932 and 1996 the county supported the Democratic presidential candidate in every election but two. Those exceptions were 1972 and 1984, years in which Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan won nationwide Republican landslides.[^2] Democrats held the county in the three following elections by narrower margins. Michael Dukakis carried it by 6 votes in 1988, and Bill Clinton's margin was below 7.5% in each of his two victories.[^2] From 2000 onward the Republican nominee has won the county in every election. The margin fell under 10% only in 2008.[^2] In 2016 Donald Trump won more than 60% of the county's vote, the first Republican to do so since 1928, and beat Hillary Clinton by 43%.[^2] He raised his vote share in 2020, when his margin over Joe Biden was 45%. In 2024 he defeated Kamala Harris by almost 50%.[^2] According to the source, the 2024 result was the strongest Republican showing in the county apart from its first presidential election, in 1904, for Theodore Roosevelt.[^2] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Clearwater County, Minnesota* (revision 1375328609, retrieved 25 October 2026) — 2020 population of 8,524, county seat Bagley, Lake Itasca as Mississippi source, Red Lake and White Earth reservation lands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearwater_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia, *Clearwater County, Minnesota*, section *Government and politics* (revision 1375328609, retrieved 25 October 2026) — presidential voting pattern and margins, 1904 and 1932–2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearwater_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia, *Clearwater County, Minnesota*, section *Geography* (revision 1375328609, retrieved 25 October 2026) — area, water share, rivers, terrain and the two high-point figures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearwater_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia, *Clearwater County, Minnesota*, section *Geography* subsections on highways, adjacent counties and protected areas (revision 1375328609, retrieved 25 October 2026) — neighboring counties, routes and protected lands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearwater_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia, *Clearwater County, Minnesota*, section *Climate and weather* (revision 1375328609, retrieved 25 October 2026) — Bagley temperature and precipitation ranges and recorded extremes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearwater_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia, *Clearwater County, Minnesota*, section *Demographics*, 2020 census (revision 1375328609, retrieved 25 October 2026) — population, age, racial makeup, rural share, household and housing figures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearwater_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia, *Clearwater County, Minnesota*, section *Demographics*, 2000 census (revision 1375328609, retrieved 25 October 2026) — 2000 population, households, families, density and housing units. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearwater_County,_Minnesota [^8]: Wikipedia, *Clearwater County, Minnesota*, section *Communities* (revision 1375328609, retrieved 25 October 2026) — cities, census-designated places, unincorporated communities, townships and unorganized territories. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clearwater_County,_Minnesota