# Cook County, Minnesota *County in northeastern Minnesota, United States* Cook County lies at the eastern end of the U.S. state of [[Minnesota]], with Grand Marais as its seat.[^1] The 2020 census counted 5,600 residents, which places it seventh-lowest in population among the state's counties.[^1] The Grand Portage Indian Reservation is within its boundaries.[^1] Only one Minnesota county is larger by area. Both the state's highest natural point, Eagle Mountain, and its highest lake, Lake Abita, are in Cook County, and Lake Superior forms its southern edge.[^2] ## History The Ojibwe were among the area's early inhabitants.[^3] French fur traders were the first non-indigenous explorers of the region. A small number stayed, and their population had reached a few dozen by the 1830s.[^3] That decade also brought settlers from New England and upstate New York. The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 and the end of the Black Hawk War in 1831 made the journey easier.[^3] Orange County, Vermont, and Down East Maine, in present-day Washington and Hancock counties, supplied most of the 1830s arrivals, who were largely fishermen and farmers.[^3] The area that became Cook County had 350 residents of European descent in 1845 and roughly 2,000 by 1874. Most belonged to Congregational, Methodist and Baptist churches.[^3] The population was about 3,000 by 1900.[^3] Immigration from Germany, Scandinavia and Ireland rose sharply in the first ten years of the 20th century and brought Lutheran and Catholic congregations to the county.[^3] Cook County was established on March 9, 1874. It takes its name from Michael Cook (1828–1864), who served as a territorial and state senator.[^3] John Lyght, of Lutsen, held the office of [[sheriff]] of Cook County from 1972 to 1994.[^3] ## Geography The county occupies a densely forested, triangular area at Minnesota's northeastern corner. It borders Canada and lies largely within the northern reach of the Great Lakes, and it has many lakes, ponds and streams.[^4] Its total area is 3,340 square miles: 1,452 square miles of land and 1,887 square miles (57%) of water.[^4] Eagle Mountain, at 2,301 feet (701 m), is the state's highest natural point. Lake Abita, at 2,048 feet (624 m), is its highest lake.[^4] The major highways are Minnesota State Highway 61 and Cook County Road 12, known as the Gunflint Trail.[^4] Protected areas in the county include Cascade River, Judge C. R. Magney and Temperance River state parks, Grand Portage National Monument, Kadunce River State Wayside Area and Pat Bayle State Forest. Portions of the North Shore State Trail, Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness also lie within the county.[^4] Cook County sits at the tip of the Arrowhead region and shares a land border with only one other county, Lake County, to the west.[^4] Its other neighbors are Rainy River District, Ontario (northwest), and Thunder Bay District, Ontario (northeast); Ashland County, Wisconsin (south); and Keweenaw County (east) and Ontonagon County (southeast) in Michigan.[^4] ## Climate Winters in northern Minnesota are severe. Temperatures are below freezing on 116 days a year (31.9%, about four months). On 21 of those days they fall below 0 °F (−17.8 °C).[^5] ## Demographics The 2020 census recorded 5,600 residents with a median age of 53.1. Of these residents, 15.9% were younger than 18 and 30.6% were 65 or older. There were 101.9 males for every 100 females.[^6] By census race category, 83.7% of residents were White, 8.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% Asian, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.9% some other race and 5.9% two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 2.2%. The census classified 100.0% of residents as rural.[^6] The county had 2,711 households in 2020. Of these households, 19.4% included children under 18, 47.3% were married couples, and 34.4% consisted of a single person. Of 5,936 housing units, 54.3% were vacant. Owners occupied 77.8% of the occupied units and renters occupied 22.2%. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate 16.8%.[^6] The 2000 census had counted 5,168 people in 2,350 households and 1,438 families, at a density of 3.56 people per square mile.[^6] ## Communities Grand Marais, the county seat, is the county's only city, and Lutsen is a census-designated place. The unincorporated communities are Croftville, Grand Portage, Hovland, Maple Hill, Martin Landing, Mineral Center, Pigeon River, Schroeder, Taconite Harbor and Tofte.[^7] The county has three townships: Lutsen, Schroeder and Tofte. It also has three unorganized territories: East Cook, Grand Portage and West Cook. Chippewa City and Colvill are ghost towns.[^7] ## Government and politics From 1900 to 2000, the county was a Republican-leaning bellwether in every presidential election except four. The exceptions were 1912, 1960, 1976 (decided by 16 votes) and 1988 (decided by 2 votes).[^8] In 2020, 66 percent of its voters chose Joe Biden, a Democratic margin larger than Barack Obama's in 2012.[^8] Donald Trump lost every precinct in the county in both 2016 and 2020. In each of those elections, it was the largest county by area in the contiguous states where that occurred.[^8] In 2024, Kamala Harris won more than 66% of the county's vote, the highest share any Democratic presidential nominee has received there.[^8] ## Education Cook County Schools provides public education in the county.[^9] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Cook County, Minnesota* (revision 1379936336, retrieved 2026-10-25) — lead section: location, county seat, 2020 population and rank, Grand Portage Indian Reservation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Cook County, Minnesota* (revision 1379936336, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Geography section: rank by area, Eagle Mountain, Lake Abita, Lake Superior border. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Cook County, Minnesota* (revision 1379936336, retrieved 2026-10-25) — History section: settlement, population figures, creation on March 9, 1874, namesake, Sheriff John Lyght's tenure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Cook County, Minnesota* (revision 1379936336, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Geography section: terrain, area, elevations, highways, protected areas, adjacent counties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Cook County, Minnesota* (revision 1379936336, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Climate section: freezing-day and sub-zero-day counts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Cook County, Minnesota* (revision 1379936336, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Demographics section: 2020 and 2000 census figures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia contributors, *Cook County, Minnesota* (revision 1379936336, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Communities section: city, census-designated place, unincorporated communities, townships, unorganized territories, ghost towns. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_County,_Minnesota [^8]: Wikipedia contributors, *Cook County, Minnesota* (revision 1379936336, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Government and politics section: presidential voting record from 1900 to 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_County,_Minnesota [^9]: Wikipedia contributors, *Cook County, Minnesota* (revision 1379936336, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Education section. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cook_County,_Minnesota