# Itasca County, Minnesota *County in north-central Minnesota, United States* Itasca County is a county of [[Minnesota]] in the state's Iron Range region, and Grand Rapids is its county seat. The 2020 census counted 45,014 residents.[^1] The county takes its name from Lake Itasca, whose own name was formed from the Latin *veritas* and *caput*, "truth" and "head", because the lake is the true source of the [[Mississippi River]].[^1] Portions of the Bois Forte and Leech Lake Indian reservations fall within the county.[^1] The county was first bounded in 1849, when the [[Minnesota Territory]] was organized. At that time it covered a far larger area: present-day Cook, Lake, Saint Louis, Koochiching and Itasca counties, the eastern parts of Lake of the Woods and Beltrami, and the northern parts of Aitkin and Carlton.[^2] Lake Itasca, its namesake, is no longer within the county's borders.[^2] The present county borders Koochiching County to the north, Saint Louis County to the east, Aitkin County to the south, Cass County to the southwest and Beltrami County to the west.[^3] In presidential elections, the county chose the Democratic nominee every time from 1932 through 2012. It then backed the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, in 2016, 2020 and 2024, and his share rose from 54.1% to 59% over those three elections.[^4] ## History The 1849 boundaries set under the newly created Minnesota Territory gave the county a territory spanning much of what is now northeastern Minnesota. Its later counterparts are listed above.[^2] The source of the Mississippi was disputed for years before Henry Schoolcraft's 1832 expedition to locate it. When he reached the lake, Schoolcraft named it Itasca. The lake was determined to be the river's true source, and the county was named after it.[^2] At the lake the Mississippi is shallow enough for a person to walk across. From there the river runs past Bemidji, passes through Itasca County, and continues to the Gulf of Mexico.[^2] ## Geography Itasca County's land is hilly and densely forested, with many lakes and ponds, and it falls generally toward the east. Its highest ground lies along the upper western border, at 1,437 feet (438 m) above sea level.[^3] Of the county's 2,928 square miles (7,580 km²), 2,668 square miles (6,910 km²) are land and 260 square miles (670 km²), or 8.9%, are water. Only two Minnesota counties are larger in area.[^3] Areas of low plains, rolling hills and wetlands mark places of past glacial activity. The region has been forested for centuries with pine, spruce, hardwoods, cedar and tamarack.[^3] Forestry and logging are major sectors of the local economy.[^3] The county has more than 1,400 lakes, along with its creeks and rivers. The largest bodies of water include Lake Winnibigoshish, Pokegama Lake, Deer Lake, Bowstring Lake, the Blandin Paper Mill Reservoir and the Mississippi River itself.[^3] U.S. Highways 2, 71 and 169 cross the county. So do Minnesota State Highways 1, 6, 38, 46, 65 and 286.[^3] Protected lands include Big Fork State Forest, Golden Anniversary State Forest, Botany Bog Scientific and Natural Area, Marcell Experimental Forest and Scenic State Park. Parts of Chippewa National Forest and George Washington State Forest also lie in the county.[^3] ## Demographics The 2020 census recorded 45,014 residents with a median age of 46.5 years. Of these residents, 21.1% were younger than 18 and 24.6% were 65 or older.[^5] The census counted 102.4 males per 100 females overall, and 101.0 males per 100 females among adults.[^5] The census reported the racial makeup as 89.7% White, 3.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.3% Asian, under 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% some other race and 5.7% two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race made up 1.4%.[^5] Rural residents made up 77.0% of the population and urban residents 23.0%.[^5] The county had 18,968 households. Children under 18 lived in 24.4% of them, and 50.9% were married-couple households. Single-person households made up 29.8%, including 14.5% in which a person aged 65 or older lived alone.[^5] The census counted 25,375 housing units, and 25.2% of them stood vacant. Owners occupied 79.9% of occupied units and renters 20.1%. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.3%.[^5] The 2000 census had counted 43,992 people in 17,789 households and 12,381 families. That count gave a density of 16.5 people per square mile, with 24,528 housing units.[^6] ## Communities The county lists sixteen cities: Bigfork, Bovey, Calumet, [[Cohasset]], Coleraine, Deer River, Effie, Grand Rapids (the county seat), Keewatin, La Prairie, Marble, Nashwauk, Squaw Lake, Taconite, Warba and Zemple.[^7] Ball Club, Goodland and Inger are census-designated places.[^7] The county also contains 41 townships, from Alvwood Township to Wirt Township. It has some 28 unincorporated communities, among them Bass Lake, Marcell, Pengilly and Swan River.[^7] Six unorganized territories complete the list: Bowstring Lake, Deer Lake, Effie, Liberty, Little Sand Lake and Northeast Itasca.[^7] ## Politics Itasca County shared the presidential voting pattern of the neighbouring Iron Range counties of Saint Louis, Carlton and Lake. For roughly eight decades after the Great Depression, it gave strong margins to Democratic candidates. It supported the Democratic nominee in each election from 1932 through 2012.[^4] That pattern ended in 2016, when Republican Donald Trump carried the county with 54.1%.[^4] Trump's 57.4% in 2020 marked the county's first back-to-back Republican presidential result since 1924 and 1928.[^4] His 59% in 2024 was the highest share for any Republican presidential nominee in the county since 1924.[^4] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Itasca County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330118, retrieved 2026-10-25), lead section — region, county seat, 2020 population, origin of the name, and reservation lands within the county. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itasca_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia, *Itasca County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330118, retrieved 2026-10-25), History section — 1849 boundaries under the Minnesota Territory, original extent, naming for Lake Itasca, and Schoolcraft's 1832 expedition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itasca_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia, *Itasca County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330118, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — terrain, elevation, area, landscape, economy, waters, highways, adjacent counties and protected areas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itasca_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia, *Itasca County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330118, retrieved 2026-10-25), Politics section — presidential voting from 1932 through 2024 and Republican vote shares in 2016, 2020 and 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itasca_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia, *Itasca County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330118, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section (2020 census) — population, age, sex ratio, racial makeup, urban/rural split, households and housing units. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itasca_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia, *Itasca County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330118, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section (2000 census) — population, households, families, density and housing units. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itasca_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia, *Itasca County, Minnesota* (revision 1375330118, retrieved 2026-10-25), Communities section — cities, census-designated places, unincorporated communities, townships and unorganized territories. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itasca_County,_Minnesota