# Lyon County, Minnesota *County in Minnesota, United States* Lyon County is in the U.S. state of [[Minnesota]]. Its county seat is Marshall, and the 2020 census counted 25,269 residents.[^1] The county's territory makes up the Marshall Micropolitan Statistical Area.[^1] Two acts of the state [[Legislature]], dated March 6, 1868, and March 2, 1869, created the county.[^2] It takes its name from Nathaniel Lyon, an Army officer killed in the Civil War in 1861.[^3] An act of March 6, 1873, took its western 43% to form Lincoln County.[^4] As of 2024, the county had backed the Democratic nominee in one national election since 1980.[^14] ## History Minnesota lawmakers created the county in two stages, by acts of March 6, 1868, and March 2, 1869, and named Marshall as its seat.[^2] Its namesake, Nathaniel Lyon, was an Army officer whose service took him to the Dakota and Minnesota territories. He held the rank of general when he was killed in the Civil War in 1861.[^3] The county once covered considerably more ground. A legislative act of March 6, 1873, detached its western 43% to form the new Lincoln County.[^4] ## Geography Three rivers cross the county on northeastward courses: the Yellow Medicine in its upper portion, the Redwood through the middle, and the Cottonwood in the lower part.[^5] The land is low rolling hills cut by drainages and gullies. It falls toward the north and east from a high point of 1,729 ft (527 m) above sea level near the southwest corner.[^5] The county's total area is 722 square miles (1,870 km²). Of that, 715 square miles (1,850 km²) is land and 7.1 square miles (18 km²), or 1.0%, is water.[^6] The neighboring counties are Yellow Medicine to the north, Redwood to the east, Murray to the south, Pipestone to the southwest and Lincoln to the west.[^7] U.S. Highways 14 and 59 and Minnesota State Highways 19, 23, 68 and 91 serve the county. It has two airports, Southwest Minnesota Regional Airport (MML) and Tracy Municipal Airport (TKC).[^7] The county's lakes are: - Clear, Cottonwood, East Twin, Goose, Island and Lady Slipper lakes - Lake Marshall, Lake of the Hill and Lake Yankton - Lone Tree Lake and Long Lake, each partly within the county - McKay, North Twin and Rock lakes - School Grove Lake, partly within the county - Sham, South Twin, Swift and West Twin lakes, and [[Wood Lake]][^8] Two state parks lie in the county, Camden and Garvin. It also contains the Glynn Prairie Scientific and Natural Area and five State Wildlife Management Areas: Gadwall, Grandview, Greenhead, Shelburne and Vallers.[^8] ## Demographics The 2020 census recorded 25,269 residents with a median age of 37.5. Of these, 25.4% were under 18 and 17.5% were 65 or older.[^9] The census counted 99.7 males per 100 females overall, and 96.8 males per 100 females among adults.[^9] The census racial makeup was: - 82.9% White - 3.6% Black or African American - 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native - 5.0% Asian - under 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander - 3.2% some other race - 4.7% two or more races Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 6.9% of the population.[^10] Urban areas held 53.5% of residents and rural areas 46.5%.[^10] The census counted 10,137 households, and 29.8% of them had children under 18.[^11] By household type: - 49.0% were married couples - 19.6% had a male householder with no spouse or partner present - 25.2% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present About 30.9% of households consisted of individuals, and 12.5% had someone 65 or older living alone.[^11] Of 11,180 housing units, 9.3% stood vacant. Among occupied units, 66.4% were owner-occupied and 33.6% renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.0% and the rental vacancy rate 12.5%.[^11] The 2000 census had counted 25,425 people, 9,715 households and 6,334 families. Population density then was 35.6 per square mile (13.7/km²). The county's 10,298 housing units averaged 14.4 per square mile. That census recorded 93.58% of residents as White and 1.49% as Black or African American.[^12] ## Communities The county has eleven cities: - Balaton, Cottonwood, Florence, Garvin, Ghent and Lynd - Marshall, the county seat - Minneota, Russell, Taunton and Tracy Amiret, Burchard, Dudley and Green Valley are unincorporated communities.[^13] The county also has twenty townships: Amiret, Clifton, Coon Creek, Custer, Eidsvold, Fairview, Grandview, Island Lake, Lake Marshall, Lucas, Lynd, Lyons, Monroe, Nordland, Rock Lake, Shelburne, Sodus, Stanley, Vallers and Westerheim.[^13] ## Politics As of 2024, Lyon County had chosen the Democratic nominee in one national election since 1980. The Wikipedia article on the county describes it as a Republican stronghold.[^14] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), lead section — 2020 census population of 25,269; county seat Marshall; Marshall Micropolitan Statistical Area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), History section — establishment by state legislative acts of March 6, 1868, and March 2, 1869; Marshall designated county seat. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), History section — county named for Nathaniel Lyon, Army officer killed in the Civil War in 1861, a general at his death. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), History section — act of March 6, 1873, made the county's western 43% the new Lincoln County. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — rivers, terrain and highest point of 1,729 ft (527 m). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — total, land and water area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — adjacent counties, major highways and airports. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^8]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — lakes and protected areas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^9]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section (2020 census) — population, median age, age groups and sex ratios. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^10]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section (2020 census) — racial and ethnic composition; urban/rural split. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^11]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section (2020 census) — households, household types, housing units, tenure and vacancy rates. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^12]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section (2000 census) — population, households, families, density, housing units and partial racial makeup. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^13]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), Communities section — cities, unincorporated communities and townships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota [^14]: Wikipedia contributors, *Lyon County, Minnesota* (retrieved 2026-10-25), Politics section — one Democratic nominee selected in national elections since 1980, as of 2024; characterization as a Republican stronghold. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyon_County,_Minnesota