# Mille Lacs County, Minnesota *County in east central Minnesota* Mille Lacs County (pronounced mə-LAKS) lies in east central [[Minnesota]].[^1] The 2020 census counted 26,459 residents, and Milaca is the county seat.[^1] The county was founded in 1857, and its boundary was enlarged in 1860.[^1] It forms part of the [[Minneapolis]]–St. Paul Metropolitan Statistical Area, and part of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation falls within its borders.[^1] The county takes its name from the French for "thousand lakes," a name tied to Mille Lacs Lake.[^2] As of 2020, the county had chosen the [[Republican Party (United States)]] candidate in every national election since 2000.[^3] ## Etymology In French, Mille Lacs means "thousand lakes," and the name was attached to Mille Lacs Lake.[^2] The lake's full French name was *Grand lac du pays des mille lacs*.[^2] It is the largest lake in the Brainerd Lakes Area, a region that French colonists and traders called the "Region of the Thousand Lakes" (*Pays des mille lacs*).[^2] ## History The U.S. legislature established the Wisconsin Territory with effect from July 3, 1836.[^4] That territory lasted until 1848, when its eastern portion became the state of Wisconsin.[^4] The federal government organized the [[Minnesota Territory]] from the remainder, effective March 3, 1849.[^4] In October 1849, the new territorial legislature established nine counties.[^4] On May 23, 1857, Mille Lacs County was created from the eastern portion of Benton County, one of those nine counties.[^4] As first drawn, it took in the part of today's county lying east of the west branch of the Rum River, plus two townships that now belong to neighboring Isanti County.[^4] In 1858, twelve townships were separated from Benton and Mille Lacs Counties to form Monroe County. These were the townships that now make up the southern ten townships of Mille Lacs County and two northwestern townships of Isanti County.[^4] The separation left the northern "Square Top-knot" as Mille Lacs County.[^4] Monroe and Mille Lacs Counties merged in 1860.[^4] Soon after, the two southeastern townships went to Isanti County, which gave the county its present boundaries.[^4] ## Geography The Rum River begins at Mille Lacs Lake and runs south across the county.[^5] Its West Branch starts in the county's northwest and runs south-southeast until it meets the main stream at Princeton.[^5] The land is made up of wooded, rolling hills cut by drainages, with open tracts used for agriculture. It slopes downward toward the south and east.[^5] The county's high point is a hill of 1,371 ft (418 m) above sea level in Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, about one mile (1.6 km) from the southwest shore of Mille Lacs Lake.[^5] [[United States Census Bureau]] figures give a total area of 682 square miles (1,770 km²).[^6] Of that, 572 square miles (1,480 km²) is land and 109 square miles (280 km²), or 16%, is water.[^6] ### Major highways U.S. Highway 169; Minnesota State Highways 18, 23, 27, 47 and 95.[^5] ### Airports Milaca Municipal Airport (18Y), northeast of Milaca; Princeton Municipal Airport (PNM), southwest of Princeton.[^5] ### Adjacent counties Aitkin County (north), Kanabec County (northeast), Isanti County (southeast), Sherburne County (south), Benton County (southwest), Morrison County (west), Crow Wing County (northwest).[^5] ### Protected areas Father Hennepin State Park; Four Brooks State Wildlife Management Area (part); Kunkel State Wildlife Management Area; Mille Lacs Kathio State Park; Mille Lacs National Wildlife Refuge; Mille Lacs State Wildlife Management Area; Rum River State Forest; Solana State Forest (part).[^5] ## Demographics ### 2020 census The 2020 census recorded 26,459 residents, with a median age of 41.7 years.[^7] Residents under 18 made up 23.3% of the population, and those 65 or older made up 19.9%.[^7] There were 101.5 males for every 100 females overall, and 100.6 males for every 100 females among adults.[^7] The census reported the county's racial makeup as follows: 88.0% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 5.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, under 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.7% some other race, and 4.8% two or more races.[^7] Hispanic or Latino residents of any race were 1.8% of the population.[^7] Rural residents made up 81.8% of the population and urban residents 18.2%.[^7] The county had 10,593 households. Of these, 28.3% included children under 18 and 47.7% were married-couple households.[^7] A further 19.5% of households had a male householder and 23.3% a female householder, in each case with no spouse or partner present.[^7] One-person households made up 28.8% of all households, and 13.7% of households had someone 65 or older living alone.[^7] Of the county's 12,786 housing units, 17.2% were vacant.[^7] Among occupied units, 76.4% were owner-occupied and 23.6% renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.3%.[^7] ### 2000 census The 2000 census counted 22,330 people living in 8,638 households, of which 6,003 were families.[^8] Population density was 39.0 per square mile (15.1/km²).[^8] The county had 10,467 housing units, an average of 18.3 per square mile (7.1/km²).[^8] ## Communities **Cities:** Bock, Foreston, Isle (Chi-minising), Milaca (county seat), Onamia, Pease, Princeton (partly in Sherburne County), Wahkon.[^9] **Census-designated place:** Vineland (Neyaashiing).[^9] **Unincorporated communities:** Bayview, Cove, Estes Brook, Long Siding, Opstead, Page, Woodward Brook.[^9] **Ghost towns:** Brickton, Burnhelm Siding, Esteville, Freer, Johnsdale, Soule's Crossing, Stirling.[^9] **Townships:** Bogus Brook, Borgholm, Bradbury, Dailey, East Side, Greenbush, Hayland, Isle Harbor, Kathio, Lewis, Milaca, Milo, Mudgett, Onamia, Page, Princeton and South Harbor townships.[^9] ## Politics The county's voters historically had a balanced voting record between the parties, but over recent decades they have become strongly Republican.[^3] As of 2020, the county had chosen the Republican nominee in 67% of national elections since 1980.[^3] That count includes every election from 2000 onward.[^3] ## Education Five school districts serve the county: Isle Public School District, Milaca Public School District, Ogilvie Public School District, Onamia Public Schools and Princeton Public School District.[^10] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Mille Lacs County, Minnesota* (revision 1378624626, retrieved 2026-10-25) — lead section: location, 2020 population, county seat, founding (1857) and boundary expansion (1860), metropolitan area, reservation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Lacs_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Mille Lacs County, Minnesota* (revision 1378624626, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Etymology section: meaning and French forms of the name. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Lacs_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Mille Lacs County, Minnesota* (revision 1378624626, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Politics section: voting record since 1980, as of 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Lacs_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Mille Lacs County, Minnesota* (revision 1378624626, retrieved 2026-10-25) — History section: territorial origins, 1857 creation, Monroe County, 1860 merger and boundary changes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Lacs_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Mille Lacs County, Minnesota* (revision 1378624626, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Geography section: rivers, terrain, high point, highways, airports, adjacent counties, protected areas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Lacs_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Mille Lacs County, Minnesota* (revision 1378624626, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Geography section: total, land and water area as reported by the United States Census Bureau. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Lacs_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia contributors, *Mille Lacs County, Minnesota* (revision 1378624626, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Demographics section, 2020 census: population, age, sex ratio, race, urban/rural, households, housing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Lacs_County,_Minnesota [^8]: Wikipedia contributors, *Mille Lacs County, Minnesota* (revision 1378624626, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Demographics section, 2000 census: population, households, families, density, housing units. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Lacs_County,_Minnesota [^9]: Wikipedia contributors, *Mille Lacs County, Minnesota* (revision 1378624626, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Communities section: cities, CDP, unincorporated communities, ghost towns, townships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Lacs_County,_Minnesota [^10]: Wikipedia contributors, *Mille Lacs County, Minnesota* (revision 1378624626, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Education section: school districts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mille_Lacs_County,_Minnesota