# Steele County, Minnesota *County in Minnesota, United States* Steele County is a county in the U.S. state of [[Minnesota]], with Owatonna as its county seat. The 2020 census counted 37,406 residents. The county makes up the Owatonna Micropolitan Statistical Area.[^1] The [[Minnesota Territory]] legislature established the county on February 20, 1855, from parts of Rice, Blue Earth, and Le Sueur counties, and named it for [[Franklin Steele]].[^2] The county's electorate has historically favored Republican candidates. As of 2024, it had chosen the [[Democratic Party (United States)]] nominee in only one national election since 1964.[^3] ## History Territorial lawmakers formed Steele County on February 20, 1855, from land taken out of Rice, Blue Earth, and Le Sueur counties.[^2] Owatonna, where settlement began in 1854, was designated the seat.[^2] The county's name honors Franklin Steele, an early resident of the territory.[^2] ## Geography Steele County covers 432 square miles (1,120 km²). Of that, 430 square miles (1,100 km²) is land and 2.7 square miles (7.0 km²), or 0.6%, is water.[^4] The landscape is low rolling hills cut by drainages, and it is farmed wherever the ground allows. The land falls toward the east and north. The county's high point, 1,293 ft (394 m) above sea level, lies near the middle of its southern boundary.[^4] The [[Straight River (southern Minnesota)]] begins in Freeborn County, runs north through the center of Steele County, and passes into Rice County.[^5] The [[Le Sueur River]] crosses the county's southwestern corner.[^5] The South Branch of the Middle Fork of the [[Zumbro River]] has its source in the county and drains east into Dodge County. The Middle Fork itself rises in the northeast of the county.[^5] ### Transit and highways [[Southern Minnesota Area Rural Transit]] is listed as the county's transit service.[^6] [[Interstate 35]] crosses the west-central part of the county from north to south, by way of Medford, Clinton Falls, Owatonna, Hope, and Ellendale.[^6] U.S. Route 14 crosses the upper central part of the county from east to west, through Owatonna.[^6] [[U.S. Route 218]] enters at the southeast corner and runs north-northwest to meet US 14 southeast of Owatonna.[^6] [[Minnesota State Highway 30]] runs east to west across the southern part of the county, through Ellendale.[^6] ### Airports [[Owatonna Degner Regional Airport]] (OWA) is northwest of Owatonna.[^7] ### Adjacent counties The neighboring counties are Rice to the north, Dodge to the east, Mower to the southeast, Freeborn to the south, and Waseca to the west.[^7] ### Protected areas and lakes State-managed lands in the county include [[Rice Lake State Park]] and four State Wildlife Management Areas: Aurora, Oak Glen, Somerset, and Swan Lake.[^8] The listed lakes include Beaver, Fosilen, Kohlmeier, Lonergan, and Oak Glen, among others.[^8] ## Demographics ### 2020 census The 2020 census recorded 37,406 residents, with a median age of 39.9 years. One quarter (25.0%) were younger than 18, and 18.2% were 65 or older. There were 99.6 males for every 100 females overall, and 98.5 males per 100 females among adults.[^9] By race, the census reported the following shares of residents: - White: 86.0% - Black or African American: 3.7% - American Indian and Alaska Native: 0.3% - Asian: 0.9% - Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander: 0.1% - Some other race: 3.8% - Two or more races: 5.3% Residents identifying as Hispanic or Latino, of any race, made up 8.4%.[^10] Urban areas held 70.3% of the population and rural areas 29.7%.[^10] The county had 14,823 households, and 30.9% of them included children under 18. Married couples made up 52.2% of households. A male householder with no spouse or partner present headed 17.9%, and a female householder with no spouse or partner present headed 22.6%.[^11] One-person households made up 27.8% of the total, and in 12.3% of households a person aged 65 or older lived alone.[^11] Of 15,691 housing units, 5.5% were vacant. Owners occupied 76.1% of occupied units and renters 23.9%. The vacancy rate was 1.1% for owner housing and 6.1% for rentals.[^11] ### 2000 census The 2000 census counted 33,680 people in 12,846 households, 9,082 of them families. Population density was 78.3 per square mile (30.2/km²).[^12] Housing units numbered 13,306, or 30.9 per square mile (11.9/km²).[^12] In that count, 95.19% of residents were White and 1.07% were Black or African American.[^12] ## Communities Steele County contains four cities:[^13] - Blooming Prairie (partly in Dodge County) - Ellendale - Medford - Owatonna, the county seat Its unincorporated communities are Bixby, Clinton Falls, Deerfield, Havana, Hope, Lemond, Litomysl, Meriden, Merton, Moland, Pratt, Saco, and Steele Center.[^13] Rice Lake is listed as a ghost town.[^13] The thirteen townships are Aurora, Berlin, Blooming Prairie, Clinton Falls, Deerfield, Havana, Lemond, Medford, Meriden, Merton, Owatonna, Somerset, and Summit.[^13] ## Politics The county's voters are described as traditionally Republican.[^3] Counting from 1964, the county had backed the Democratic candidate in a single national election as of 2024.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), lead section — 2020 census population of 37,406; county seat Owatonna; Owatonna Micropolitan Statistical Area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), History section — creation by the Minnesota Territory legislature on February 20, 1855, from parts of Rice, Blue Earth, and Le Sueur counties; Owatonna settled from 1854 and named seat; naming for Franklin Steele. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Politics section — traditional Republican voting; one Democratic selection in national elections since 1964, as of 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — total, land and water area; terrain; slope; highest point at 1,293 ft. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section — courses of the Straight, Le Sueur and Zumbro rivers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section, Transit and Major highways subsections — transit service; routes of I-35, US 14, US 218 and MN 30. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section, Airports and Adjacent counties subsections — Owatonna Degner Regional Airport; bordering counties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^8]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Geography section, Protected areas and Lakes subsections — state park, wildlife management areas and listed lakes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^9]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section, 2020 census subsection — population, median age, age shares, sex ratios. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^10]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section, 2020 census subsection — racial makeup, Hispanic or Latino share, urban and rural shares. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^11]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section, 2020 census subsection — household composition, housing units, tenure and vacancy rates. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^12]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Demographics section, 2000 census subsection — population, households, families, density, housing units, partial racial makeup. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota [^13]: Wikipedia, *Steele County, Minnesota* (revision 1375308911, retrieved 2026-10-25), Communities section — cities, unincorporated communities, ghost town, townships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steele_County,_Minnesota