# Wabasha County, Minnesota *County in Minnesota, United States* Wabasha County is a county of [[Minnesota]] whose seat is the city of [[Wabasha]].[^1] The 2020 census counted 21,387 residents, and the county is included in the metropolitan area of [[Rochester, Minnesota]].[^1] Its eastern side borders Wisconsin, across the [[Mississippi River]].[^2] The legislature of [[Minnesota Territory]] established the county in 1849 as one of the territory's nine original counties. Partitions in 1853, 1854 and 1855 reduced it to the boundaries it has kept since.[^3] Its voters have generally favored Republican candidates.[^4] ## History On October 27, 1849, the newly organized legislature of Minnesota Territory created Wabasha County, one of the nine counties with which the territory began.[^3] A settlement on the west bank of the Mississippi, first known as Cratte's Landing, had grown into a town and later a city named Wabasha. The legislature formed the county west of the river around that city and made Wabasha the seat.[^3] The city's name honors three successive chiefs of Dakota bands on the Mississippi.[^3] In 1853 portions of the county were detached to form Fillmore, Goodhue and Rice counties. Further land went to Winona County in 1854 and to Olmsted County in 1855.[^3] No boundary change has been made since 1855.[^3] ## Geography The county borders Wisconsin, separated from it by the Mississippi, which runs southeast along the county's eastern edge.[^2] The North Fork of the Whitewater River runs east across the southern part of the county and joins the Whitewater in Olmsted County. The combined river then re-enters Wabasha County in the southeast and flows northeast to the Mississippi.[^2] The [[Zumbro River]] crosses the county toward the east-northeast before emptying into the Mississippi, and East Indian Creek and Miller Creek carry water from the northern part of the county to the same river.[^2] Low rolling hills cut by drainage channels make up the terrain, and agriculture occupies all usable land.[^2] Elevation falls toward the east and south from a high point of 1,191 ft (363 m) above sea level on the upper western border.[^2] Of a total area of 550 square miles (1,400 km²), 523 square miles (1,350 km²) is land and 27 square miles (70 km²), or 4.8%, is water.[^2] Savanna soils outnumber both forest and prairie soils in the county, a trait it shares with 16 other Minnesota counties.[^2] The county's major highways are U.S. Highways 61 and 63, [[Minnesota State Highway 42]], [[Minnesota State Highway 60]], [[Minnesota State Highway 74]] and [[Minnesota State Highway 247]].[^5] Neighboring counties are Pepin County, Wisconsin, to the northeast; Buffalo County, Wisconsin, to the east; Winona County to the southeast; Olmsted County to the south; and Goodhue County to the west and northwest.[^6] Protected areas in the county include [[Carley State Park]], the Kellogg-Weaver Dunes Scientific and Natural Area, the Mazeppa and McCarthy Lake state wildlife management areas, the Miller Creek Aquatic Management Area and the Zumbro Falls Woods Scientific and Natural Area.[^7] Lakes listed for the county include part of [[Lake Pepin]], Robinson Lake and Zumbro Lake.[^7] ## Demographics The 2020 census recorded 21,387 residents with a median age of 45.5; 21.7% were under 18 and 22.5% were 65 or older.[^8] There were 101.0 males for every 100 females, and 100.1 males per 100 females among those 18 and over.[^8] The census reported the county's racial makeup as 93.9% White, 0.6% Black or African American, 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, under 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.2% some other race and 3.5% two or more races; 3.3% of residents, of any race, were Hispanic or Latino.[^8] Rural areas held 81.2% of the population and urban areas 18.8%.[^8] Of 8,923 households, 26.6% included children under 18 and 54.4% were married couples; 18.3% had a male householder and 20.2% a female householder with no spouse or partner present.[^8] One-person households made up about 27.6% of the total, and 13.8% had someone aged 65 or older living alone.[^8] Of 10,158 housing units, 12.2% were vacant; among occupied units, 81.2% were owner-occupied and 18.8% renter-occupied, with a homeowner vacancy rate of 1.0% and a rental vacancy rate of 7.9%.[^8] The 2000 census counted 21,610 people in 8,277 households and 5,876 families, a density of 41.3 per square mile (15.9/km²), and 9,066 housing units at 17.3 per square mile (6.7/km²).[^9] That census reported the population as 97.97% White and 0.25% Black or African American.[^9] ## Communities The county's cities are Bellechester (partly in Goodhue County), Elgin, Hammond, Kellogg, Lake City (partly in Goodhue County), Mazeppa, Millville, Minneiska (partly in Winona County), Plainview, Wabasha (the county seat) and Zumbro Falls.[^10] Its unincorporated communities are Bear Valley, Camp Lacupolis, Conception, Dumfries, Jarrett, Maple Springs, Oak Center, Reads Landing, South Troy, Theilman, Weaver, West Albany and West Newton.[^10] The county's townships are Chester, Elgin, Gillford, Glasgow, Greenfield, Highland, Hyde Park, Lake, Mazeppa, Minneiska, Mount Pleasant, Oakwood, Pepin, Plainview, Watopa, West Albany and Zumbro.[^10] ## Politics Voting in the county has historically leaned Republican. Through 2024, it had backed the [[Democratic Party (United States)]] nominee in just two national elections since 1964.[^4] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Wabasha County, Minnesota*, lead section (revision 1375310711, retrieved 2026-10-25) — county seat, 2020 population, Rochester metropolitan area. CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Wabasha County, Minnesota*, Geography section (revision 1375310711, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Wisconsin border, rivers and creeks, terrain, elevation, area, soils. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Wabasha County, Minnesota*, History section (revision 1375310711, retrieved 2026-10-25) — creation on October 27, 1849, county seat, naming, 1853–1855 partitions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Wabasha County, Minnesota*, Politics section (revision 1375310711, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Republican voting pattern; two Democratic selections in national elections since 1964, as of 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Wabasha County, Minnesota*, Geography: Major highways (revision 1375310711, retrieved 2026-10-25) — list of U.S. and state highways. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Wabasha County, Minnesota*, Geography: Adjacent counties (revision 1375310711, retrieved 2026-10-25) — neighboring counties and directions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia contributors, *Wabasha County, Minnesota*, Geography: Protected areas and Lakes (revision 1375310711, retrieved 2026-10-25) — state park, scientific and natural areas, wildlife and aquatic management areas, lakes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha_County,_Minnesota [^8]: Wikipedia contributors, *Wabasha County, Minnesota*, Demographics: 2020 census (revision 1375310711, retrieved 2026-10-25) — population, age, sex ratio, racial composition as reported by the census, households, housing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha_County,_Minnesota [^9]: Wikipedia contributors, *Wabasha County, Minnesota*, Demographics: 2000 census (revision 1375310711, retrieved 2026-10-25) — population, households, families, density, housing units, racial composition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha_County,_Minnesota [^10]: Wikipedia contributors, *Wabasha County, Minnesota*, Communities section (revision 1375310711, retrieved 2026-10-25) — cities, unincorporated communities, townships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabasha_County,_Minnesota