# Winona County, Minnesota *County in southeastern [[Minnesota]], United States* Winona County sits in the southeastern corner of Minnesota, where the Mississippi River separates the state from Wisconsin. The 2020 census counted 49,671 residents. The city of Winona is the county seat, and the county as a whole makes up the Winona Micropolitan Statistical Area.[^1] The territorial legislature created the county on February 23, 1854, mostly from the northern part of Fillmore County with a small piece of Wabasha County. Its boundaries have stayed the same since then.[^2] In presidential voting, the county went for Donald Trump in 2016. That was the first Republican win there since 1988. Joe Biden carried it with a plurality in 2020, and Trump took it again in 2024 with 51% of the vote. As of the source's retrieval, all of its state legislators and its member of Congress are Republicans.[^3] ## History The federal government created the [[Wisconsin Territory]] effective July 3, 1836. Its eastern portion became the state of Wisconsin in 1848. The [[Minnesota Territory]] followed, effective March 3, 1849. That October, its first territorial legislature divided the territory into nine counties.[^2] Wabasha was one of those nine counties. On March 5, 1853, its southern section was split off to form Fillmore County. Less than a year later, on February 23, 1854, legislators carved Winona County from the northern part of Fillmore and a small strip of Wabasha. They named the village of Winona as its seat.[^2] The county took its name from the village. The village name is said to come from a Dakota story, known as the Winona legend. In the story, Winona, a relative of Chief Wabasha, was promised to a warrior she did not love. She leapt to her death from a rock on [[Lake Pepin]], now called "Maiden's Rock", rather than marry him. The county's boundaries have not been altered since 1854.[^2] ## Geography The county's eastern edge is the Mississippi River, which runs south-southeast along the Wisconsin line. The county belongs to the [[Driftless Area]], a region that also covers parts of northeastern Iowa, southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois. The St. Paul District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers maintains the river's locks and dams in the region.[^4] The land falls away toward the south and east. The county's highest point, 1,365 ft (416 m) above sea level, is on a hill two miles (3.2 km) east of Wilson. The total area is 642 square miles (1,660 km²). Of that, 626 square miles (1,620 km²) is land and 15 square miles (39 km²), or 2.4%, is water.[^4] ### Transit and transportation Public and intercity transport includes [[Winona Transit Service]], [[Jefferson Lines]] buses and Amtrak's Empire Builder. Several highways cross the county: - Interstate 90 - U.S. Highways 14 and 61 - [[Minnesota State Highway 43]] - [[Minnesota State Highway 74]] - [[Minnesota State Highway 76]] - [[Minnesota State Highway 248]] [[Winona Municipal Airport]] (ONA), also called Max Conrad Field, is northwest of the city of Winona.[^4] ### Adjacent counties The county shares borders with four Minnesota counties and three Wisconsin counties:[^4] - Wabasha County (northwest) - Buffalo County, Wisconsin (north) - Trempealeau County, Wisconsin (northeast) - La Crosse County, Wisconsin (east) - Houston County (south) - Fillmore County (southwest) - Olmsted County (west) ## Demographics ### 2020 census The 2020 census counted 49,671 people in the county, with a median age of 37.2. Children under 18 made up 18.7% of residents, and people 65 or older made up 18.6%. There were 95.8 males for every 100 females overall, and 93.8 for every 100 among adults.[^5] By race, 89.9% of residents were White and 1.8% Black or African American. Another 0.2% were American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9% Asian, and under 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander. A further 1.8% reported some other race, and 4.3% two or more races. Residents who were Hispanic or Latino, of any race, made up 3.8%.[^5] About 59.7% of residents lived in urban areas and 40.3% in rural ones. The county had 20,111 households. Children under 18 lived in 23.7% of them, and 45.4% were married couples. Single-person households made up 31.9%, and 12.9% were people 65 or older living alone.[^5] The census counted 21,716 housing units, and 7.4% stood vacant. Owners occupied 68.1% of occupied units and renters 31.9%. Vacancy rates were 1.0% for homeowner units and 8.0% for rentals.[^5] ### 2000 census The 2000 census recorded 49,985 residents in 18,744 households, of which 11,696 were families. Population density was 79.8 people per square mile (30.8/km²). The county's 19,551 housing units averaged 31.2 per square mile (12.0/km²).[^5] ## Micropolitan Statistical Area The federal Office of Management and Budget treats the county as the Winona, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area (μSA), with Winona as its principal city. As of April 1, 2020, the Census Bureau ranked it 591st in population among the nation's Core Based Statistical Areas.[^6] ## Politics At the federal level the county has a history of swinging between the parties. The source describes it as leaning Democratic in the 21st century. The county seat is regarded as a college town because it is home to [[Winona State University]] and [[Saint Mary's University of Minnesota]].[^3] Recent results run both ways: - **2016:** Donald Trump carried the county, the first Republican presidential nominee to do so since 1988. - **2020:** Joe Biden won it with a plurality. - **2022:** Voters backed the Republican nominee for every statewide office. - **2024:** Trump won it again, with 51% of the vote.[^3] Two Republicans, [[Steve Jacob]] and [[Aaron Repinski]], represent the county in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]]. Two more Republicans, [[Jeremy Miller (politician)|Jeremy Miller]] and [[Steve Drazkowski]], represent it in the [[Minnesota Senate]]. The county lies in [[Minnesota's 1st congressional district]], held by Republican [[Brad Finstad]].[^3] ## Communities ### Cities Altura, Dakota, Elba, Goodview, La Crescent (mostly in Houston County), Lewiston, Minneiska (partly in Wabasha County), Minnesota City, Rollingstone, St. Charles, Stockton, Utica, and Winona (county seat).[^7] ### Census-designated places Dresbach, Homer, Pickwick.[^7] ### Unincorporated communities Bethany, Centerville, Clyde, Donehower, Fremont, Lamoille, Nodine, Oakridge, Pine Creek, Ridgeway, Saratoga, Troy, Whitman, Wilson, Witoka, Wyattville.[^7] ### Ghost towns Ashton, Beaver, Enterprise, Grover, Whitewater Falls, Clyde.[^7] ### Townships Dresbach, Elba, Fremont, Hart, Hillsdale, Homer, Mount Vernon, New Hartford, Norton, Pleasant Hill, Richmond, Rollingstone, Saint Charles, Saratoga, Utica, Warren, Whitewater, Wilson, Wiscoy.[^7] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Winona County, Minnesota* (revision 1375312016, retrieved 2026-10-25) — lead section: 2020 population, county seat, Micropolitan Statistical Area. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winona_County,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Winona County, Minnesota*, History section (revision 1375312016, retrieved 2026-10-25) — territorial dates, 1853 and 1854 partitions, naming, unchanged boundaries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winona_County,_Minnesota [^3]: Wikipedia contributors, *Winona County, Minnesota*, Politics section (revision 1375312016, retrieved 2026-10-25) — presidential and 2022 statewide results, legislative and congressional representation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winona_County,_Minnesota [^4]: Wikipedia contributors, *Winona County, Minnesota*, Geography section (revision 1375312016, retrieved 2026-10-25) — Mississippi boundary, Driftless Area, terrain, area, transit, highways, airport, adjacent counties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winona_County,_Minnesota [^5]: Wikipedia contributors, *Winona County, Minnesota*, Demographics section (revision 1375312016, retrieved 2026-10-25) — 2020 and 2000 census figures. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winona_County,_Minnesota [^6]: Wikipedia contributors, *Winona County, Minnesota*, Micropolitan Statistical Area section (revision 1375312016, retrieved 2026-10-25) — OMB designation and Census Bureau ranking as of April 1, 2020. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winona_County,_Minnesota [^7]: Wikipedia contributors, *Winona County, Minnesota*, Communities section (revision 1375312016, retrieved 2026-10-25) — cities, census-designated places, unincorporated communities, ghost towns, townships. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winona_County,_Minnesota