Steele County, Minnesota

Steele County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,406.^[1] Its county seat is Owatonna.^[2]

Steele County
County
Steele County Courthouse in Owatonna
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°01′N 93°13′W
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
Founded	February 20, 1855
Named after	Franklin Steele
Seat	Owatonna
Largest city	Owatonna
Area
• Total	432 sq mi (1,120 km2)
• Land	430 sq mi (1,100 km2)
• Water	2.7 sq mi (7 km2)  0.6%
Population  (2020)
• Total	37,406
• Estimate  (2023)	37,421
• Density	87.0/sq mi (33.6/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.co.steele.mn.us

Steele County comprises the Owatonna Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The county was created by the Minnesota Territory legislature on February 20, 1855, using areas partitioned from Rice, Blue Earth, and Le Sueur counties. Owatonna, the settlement of which had commenced in 1854, was named the county seat. The county was named for Franklin Steele, a prominent early resident of the territory.^[3]

Geography

Soils of Steele County^[4]

The Straight River rises in Freeborn County and flows northward through the central part of Steele County, continuing into Rice County on the north. The South Branch of the Middle Fork of the Zumbro River rises in Steele County and flows eastward into Dodge County. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, etched with drainages, completely devoted to agriculture where possible.^[5] The terrain slopes to the east and north, with its highest point near the midpoint of its south border, at 1,293 ft (394 m) ASL.^[6] The county has an area of 432 square miles (1,120 km²), of which 430 square miles (1,100 km²) are land and 2.7 square miles (7.0 km²) (0.6%) are water.^[7]

The Straight River flows northward through the county, and the Le Sueur River flows through its southwestern corner. The Middle Fork of the Zumbro River rises in NE Steele County.^[8]

Transit

• Southern Minnesota Area Rural Transit

Major highways

• Interstate 35 – runs north–south through west-central portion of county. Passes Medford, Clinton Falls, Owatonna, Hope and Ellendale.
• U.S. Route 14 – runs east–west through upper central portion of county; passes Owatonna.
• U.S. Route 218 – runs north-northwest from southeast corner of county to intersection with US 14, southeast of Owatonna.
• Minnesota State Highway 30 – runs east–west across south part of county; passes Ellendale.

Airports^[5]

• Owatonna Degner Regional Airport (OWA) - northwest of Owatonna

Adjacent counties

• Rice – north
• Dodge – east
• Mower – southeast
• Freeborn – south
• Waseca – west

Protected areas^[5]

• Aurora State Wildlife Management Area
• Oak Glen State Wildlife Management Area
• Rice Lake State Park
• Somerset State Wildlife Management Area
• Swan Lake State Wildlife Management Area

Lakes^[5]

• Beaver
• Fosilen
• Kohlmeier
• Lonergan
• Oak Glen
• Rice (part)
• Rickert
• Swan

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	2,863		—
1870	8,271		188.9%
1880	12,400		49.9%
1890	13,232		6.7%
1900	16,524		24.9%
1910	16,146		−2.3%
1920	18,061		11.9%
1930	18,475		2.3%
1940	19,749		6.9%
1950	21,155		7.1%
1960	25,029		18.3%
1970	26,931		7.6%
1980	30,328		12.6%
1990	30,729		1.3%
2000	33,680		9.6%
2010	36,576		8.6%
2020	37,406		2.3%
2023 (est.)	37,421	[9]	0.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12] 1990-2000[13] 2010-2020[1]

2020 census

Steele County Racial Composition^[14]

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	31,376	83.9%
Black or African American (NH)	1,359	3.63%
Native American (NH)	65	0.2%
Asian (NH)	330	0.9%
Pacific Islander (NH)	18	0.05%
Other/Mixed (NH)	1,118	3%
Hispanic or Latino	3,140	8.4%

2000 census

2022 US Census population pyramid for Steele County, from ACS 5-year estimates

As of the 2000 census, there were 33,680 people, 12,846 households, and 9,082 families in the county. The population density was 78.3 per square mile (30.2/km²). There were 13,306 housing units at an average density of 30.9 per square mile (11.9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.19% White, 1.07% Black or African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.65% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races. 3.76% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.6% were of German, 18.5% Norwegian, 5.2% Czech and 5.1% Irish ancestry.

There were 12,846 households, out of which 35.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.50% were married couples living together, 7.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.30% were non-families. 24.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.08.

The county population contained 27.90% under the age of 18, 8.20% from 18 to 24, 29.00% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $46,106, and the median income for a family was $53,981. Males had a median income of $36,366 versus $25,054 for females. The per capita income for the county was $20,328. About 4.20% of families and 6.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.10% of those under age 18 and 7.10% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Blooming Prairie (partly in Dodge County)
• Ellendale
• Medford
• Owatonna (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Bixby
• Clinton Falls
• Deerfield
• Havana
• Hope
• Lemond
• Litomysl
• Meriden
• Merton
• Moland
• Pratt
• Saco
• Steele Center

Ghost town

• Rice Lake

Townships

• Aurora
• Berlin
• Blooming Prairie
• Clinton Falls
• Deerfield
• Havana
• Lemond
• Medford
• Meriden
• Merton
• Owatonna
• Somerset
• Summit

Politics

Steele County voters have traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1964 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024^[update]).

State Legislature (2021-2023)

Position		Name	Affiliation	District
	Senate	John Jasinski[15]	Republican	District 24
	Senate	Gene Dornink[16]	Republican	District 27
	House of Representatives	John Petersburg[17]	Republican	District 24A
	House of Representatives	Brian Daniels[18]	Republican	District 24A

U.S Congress (2021-2023)

Position		Name	Affiliation	District
	House of Representatives	Brad Finstad[19]	Republican	1st
	Senate	Amy Klobuchar[20]	Democrat
	Senate	Tina Smith[21]	Democrat

United States presidential election results for Steele County, Minnesota^[22]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	12,742	61.05%	7,650	36.65%	480	2.30%
2020	12,656	59.90%	7,917	37.47%	555	2.63%
2016	11,198	58.39%	6,241	32.54%	1,740	9.07%
2012	9,903	51.78%	8,706	45.52%	515	2.69%
2008	10,068	51.22%	9,016	45.87%	572	2.91%
2004	10,389	55.57%	7,994	42.76%	312	1.67%
2000	8,223	51.18%	6,900	42.95%	943	5.87%
1996	5,617	37.54%	6,974	46.61%	2,373	15.86%
1992	5,964	37.77%	5,152	32.63%	4,673	29.60%
1988	7,981	58.64%	5,496	40.38%	133	0.98%
1984	8,780	63.12%	5,060	36.38%	70	0.50%
1980	7,805	54.66%	5,095	35.68%	1,379	9.66%
1976	7,053	51.68%	6,263	45.89%	331	2.43%
1972	7,678	64.69%	4,010	33.79%	180	1.52%
1968	6,193	55.34%	4,631	41.39%	366	3.27%
1964	4,882	44.63%	6,022	55.05%	35	0.32%
1960	6,795	60.13%	4,491	39.74%	15	0.13%
1956	6,435	65.91%	3,293	33.73%	36	0.37%
1952	6,956	70.95%	2,819	28.75%	29	0.30%
1948	4,451	50.49%	4,305	48.83%	60	0.68%
1944	4,760	58.90%	3,307	40.92%	15	0.19%
1940	5,517	59.97%	3,668	39.87%	14	0.15%
1936	3,373	41.01%	4,481	54.49%	370	4.50%
1932	3,365	43.20%	4,318	55.43%	107	1.37%
1928	4,744	62.46%	2,826	37.21%	25	0.33%
1924	3,598	59.50%	796	13.16%	1,653	27.34%
1920	4,243	76.45%	1,167	21.03%	140	2.52%
1916	1,734	52.20%	1,497	45.06%	91	2.74%
1912	651	20.34%	1,294	40.44%	1,255	39.22%
1908	1,899	57.11%	1,284	38.62%	142	4.27%
1904	2,095	63.43%	1,067	32.30%	141	4.27%
1900	1,833	58.32%	1,188	37.80%	122	3.88%
1896	2,046	59.41%	1,248	36.24%	150	4.36%
1892	1,396	48.71%	1,299	45.32%	171	5.97%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Steele County, Minnesota