Chisago County (/ʃɪˈsɑːɡoʊ/ shi-SAH-goh) is a county in the east-central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county covers an area of 442 square miles (1,140 square kilometers) and, as of the 2020 Census, had a population of 56,621 people. It is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metropolitan Statistical Area.

The county's largest city is North Branch. Within Chisago County is the Chisago Lakes area, which includes the combined areas of Shafer, Chisago City, Lindström, and Center City. Center City is the county seat.

The county has a diverse economy, including manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism.

History

Early history

Before the arrival of European settlers, the area that is now Chisago County was home to the Dakota and Ojibwe tribes. The Dakota lived in the southern part of the county and the Ojibwe in the northern part.

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, French fur traders who traveled south from Lake Superior established trading posts along the river, extending as far south as Taylors Falls.

European Settlement

The first European settlers arrived in the Chisago County area in the early 1800s. Most of them were of Swedish descent, and they came in search of land and new opportunities. They established small farms and communities throughout the county. Many Swedes emigrated seeking religious freedom from the oppressive Lutheran Church of Sweden. However, the majority left for reasons other than religious repression and still identified as Lutherans. The early Swedish churches in Minnesota, like the Chisago Lake Evangelical Lutheran Church in Center City, were initially lay-led due to the absence of ordained clergy.

In the mid-1800s, the area that is now Chisago County was part of the Minnesota Territory, and it was not officially established as a county until 1851. It took its name from the Chisago Lake. In its aboriginal form it was "Ki-chi-saga", from two Ojibwe words: "kichi" (large) and "saga" (fair or lovely).

The county seat was originally in Taylors Falls, but was relocated to Chisago City in 1865. It took three more years before the legislature approved this relocation and voters approved it in a referendum. The move was later challenged in the courts on allegations of election fraud, resulting in a two-year delay before the state Supreme Court validated the results.

Progressive Era

During the Progressive Era, widespread reform movements resonated throughout Minnesota, significantly impacting regions such as Chisago County. This county's distinct approach to education can be primarily attributed to its homogeneous population and the unique structure of local governance. This uniformity allowed the school boards in Chisago County to effectively control external influences through their selection of teachers.

Nearly 70% of Chisago County voters supported Progressive Party candidate Theodore Roosevelt in 1912.

Economic growth

Chisago County's early economy was based on farming, logging, and mining. The county was rich in natural resources, and its forests and mines attracted many settlers to the area. As the county grew, it became a hub of commerce and trade, with many businesses and industries establishing themselves in the area. Records of early businesses in Chisago County are recorded in Lindströmsjö.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the county's economy shifted toward manufacturing and industry. The county was home to many factories and mills, including sawmills, flour mills, and paper mills. These industries helped fuel the county's growth and prosperity, and they remain an important part of the county's economy.

Modern era

Today, Chisago County has a diverse economy. It is home to several manufacturing companies, including the Anderson Corporation, a major producer of windows and doors. Agriculture is also an essential part of the local economy, with crops such as corn, soybeans, and wheat grown in the county. Tourism is also a significant industry in the county, with visitors drawn to the Chisago Lakes area's recreational opportunities.

The county has retained and continues to celebrate much of its Swedish heritage.

Geography

Chisago County lies on Minnesota's eastern border, abutting the western border of Wisconsin (across the Saint Croix River). The Saint Croix flows south-southeast along the county's eastern border. The Sunrise River flows north through the county's central part, collecting the waters of the North Branch Sunrise River and Hay Creek before discharging into the St. Croix at the county's eastern boundary. The county terrain consists of rolling hills, devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point near the northwest corner, at 1,017 ft (310 m) ASL. The county has an area of 442 square miles (1,140 km), of which 415 square miles (1,070 km) is land and 28 square miles (73 km) (6.2%) is water.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Climate and weather

Center City, Minnesota
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D     0.9     24 2     0.9     31 7     1.6     43 19     2.8     59 33     3.7     70 45     4.5     79 56     4.4     84 60     3.9     81 58     3.6     72 49     2.8     60 37     1.9     42 22     1.1     27 8 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches Source: The Weather Channel
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D     23     −4 −17     23     −1 −14     41     6 −7     72     15 1     94     21 7     114     26 13     112     29 16     99     27 14     90     22 9     72     16 3     47     6 −6     29     −3 −13 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mm

Chisago County has a humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Dfb) with long, cold winters and warm summers. The average high temperature in the summer is around 80 °F (27 °C), while the average low temperature in the winter is around 5 °F (−15 °C).

A record low of −38 °F (−39 °C) was recorded in January 1977 and a record high of 104 °F (40 °C) was recorded in July 1988.

The county's location in the Upper Midwest region of the United States exposes it to a wide range of weather patterns, including severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, and blizzards. The county experiences moderate precipitation throughout the year, with an average annual rainfall of 30 inches (760 mm) and an average annual snowfall of 47 inches (1,200 mm). Spring is the most active season for severe weather, with thunderstorms and tornadoes common. Winter storms are common during the winter, with heavy snowfall and blizzards.

Chisago County has many lakes and wetlands, which significantly affect its weather and climate. It has over 100 lakes, the largest being North and South Center Lakes, Green Lake, and Chisago Lake. The lakes and wetlands moderate temperatures by absorbing heat during the summer and releasing it during the winter.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	1,743		—
1870	4,358		150.0%
1880	7,982		83.2%
1890	10,359		29.8%
1900	13,248		27.9%
1910	13,537		2.2%
1920	14,445		6.7%
1930	13,189		−8.7%
1940	13,124		−0.5%
1950	12,669		−3.5%
1960	13,419		5.9%
1970	17,492		30.4%
1980	25,717		47.0%
1990	30,521		18.7%
2000	41,101		34.7%
2010	53,887		31.1%
2020	56,621		5.1%
2023 (est.)	58,535		3.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

According to the most recent census data, Chisago County's population is 56,621, making it Minnesota's 18th-most populous county. 52.1% of residents are male and 47.9% are female. The average family size in Chisago County was 3.05 persons, and 62.2% of households were married-couple families.

95.4% of residents have at least a high school education, and 22.2% have attained a bachelor's degree or higher. 4.9% are veterans.

Race and ethnicity

Historically, Chisago County has been overwhelmingly populated by non-Hispanic Whites. Since 2000, it has been home to a small but growing Black, Asian, and Hispanic population.

Ancestry

The most common ancestries in Chisago County are German, English, Swedish, Irish and Norwegian.

Ancestry	Any ancestry			Full ancestry
	Rank	Population	%	Rank	Population	%
German	1	19,608	34.63	1	6,551	11.57
Irish	2	8,895	15.71	4	1,515	2.68
Swedish	3	8,368	14.78	3	2,380	4.20
English	4	6,992	12.35	2	2,766	4.89
Norwegian	5	6,463	11.41	5	1,467	2.59
Polish	6	3,127	5.52	7	637	1.13
French	7	2,846	5.03	9	359	0.63
Italian	8	1,859	3.28	8	509	0.90
Scandinavian	9	1,692	2.99	6	985	1.74
Scottish	10	1,239	2.19	15	118	0.21
Danish	11	945	1.67	12	144	0.25
Dutch	12	908	1.60	11	146	0.26
Finnish	13	900	1.59	10	257	0.45
Czech	14	884	1.56	13	142	0.25
Mexican	15	883	1.56	—	—	—
French-Canadian	16	691	1.22	14	139	0.25

Nativity

In 2021, 97.9% of residents were born in the United States, and 78.5% had been born in Minnesota. Among the foreign-born population, 56.5% were naturalized U.S. citizens. 97.1% of residents spoke only English at home.

From the late 19th to mid-20th century, a majority of the foreign-born population was born in Sweden. As of 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 1,174 people were foreign born, or 2.06% of the total population. Of these, about 40% were born in Asia, 30% in Latin America, 15% in Canada, 10% in Europe, and 5% in Africa.

Country of birth of foreign born population, 1930–1970

Country of birth
	1900		1930		1940		1970
	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%	Number	%
Sweden	4,215	84.00	2,319	84.85	1,541	82.45	220	59.46
Germany	390	2.94	133	4.86	92	4.93	52	14.05
Norway	69	1.38	94	3.44	77	4.12	8	2.16
Canada	128	2.55	56	2.05	38	2.03	16	4.32
Denmark	55	0.42	41	1.50	40	2.14	6	1.62
Other	161	3.21	90	3.29	80	4.28	68	18.38
Total foreign born	5,018	100.00	2,733	100.00	1,868	100.00	370	100.0

Country of birth of foreign born population, 2022

Country	Number	Percent
Mexico	201	17.12
Canada	178	15.16
Philippines	116	9.88
Thailand	68	5.79
Laos	64	5.45
Honduras	61	5.20
Cambodia	60	5.11
South Korea	51	4.34
China	37	3.15
Russia	36	3.07
Brazil	30	2.56
Ukraine	28	2.38
Other	244	20.79
Total	1,174	100.00

Religion

The 2020 U.S. Religion Census conducted by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies found that 7,549 Chisago County residents were affiliated with the Catholic Church, 6,098 with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and 2,975 with the Assemblies of God.

A notable religious building in Chisago County is the Chisago Lake Lutheran Church. The church was founded in 1890 and has been in Center City since 1906. It is part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Another prominent religious building in the county is the First United Methodist Church of Lindström. The church has served the community for over 130 years.

The Church of St. Joseph in Taylors Falls is a Catholic church that was founded in 1854. The current building was constructed in 1896.

Transportation

Among workers 16 years and older, 80.3% commuted to work by car, 9.0% carpooled, 1.6% used public transit, and 2.2% walked, biked, or used some other method. 7.0% worked from home. The median household income was $86,900, slightly above the state average. 6.4% of residents lived below the poverty line, and 2.5% were unemployed. 86.4% of housing in the county was owner-occupied.

Education

• Chisago Lakes High School
• North Branch Area High School
• Rush City High School

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Culture

Chisago County is strongly influenced by the German, Swedish and Norwegian immigrants who settled there in the mid-19th century. It provided the setting for much of Swedish author Vilhelm Moberg's suite of novels The Emigrants in the 1950s, and Moberg engaged in both archival and oral history research for his books to recreate the area's early Swedish immigration. Sculptor Ian Dudley's bronze statue of Moberg stands in Chisago City's park. Moberg's fictional characters Karl-Oskar and Kristina Nilsson from Ljuder parish in Småland settled around Lake Ki-Chi-Saga (from the Ojibwe Ki-chi-saga-igun, or Gichi-zaaga'igan in contemporary spelling), meaning "big lake with an outlet", which was later shortened to Lake Chisago. The annual Karl Oskar Days in Lindström honor the early settlers' heritage.

Government and politics

Government

The County Board, comprising five members, is responsible for setting policies and making laws in the county. Its members are elected from specific regions and serve four-year terms in a rotating manner.

The County Board sets the county tax rate, adopts the budget, appoints boards and commissions, approves grants and personnel actions, and oversees the administration of county government.

The Chisago County Court Administrator's Office is responsible for maintaining records, managing case flow, overseeing jury management, and collecting fines for all District Court cases in the county. These cases encompass various types, such as juvenile, civil, family, probate, criminal, and conciliation court cases. Chisago County accommodates three chambered judges in a full-time capacity, and is part of the 10th Judicial District, which comprises eight counties and 45 judges. Any judge in this district may preside over cases in Chisago County.

County Commissioners

Office		Name	Party
	District 1	Jim Swenson	Nonpartisan
	District 2	Rick Greene	Nonpartisan
	District 3	Marlys Dunne	Nonpartisan
	District 4	Ben Montzka	Nonpartisan
	District 5	Dan Dahlberg	Nonpartisan

County officials

Office		Name	Party
	Attorney	Janet Reiter	Nonpartisan
	Auditor-Treasurer	Bridgitte Konrad	Nonpartisan
	Recorder	Karen Long	Nonpartisan
	Sheriff	Brandon Thyen	Nonpartisan

Politics

Chisago County has trended conservative in recent state and federal elections, backing every Republican nominee for president since 2000.

State legislators

Office		District	Name	Party	Residence
	Senate	11	Jason Rarick	Republican	Pine City
	Senate	28	Mark Koran	Republican	North Branch
	House	11B	Nathan Nelson	Republican	Hinckley
	House	28A	Brian Johnson	Republican	Cambridge
	House	28B	Anne Neu Brindley	Republican	North Branch

Federal officials

Office		District	Name	Party
	Senate	Statewide	Amy Klobuchar	DFL
	Senate	Statewide	Tina Smith	DFL
	House	8th	Pete Stauber	Republican

Presidential elections

United States presidential election results for Chisago County, Minnesota

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	21,916	63.40%	11,806	34.15%	848	2.45%
2016	18,441	61.01%	9,278	30.69%	2,509	8.30%
2012	16,227	55.12%	12,524	42.54%	690	2.34%
2008	15,789	53.88%	12,783	43.62%	733	2.50%
2004	15,705	55.57%	12,219	43.24%	336	1.19%
2000	10,937	49.74%	9,593	43.63%	1,457	6.63%
1996	5,984	33.74%	8,611	48.56%	3,138	17.70%
1992	4,813	28.11%	7,077	41.34%	5,229	30.55%
1988	6,163	43.49%	7,875	55.58%	132	0.93%
1984	6,279	48.12%	6,683	51.21%	87	0.67%
1980	5,017	40.06%	6,240	49.83%	1,266	10.11%
1976	3,874	35.65%	6,625	60.96%	368	3.39%
1972	4,718	51.06%	4,174	45.17%	349	3.78%
1968	3,053	39.90%	4,102	53.61%	496	6.48%
1964	2,525	36.65%	4,347	63.10%	17	0.25%
1960	3,822	56.59%	2,907	43.04%	25	0.37%
1956	3,413	55.47%	2,731	44.38%	9	0.15%
1952	3,892	60.25%	2,536	39.26%	32	0.50%
1948	2,704	44.58%	3,184	52.50%	177	2.92%
1944	3,020	55.58%	2,376	43.72%	38	0.70%
1940	3,569	55.97%	2,746	43.06%	62	0.97%
1936	2,462	40.49%	3,360	55.26%	258	4.24%
1932	2,524	43.86%	3,047	52.95%	184	3.20%
1928	4,215	75.51%	1,297	23.24%	70	1.25%
1924	2,678	52.80%	135	2.66%	2,259	44.54%
1920	4,361	80.02%	484	8.88%	605	11.10%
1916	1,749	61.22%	944	33.04%	164	5.74%
1912	346	13.31%	435	16.73%	1,819	69.96%
1908	2,107	79.90%	408	15.47%	122	4.63%
1904	2,417	91.45%	156	5.90%	70	2.65%
1900	2,354	83.36%	411	14.55%	59	2.09%
1896	2,558	84.37%	437	14.41%	37	1.22%
1892	1,480	75.01%	338	17.13%	155	7.86%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Chisago County, Minnesota
• Swedish Americans
• Nordic immigration to North America