Douglas County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 39,006. Its county seat is Alexandria.

Douglas County comprises the Alexandria, Minnesota, Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Douglas County is the home of Minnesota's only wine-grape appellation, the 10,880 acres (44.0 km) Alexandria Lakes AVA.

History

The territorial legislature created Douglas County on March 8, 1858, shortly before Minnesota attained statehood. It was named for political figure Stephen A. Douglas, who was serving as a US Senator from Illinois at the time of the county's creation. The county organization was completed in 1866.

Geography

Spruce Creek flows southeast through northeastern Douglas county. The county consists of rolling hills, heavily dotted with lakes and ponds, especially in its north-to-south central portion. The hilly terrain generally slopes to the south and west; its highest point is near the northeast corner, at 1,483 ft (452 m) ASL. The county has an area of 720 square miles (1,900 km), of which 637 square miles (1,650 km) is land and 83 square miles (210 km) (11%) is water. It contains more than 250 lakes.

The county includes two of Minnesota's biomes: prairie grassland in the west and southeast, savannas (also prairie ecosystems) in the middle, and temperate deciduous forest in the south-central, north, and east. Douglas is one of 17 Minnesota counties where savanna soils predominate.

Major highways

Airports

• Alexandria Municipal Airport ("Chandler Field"), city-owned public-use airport

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1870	4,239		—
1880	9,130		115.4%
1890	14,606		60.0%
1900	17,964		23.0%
1910	17,669		−1.6%
1920	19,039		7.8%
1930	18,813		−1.2%
1940	20,369		8.3%
1950	21,304		4.6%
1960	21,313		0.0%
1970	22,892		7.4%
1980	27,839		21.6%
1990	28,839		3.6%
2000	32,821		13.8%
2010	36,009		9.7%
2020	39,006		8.3%
2023 (est.)	39,953		2.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

2020 Census

Douglas County Racial Composition

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	36,629	94%
Black or African American (NH)	223	0.6%
Native American (NH)	104	0.3%
Asian (NH)	227	0.6%
Pacific Islander (NH)	11	0.03%
Other/Mixed (NH)	997	2.6%
Hispanic or Latino	815	2.1%

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 32,821 people, 13,276 households, and 9,027 families in the county. The population density was 51.5 per square mile (19.9/km). There were 16,694 housing units at an average density of 26.2 per square mile (10.1/km). The racial makeup of the county was 98.49% White, 0.18% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.40% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.18% from other races, and 0.48% from two or more races. 0.59% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.5% were of German, 24.6% Norwegian and 8.1% Swedish ancestry.

There were 13,276 households, out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were married couples living together, 6.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 26.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.93.

The county population contained 24.00% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 17.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,703, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $30,968 versus $21,240 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,850. About 5.60% of families and 8.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.30% of those under age 18 and 11.00% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Townships

Government and politics

Douglas County traditionally votes Republican. In only one presidential election since 1964 has it selected the Democratic candidate.

United States presidential election results for Douglas County, Minnesota

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	15,799	65.38%	7,868	32.56%	498	2.06%
2016	13,966	64.11%	6,227	28.58%	1,592	7.31%
2012	11,884	56.72%	8,653	41.30%	416	1.99%
2008	11,241	53.74%	9,256	44.25%	421	2.01%
2004	11,793	58.07%	8,219	40.47%	297	1.46%
2000	9,811	57.02%	6,352	36.92%	1,042	6.06%
1996	6,747	43.63%	6,450	41.71%	2,267	14.66%
1992	6,356	40.08%	5,252	33.12%	4,251	26.80%
1988	7,898	57.02%	5,803	41.89%	151	1.09%
1984	9,005	61.92%	5,444	37.43%	94	0.65%
1980	7,778	53.85%	5,530	38.28%	1,137	7.87%
1976	5,910	44.39%	7,097	53.30%	307	2.31%
1972	6,678	52.97%	5,501	43.64%	427	3.39%
1968	5,464	50.41%	4,826	44.52%	549	5.07%
1964	4,122	40.51%	6,040	59.36%	13	0.13%
1960	5,594	53.25%	4,871	46.36%	41	0.39%
1956	5,114	54.87%	4,194	45.00%	12	0.13%
1952	6,037	61.30%	3,768	38.26%	43	0.44%
1948	3,744	41.73%	5,022	55.97%	207	2.31%
1944	4,140	52.62%	3,681	46.79%	46	0.58%
1940	4,652	50.53%	4,507	48.95%	48	0.52%
1936	2,681	36.41%	4,186	56.84%	497	6.75%
1932	2,325	30.37%	5,101	66.63%	230	3.00%
1928	4,262	59.27%	2,829	39.34%	100	1.39%
1924	2,424	39.15%	315	5.09%	3,453	55.77%
1920	4,428	66.13%	733	10.95%	1,535	22.92%
1916	1,709	50.26%	1,398	41.12%	293	8.62%
1912	435	14.94%	793	27.23%	1,684	57.83%
1908	1,894	60.92%	979	31.49%	236	7.59%
1904	2,171	79.41%	410	15.00%	153	5.60%
1900	1,917	59.87%	1,194	37.29%	91	2.84%
1896	1,966	57.84%	1,350	39.72%	83	2.44%
1892	1,315	50.89%	533	20.63%	736	28.48%

County Board of Commissioners

Position		Name	District
	Commissioner	Keith Englund	District 1
	Commissioner	Tim Kalina	District 2
	Commissioner	Jerry Rapp	District 3
	Commissioner	Charlie Meyer	District 4
	Commissioner	Shane Schmidt	District 5

State Legislature (2018-2020)

Position		Name	Affiliation	District
	Senate	Bill Ingebrigtsen	Republican	District 8
	Senate	Torrey Westrom	Republican	District 12
	House of Representatives	Mary Franson	Republican	District 8B
	House of Representatives	Jeff Backer	Republican	District 12A
	House of Representatives	Paul Anderson	Republican	District 12B

U.S Congress (2021-2023)

Position		Name	Affiliation	District
	House of Representatives	Michelle Fischbach	Republican	7th
	Senate	Amy Klobuchar	DFL	N/A
	Senate	Tina Smith	DFL	N/A

See also

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