Renville County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census the population was 14,723. Its county seat is Olivia.

The Minnesota Territory legislature created the county on February 20, 1855. It was named for Joseph Renville, a fur trapper, trader, British officer in the War of 1812, and interlocutor with local Native American groups. Organization of the county's governing structure was completed on November 8, 1866, with Beaver Falls as county seat. Beginning in 1885, citizens in and around Olivia began pressing for the seat to be moved to Olivia, which happened in 1900.

Renville County, located directly across the Minnesota River from the Lower Sioux Agency, was the site of extensive combat during the Dakota War of 1862. The U.S. army's defeats at the Battle of Redwood Ferry and the Battle of Birch Coulee at the hands of the Dakota both occurred in Birch Cooley Township, in addition to numerous Dakota raids on white homesteads in the county. The burned-out Joseph Brown House Ruins still stand, and various monuments throughout the County memorialize settlers killed in the conflict.

The Minnesota River flows southeast along the county's southwestern border. Hawk Creek flows south through the county's western end, discharging into the Minnesota. Beaver Creek drains the central part of the county, flowing southeast before turning southwest to discharge into the Minnesota. The county terrain consists of rolling hills etched by drainages and sprinkled with lakes and ponds. The area is devoted to agriculture. The county terrain slopes to the south, with its highest point near the midpoint of the northern border, at 1,122 ft (342 m) ASL. The county has a total area of 987 square miles (2,560 km), of which 983 square miles (2,550 km) is land and 4.2 square miles (11 km) (0.4%) is water.

Renville, Beltrami, and Stearns are Minnesota's only counties that abut nine other counties.

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	245		—
1870	3,219		1,213.9%
1880	10,791		235.2%
1890	17,099		58.5%
1900	23,693		38.6%
1910	23,123		−2.4%
1920	23,634		2.2%
1930	23,645		0.0%
1940	24,625		4.1%
1950	23,954		−2.7%
1960	23,249		−2.9%
1970	21,139		−9.1%
1980	20,401		−3.5%
1990	17,673		−13.4%
2000	17,154		−2.9%
2010	15,730		−8.3%
2020	14,723		−6.4%
2023 (est.)	14,348		−2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

Renville County Racial Composition

Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	12,766	86.7%
Black or African American (NH)	60	0.41%
Native American (NH)	103	0.7%
Asian (NH)	61	0.41%
Pacific Islander (NH)	5	0.03%
Other/Mixed (NH)	409	2.8%
Hispanic or Latino	1,319	9%

As of the census of 2000, there were 17,154 people, 6,779 households, and 4,623 families in the county. The population density was 17.5 per square mile (6.8/km). There were 7,413 housing units at an average density of 7.54 per square mile (2.91/km). The racial makeup of the county was 95.72% White, 0.06% Black or African American, 0.51% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.77% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. 5.11% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 50.9% were of German, 16.3% Norwegian and 5.1% Swedish ancestry.

There were 6,779 households, out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.10% were married couples living together, 5.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 28.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.05.

The county population contained 26.50% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 25.30% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 19.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 99.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $37,652, and the median income for a family was $45,065. Males had a median income of $30,473 versus $22,179 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,770. About 6.30% of families and 8.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.80% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.

• Beaver Falls
• Bechyn
• Churchill
• Lakeside

• Vicksburg

Before 1996, Renville County was a fairly balanced precinct. Since 1996, only Republican Party candidates have received the county vote in national elections (as of 2024).

United States presidential election results for Renville County, Minnesota

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	5,610	69.62%	2,280	28.29%	168	2.08%
2020	5,467	67.26%	2,496	30.71%	165	2.03%
2016	4,890	64.29%	2,117	27.83%	599	7.88%
2012	4,149	53.81%	3,394	44.02%	167	2.17%
2008	3,956	48.63%	3,904	47.99%	275	3.38%
2004	4,430	53.06%	3,787	45.36%	132	1.58%
2000	4,036	49.69%	3,533	43.50%	553	6.81%
1996	2,887	35.04%	3,956	48.02%	1,395	16.93%
1992	2,852	31.97%	3,414	38.27%	2,654	29.75%
1988	4,356	48.80%	4,454	49.89%	117	1.31%
1984	5,571	57.86%	3,972	41.25%	86	0.89%
1980	5,544	53.08%	4,058	38.85%	842	8.06%
1976	4,482	42.50%	5,762	54.64%	301	2.85%
1972	5,329	53.06%	4,499	44.79%	216	2.15%
1968	4,821	48.67%	4,535	45.78%	550	5.55%
1964	4,340	41.58%	6,072	58.18%	25	0.24%
1960	5,885	54.20%	4,958	45.67%	14	0.13%
1956	5,728	57.52%	4,213	42.31%	17	0.17%
1952	6,742	63.45%	3,828	36.02%	56	0.53%
1948	4,297	44.40%	5,227	54.00%	155	1.60%
1944	5,160	57.49%	3,747	41.74%	69	0.77%
1940	6,196	57.15%	4,588	42.32%	58	0.53%
1936	3,049	32.25%	5,344	56.53%	1,060	11.21%
1932	2,631	30.03%	5,967	68.11%	163	1.86%
1928	5,107	57.18%	3,731	41.77%	94	1.05%
1924	3,405	42.66%	641	8.03%	3,935	49.30%
1920	5,995	73.64%	1,283	15.76%	863	10.60%
1916	2,432	55.25%	1,660	37.71%	310	7.04%
1912	703	18.02%	1,310	33.57%	1,889	48.41%
1908	2,275	60.22%	1,364	36.10%	139	3.68%
1904	2,925	77.94%	639	17.03%	189	5.04%
1900	2,809	64.77%	1,326	30.57%	202	4.66%
1896	2,553	55.16%	1,978	42.74%	97	2.10%
1892	1,370	39.95%	984	28.70%	1,075	31.35%

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Renville County, Minnesota
• Renville County Historical Museum

• Renville County government’s website

44°43′N 94°58′W / 44.72°N 94.96°W / 44.72; -94.96