Portions of the Leech Lake and Red LakeIndian reservations are in the county. The northernmost portion of the Mississippi River flows through the southern part of the county, through Bemidji. Beltrami, Renville, and Stearns are Minnesota's only counties that abut nine other counties.
Geography
Beltrami County's southwest corner is considered part of the headwaters of the Mississippi River, which flows easterly and northeasterly from Lake Itasca through the southern part of the county. Much of the middle and upper county is taken up with the two sections of Red Lake. The county terrain consists of rolling low tree-covered hills, dotted with lakes and ponds.[6] The terrain slopes to the east and north. Its highest point is a small hill 1.3 miles (2.1 km) northwest of Wolf Lake, at 1,511 ft (461 m) ASL;[7] otherwise the terrain high point is near its southwest corner, at 1,457 ft (444 m) ASL.[8] The county has a total area of 3,056 square miles (7,920 km2), of which 2,505 square miles (6,490 km2) is land and 551 square miles (1,430 km2) (18%) is water.[9] It is the fourth-largest county in Minnesota by area.
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Bemidji have ranged from a low of −4 °F (−20 °C) in January to a high of 79 °F (26 °C) in July, although a record low of −50 °F (−46 °C) was recorded in January 1950 and a record high of 101 °F (38 °C) was recorded in July 1975. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.59 inches (15 mm) in February to 4.33 inches (110 mm) in July.[10]
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 US census data
As of the census of 2000, there were 39,650 people, 14,337 households, and 9,749 families in the county. The population density was 15.8 per square mile (6.1/km2). There were 16,989 housing units at an average density of 6.78 per square mile (2.62/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 76.66% White, 0.36% Black or African American, 20.36% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. 0.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 21.6% were of German, 19.7% Norwegian and 5.6% Swedish ancestry. 95.1% spoke English and 2.4% Ojibwa as their first language.
There were 14,337 households, out of which 34.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.30% were married couples living together, 13.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.00% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.13.
The county population contained 28.70% under the age of 18, 13.90% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.50 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $33,392, and the median income for a family was $40,345. Males had a median income of $30,434 versus $22,045 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,497. About 12.90% of families and 17.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.70% of those under age 18 and 12.20% of those age 65 or over.
Over half the children in the county are born out of wedlock. About a third are born to teenaged mothers. The county has about twice the state average in terms of high school dropouts.[17]
Crime
Between 1990 and 2005, the county had a suicide rate four times higher than the state.[18] The county exceeds the state and national rates in both violent and property crimes.[19]
From the New Deal realignment in 1932 through 1996, Beltrami County leaned Democratic, selecting the Democratic nominee in every presidential election save Eisenhower's landslides in 1952 and 1956 and Nixon's in 1972. In 2000, George W. Bush became the first Republican to carry the county since 1972. Bush fell short of a majority, with third parties (particularly Green nominee Ralph Nader) doing well statewide, but his 48.5% vote share was higher than any Republican's from 1964 to 1996 save Nixon in 1972 and Reagan in 1984. Beltrami returned to the Democratic column in the next three elections, but in 2016, Donald Trump became the second Republican since 1972 to carry the county, winning a bare majority; in 2020, he won it again, but the margin of victory shrank.
United States presidential election results for Beltrami County, Minnesota[20]
On January 7, 2020, in response to Trump's executive order, the Beltrami County Board of Commissioners voted to prohibit refugees from resettling in the area.[21]
United States
Minnesota
