Carlton County lies on Minnesota's eastern edge. Its eastern boundary abuts Wisconsin. The Saint Louis River flows east-southeast through the county, discharging into Lake Superior. The Moose Horn River flows southwest through the county, discharging into the Kettle River. The Nemadji River and the South Fork Nemadji River flow east through the county, meeting a few miles east of its eastern boundary before reaching Lake Superior. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, heavily wooded,[4] and slopes to the several river valleys. The county's northwest corner lies at 1,329 ft (405 m) ASL,[5] and a small hill 0.2 miles (0.32 km) west of Rogers Lake[4] rises to 1,450 ft (440 m) ASL.[6]
The county has an area of 875 square miles (2,270 km2), of which 861 square miles (2,230 km2) is land and 14 square miles (36 km2) (1.6%) is water.[7]
Under a 1854 Treaty of La Pointe the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation and other reservations were established in exchange for all the Lake Superior Ojibwe land in the Arrowhead Region. Carlton County was formed and organized in 1870.[8] It was named for Reuben B. Carlton, a member of the Minnesota Senate (1857–58).[9]
In October 1918, an immense forest fire occurred, known as the Cloquet fire. The Carlton County Historical Society hosts a permanent exhibit about the fire of 1918, along with ones about the Ojibwe of Carlton County and the Logging Era.[10]
In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Carlton have ranged from a low of 1 °F (−17 °C) in January to a high of 80 °F (27 °C) in July, although a record low of −45 °F (−43 °C) was recorded in January 1912 and a record high of 105 °F (41 °C) was recorded in July 1936. Average monthly precipitation ranged from 0.87 inches (22 mm) in February to 4.34 inches (110 mm) in September.[11]
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.
Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 census data
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,671 people, 12,064 households, and 8,408 families in the county. The population density was 36.8 per square mile (14.2/km2). There were 13,721 housing units at an average density of 15.9 per square mile (6.1/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.75% White, 0.97% Black or African American, 5.19% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.21% from other races, and 1.52% from two or more races. 0.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 18.5% were of German, 16.9% Finnish, 12.5% Norwegian, 11.8% Swedish and 5.8% Polish ancestry. 95.5% spoke English, 1.8% Finnish and 1.1% Spanish as their first language.
There were 12,064 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.50% were married couples living together, 9.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00.
The county population contained 25.40% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 23.50% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 102.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,021, and the median income for a family was $48,406. Males had a median income of $38,788 versus $25,555 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,073. About 5.40% of families and 7.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.20% of those under age 18 and 9.30% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2019, the Carlton County Sheriff is Kelly Lake.[20] The Carlton County Board of Commissioners has five members, each representing one district.[21] In April 2019 Lake and the Fond du Lac Police Department collaborated on sex trafficking training on behalf of other sheriff agencies that would be affected by the upcoming Enbridge Line 3.[22] In 2017, Carlton County published a detailed Jail & Criminal Justice System Planning Study.[23] As of 2019, Carlton County Public Health employs 36 county staff and 6 contract staff. It has been operating since 1920.[24]
National
Carlton County voters lean Democratic. The Democratic Party has carried the county in every presidential election since 1932, though Donald Trump lost by only 300 votes in 2016 and 307 votes in 2020, obtaining the top two shares of the electorate for a Republican in that span as well. The only other Republican to hit at least 40% since 1932 was Richard Nixon during his 49-state landslide in 1972.
United States presidential election results for Carlton County, Minnesota[25]
United States
Minnesota
