Pine County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 28,876. Its county seat is Pine City. The county was formed in 1856 and organized in 1872. Today, Pine County is the fastest growing county in the state. Part of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is in Pine County.

History

Pine County was organized on March 1, 1856, with territory partitioned from Chisago and Ramsey counties. The original county seat was Chengwatana. It was named for its abundant pine tree growth. In 1857, Buchanan County in full and the southern parts of Aitkin and Carlton Counties were formed from the original Pine County, with Kanabec County organized a year later. In 1861, Buchanan County was dissolved and folded into Pine County. Pine County was reorganized in 1872, with Pine City named as the county seat for the remaining smaller area.

Popular culture

Pine County has been featured in a series of mysteries by Dean Hovey.

Geography

Pine County lies on the east side of Minnesota. Its southeast border abuts Wisconsin (across the St. Croix River). The St. Croix flows southerly along its border. The Kettle River flows southeastward through central Pine County, discharging into the St. Croix on the county's east border, and the Snake River flows eastward through the lower part of the county toward its discharge point into the St. Croix. The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, carved with drainages, partly wooded and otherwise devoted to agriculture. The terrain slopes to the south and east, with its highest point near its northeast corner, at 1,319 ft ASL. The county has an area of 1435 sqmi, of which 1411 sqmi is land and 23 sqmi (1.6%) is water.

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Demographics

2020 census

''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.''

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 26,530 people, 9,939 households, and 6,917 families in the county. The population density was 18.8 /mi2. There were 15,353 housing units at an average density of 10.9 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 91.9% White, 2.0% Black or African American, 3.1% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.4% from other races, and 1.9% from two or more races. 2.4% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.3% were of German, 11.6% Swedish, 11.1% Norwegian and 5.5% American ancestry. There were 17,276 households, out of which 31.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.50% were married couples living together, 8.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.40% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.02. The county population contained 25.50% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 27.90% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 15.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 108.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.30 males. The median income for a household in the county was $37,379, and the median income for a family was $44,058. Males had a median income of $31,600 versus $22,675 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,445. About 7.80% of families and 11.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.60% of those under age 18 and 10.00% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns

Townships

Politics

Pine County was once a Democratic stronghold. Between 1932 and 2008, Democrats won the county all but twice, with the two exceptions being nationwide Republican landslide victories in 1952 by Dwight D. Eisenhower and in 1972 by Richard Nixon (by only 87 votes). The tides began to turn in Pine County in 2012, when Republican challenger Mitt Romney barely won the county over incumbent Democrat Barack Obama by less than 1% and a margin of just 95 votes, becoming the first Republican to win the county in 40 years. The 2016 election saw a dramatic rightward turn, as Donald Trump won the county by a margin of over 26%, and he further increased his margin of victory to over 30% in 2020, as Trump became the first Republican to win over 60% of the vote in Pine County since Warren G. Harding a century earlier.