Kandiyohi County is named for a Dakota word meaning "where the buffalo fish come".[5] (kandi’ - the buffalo fish + oh-hi’-yu - v. of hiyu - to come through).[6] It was organized on March 20, 1858, with Kandiyohi established as the county seat in 1870 (it was then called Kandiyohi Station, as it was merely a stop on the railroad line). The original county occupied only the southern half of its current area. Development was slow, and in 1870 the state legislature called for Monongalia County to merge with Kandiyohi. It took until November 21, 1871, to agree on the centrally located Willmar as the county seat.
Geography
The terrain of Kandiyohi County consists of rolling hills, partly wooded, mostly devoted to agriculture.[7] The territory slopes to the south and west, with the highest point near its northeastern corner, at 1,306 ft (398 m) ASL.[8] The county has a total area of 862 square miles (2,230 km2), of which 797 square miles (2,060 km2) are land and 66 square miles (170 km2) (7.6%) are covered by water.[9] Kandiyohi County is one of seven southern Minnesota counties that have no forest soils; only prairie ecosystems of savannas and prairies exist.
Soils of Kandiyohi County[10]Soils of Sibley State Park
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.
As of the census of 2000, there were 41,203 people, 15,936 households, and 10,979 families residing in the county. The population density was 51.7 per square mile (20.0/km2). There were 18,415 housing units at an average density of 23.1 per square mile (8.9/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 93.62% White, 0.51% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.38% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 4.17% from other races, and 0.91% from two or more races. 8.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 31.4% were of German, 25.8% Norwegian, 9.9% Swedish and 5.6% Dutch ancestry.
There were 15,936 households, out of which 33.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.80% 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 3.05.
The county population contained 26.60% under the age of 18, 9.50% from 18 to 24, 26.50% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $39,772, and the median income for a family was $48,016. Males had a median income of $32,272 versus $22,128 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,627. About 5.90% of families and 9.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 11.10% of those under age 18 and 7.90% of those age 65 or over.
Kandiyohi County voters have switched from Democratic to Republican in recent years. In no national election since 1996 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2024). However, Democratic incumbent Amy Klobuchar won the county in 2018 as she coasted to an easy reelection over Republican challenger Jim Newberger. Klobuchar also carried Kandiyohi County in her 2006 and 2012 victories.
United States presidential election results for Kandiyohi County, Minnesota[18]
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