There are 87 counties in Minnesota and all of them have cities or towns with a Water Tower or Water Tank/Reservoir. Hennepin County has the most with 82. Cook County has only 1 Tall Reservoir. A total of 1116 towers & tanks exist in Minnesota, but 27 have been demolished.
Aitkin County
Aitkin County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Part of the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is in the county. The county was created in 1857 and organized in 1871. The county has 1,822 square miles of land and 174 square miles of water.
County Seat > Aitkin
2020 Census population > 15,848 (#54 of 87)
4 Towers
Average SIZE is 187,000 gallons
Average AGE is 46 years
Anoka County
Anoka County is the fourth-most-populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The namesake of the county is the city of Anoka, which is derived from the Dakota word anokatanhan meaning "on (or from) both sides," referring to its location on the banks of the Rum River. The largest city in the county is Blaine, the thirteenth-largest city in Minnesota and the eighth-largest Twin Cities suburb. The county has 423 square miles of land and 23 square miles of water.
County Seat > Anoka
2020 Census population > 359,921 (#4 of 87)
32 Towers and 6 Tank
Average SIZE is 670,000 gallons
Average AGE is 40 years
Becker County
Becker County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Part of the White Earth Indian Reservation extends into the county. The county was created in 1858 and organized in 1871. The county has 1,315 square miles of land and 130 square miles of water.
County Seat > Detroit Lakes
2020 Census population > 34,456 (#31 of 87)
5 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 138,000 gallons
Average AGE is 25 years
Beltrami County
Beltrami County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county's name comes from Italian adventurer Giacomo Beltrami from Bergamo, who explored the area in 1825. The county was created in 1866 and organized in 1896. The county has 2,505 square miles of land and 551 square miles of water.
County Seat > Bemidji
2020 Census population > 47,442 (#21 of 87)
8 Towers
Average SIZE is 450,000 gallons
Average AGE is 35 years
Benton County
Benton County is a county in the East Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county was named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri. The county has 408 square miles of land and 5 square miles of water.
County Seat > Foley
2020 Census population > 40,958 (#25 of 87)
4 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 400,000 gallons
Average AGE is 33 years
Big Stone County
Big Stone County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county was formed in 1862, and was organized in 1874. Big Stone County lies on the western side of Minnesota. Its southwest boundary line abuts the east boundary line of the state of South Dakota. The county has 499 square miles of land and 29 square miles of water.
County Seat > Ortonville
2020 Census population > 4,923 (#83 of 87)
5 Towers
Average SIZE is 187,000 gallons
Average AGE is 16 years
Blue Earth County
Blue Earth County is a county in the State of Minnesota. The county is named for the Blue Earth River and for the deposits of blue-green clay once evident along the banks of the Blue Earth River. The county has 748 square miles of land and 18 square miles of water.
County Seat > Mankato
2020 Census population > 68,241 (#13 of 87)
15 Towers and 2 Tank
Average SIZE is 456,000 gallons
Average AGE is 42 years
Brown County
Brown County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county was formed in 1855 and organized in 1856. The county was named for Joseph Renshaw Brown, a member of the Governor's Council of the territory. The county has 611 square miles of land and 7 square miles of water.
County Seat > New Ulm
2020 Census population > 24,846 (#41 of 87)
6 Towers and 3 Tanks
Average SIZE is 1,005,000 gallons
Average AGE is 56 years
Carlton County
Carlton County is a county in the State of Minnesota, formed in 1857. Part of the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation lies in northeastern Carlton County. The county has 861 square miles of land and 14 square miles of water.
County Seat > Carlton
2020 Census population > 35,769 (#30 of 87)
8 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 255,000 gallons
Average AGE is 37 years
Carver County
Carver County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county is mostly farmland and wilderness with many unincorporated townships. Carver County is named for explorer Jonathan Carver, who in 1766–67, traveled from Boston to the Minnesota River and wintered among the Sioux near the site of New Ulm. The county has 354 square miles of land and 22 square miles of water.
County Seat > Chaska
2020 Census population > 106,565 (#11 of 87)
23 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 480,000 galons
Average AGE is 34 years
Cass County
Cass County is a county in the central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county was formed in 1851, and was organized in 1897. A substantial part of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation is in the county. The county has 2,022 square miles of land and 393 square miles of water.
County Seat > Walker
2020 Census population > 29,928 (#36 of 87)
11 Towers
Average SIZE is 140,000 gallons
Average AGE is 37 years
Chippewa County
Chippewa County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county was formed in 1862, and was organized in 1868. The county has 581 square miles of land and 7 square miles of water.
County Seat > Montevideo
2020 Census population > 11,758 (#61 of 87)
3 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 206,000 gallons
Average AGE is 31 years
Chisago County
Chisago County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Chisago County is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county has 415 square miles of land and 28 square miles of water.
County Seat > Center City
2020 Census population > 56,794 (#18 of 87)
16 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 312,000 gallons
Average AGE is 38 years
Clay County
The county was formed on March 8, 1862. The county was named for Henry Clay, a member of the US Senate from Kentucky. The county has 1,045 square miles of land and 7 square miles of water.
County Seat > Moorhead
2020 Census population > 64,690 (#16 of 87)
11 Towers
Average SIZE is 897,000 gallons
Average AGE is 22 years
Clearwater County
Clearwater County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Clearwater County is home to Lake Itasca, the source of the Mississippi River. The county has 999 square miles of land and 31 square miles of water.
County Seat > Bagley
2020 Census population > 9,017 (#73 of 87)
5 Towers
Average SIZE is 300,000 gallons
Average AGE is 38 years
Cook County
Cook County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of Minnesota and its' southern edge borders Lake Superior. With a population of 5,600, it is Minnesota's seventh-least populous county. The Grand Portage Indian Reservation is in the county. The county has 1,452 square miles of land and 1,887 square miles of water, making it the largest in water area in the state.
County Seat > Grand Marais
2020 Census population > 5,417 (#81 of 87)
1 Tank
Average SIZE is 250,000 gallons
Average AGE is 45 years
Cottonwood County
Cottonwood County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county was created May 23, 1857. "Cottonwood" is the English meaning for the Dakota Sioux word "Waraju". The county has 639 square miles of land and 10 square miles of water.
County Seat > Windom
2020 Census population > 11,242 (#64 of 87)
7 Towers
Average SIZE is 650,000 gallons
Average AGE is 38 years
Crow Wing County
Crow Wing County is a county in the East Central part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county was formed in 1857, and was organized in 1870. Crow Wing County is included in the Brainerd, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area. The county has 999 square miles of land and 157 square miles of water.
County Seat > Brainerd
2020 Census population > 65,644 (#15 of 87)
15 Towers
Average SIZE is 112,000 gallons
Average AGE is 83 years
Dakota County
Dakota County is the third-most populous county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Dakota County is named for the Dakota Sioux tribal bands who inhabited the area. The largest city is the city of Lakeville. The county is bordered by the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers on the north, and the state of Wisconsin on the east. The county has 562 square miles of land and 25 square miles of water.
County Seat > Hastings
2020 Census population > 431,807 (#3 of 87)
29 Towers and 14 Tanks
Average SIZE is 1,584,300 gallons
Average AGE is 35 years
Dodge County
Dodge County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Dodge County is part of the Rochester, MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named for Henry Dodge, the first governor of Wisconsin (1836-1841). The county has 439 square miles of land and 0.3 square miles of water.
County Seat > Mantorville
2020 Census population > 20,987 (#48 of 87)
11 Towers
Average SIZE is 150,000 gallons
Average AGE is 69 years
Douglas County
Douglas County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county was named for Stephen A. Douglas, U.S. Senator from Illinois. Douglas County is the home of Minnesota's only wine-grape appellation. The county has 637 square miles of land and 83 square miles of water.
County Seat > Alexandria
2020 Census population > 38,328 (#27 of 87)
10 Towers
Average SIZE is 275,000 gallons
Average AGE is 35 years
Faribault County
Faribault County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Faribault County was founded in 1855. It was named for Jean-Baptiste Faribault, a French fur trader among the Sioux Indians. The county has 712 square miles of land and 9 square miles of water.
County Seat > Blue Earth
2020 Census population > 13,601 (#60 of 87)
8 Towers
Average SIZE is 171,000 gallons
Average AGE is 45 years
Fillmore County
Fillmore County was created on March 5, 1853. It is named for Millard Fillmore, the 13th president of the United States. Fillmore County was an early destination for Euro-American settlement following the United States' 1851 treaties with the Dakota nations. Norwegian immigrants were particularly numerous. In 1860, Fillmore was Minnesota's most populous county. The county has 861 square miles of land and 1 square mile of water.
County Seat > Preston
2020 Census population > 21,522 (#47 of 87)
12 Towers and 4 Tanks
Average SIZE is 122,500 gallons
Average AGE is 69 years
Freeborn County
Fillmore County was created on February 20, 1855. It is named for William Freeborn, an early pioneer, merchant and territorial legislator. The Le Sueur River, a tributary to the Minnesota River, begins in the northern part of the county and flows north. The county has 707 square miles of land and 15 square miles of water.
County Seat > Albert Lea
2020 Census population > 30,515 (#35 of 87)
17 Towers
Average SIZE is 293,000 gallons
Average AGE is 53 years
Goodhue County
Fillmore County was created on March 5, 1853. It is named for James Madison Goodhue (1810–1852), who published the first newspaper in the territory, The Minnesota Pioneer. Hamline University, Minnesota's first college, was started in Red Wing in 1854. It closed during the Civil War, and reopened in 1869 in St. Paul. The county has 757 square miles of land and 24 square miles of water.
County Seat > Red Wing
2020 Census population > 48,035 (#20 of 87)
15 Towers and 7 Tanks
Average SIZE is 315,000 gallons
Average AGE is 51 years
Grant County
Fillmore County was created on March 6, 1868. It is named for Civil War general and US President Ulysses S. Grant. The Chippewa River flows generally southward through the eastern part of the county. The county has 548 square miles of land and 70 square miles of water.
County Seat > Elbow Lake
2020 Census population > 6,139 (#79 of 87)
7 Towers
Average SIZE is 138,000 gallons
Average AGE is 19 years
Hennepin County
Hennepin County was created on March 6, 1862. It is named in honor of the 17th century explorer, Father Louis Hennepin. In January 1855, the first bridge over the Mississippi River was built over St. Anthony Falls. Water power built the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County. The county has 554 square miles of land and 53 square miles of water.
County Seat > Minneapolis
2020 Census population > 1,268,000 (#1 of 87)
75 Towers and 11 Tanks
Average SIZE is 951,000 gallons
Average AGE is 51 years
Bloomington 1-3 Eden Prairie 1-5 Long Lake Minnetonka Beach 1-2 Plymouth 1-5 St. Anthony Village 1-2
Brooklyn Center 1 -4 Edina 1-4 Maple Grove 1-2 Minnetrista 1-3 Richfield 1-2 St. Bonifacius
Brooklyn Park 1-3 Excelsior Maple Plain Mound 1-2 Robbinsdale 1-5 St. Louis Park 1-5
Champlin1-2 Golden Valley Medina New Hope 1-2 Rogers 1-2 Tonka Bay
Corcoran Greenfield Minneapolis 1-6 Orono (Navarre) 1-2 Shorewood 1-2 Wayzata
Houston County
On February 23, 1854, the territorial legislature authorized the partitioning of sections of Wabashaw to create Fillmore County and Houston County. The county was named for Sam Houston, who had been president of the Republic of Texas and a US senator from Texas. Houston County is at Minnesota's southeast corner. The county has 552 square miles of land and 17 square miles of water.
County Seat > Caledonia
2020 Census population > 18,582 (#50 of 87)
5 Towers
Average SIZE is 195,000 gallons
Average AGE is 33 years
Hubbard County
The county was created on February 26, 1883, with territory partitioned from Cass County. It was named for Lucius Fredrick Hubbard, a prominent Territory editor, Civil War participant, and businessman who was governor of Minnesota from 1882 to 1887. The county has 926 square miles of land and 74 square miles of water.
County Seat > Park Rapids
2020 Census population > 22,132 (#44 of 87)
5 Towers
Average SIZE is 67,000 gallons
Average AGE is 23 years
Isanti County
The county was created on Feburary 13,1857. Its name came from the Izaty Indians, the ancient name for the Santee Indians, members of the Dakota alliance. Isanti is derived from the Dakota word for "knife". The Rum River flows south through the county's central part. The county has 436 square miles of land and 16 square milesof water.
County Seat > Cambridge
2020 Census population > 43,182 (#24 of 87)
6 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 500,000 gallons
Average AGE is 27 years
Itasca County
The county was named after Lake Itasca which is in turn a shortened version of the Latin words veritas caput, meaning 'truth' and 'head', a reference to the source of the Mississippi River. The boundary of Itasca County was first formed in 1849, upon the creation of the Minnesota Territory. The county has 2,668 square miles of land and 260 square miles of water.
County Seat > Grand Rapids
2020 Census population > 45,365 (#22 of 87)
16 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 259,000 gallons
Average AGE is 34 years
Jackson County
The county was created on May 23, 1857. It was named for Henry Jackson, the first merchant in St. Paul. Jackson County lies on the south side of Minnesota. The area is devoted to agriculture. The county has 702 square miles of land and 16 square miles of water.
County Seat > Jackson
2020 Census population > 9,919 (#67 of 87)
6 Towers and 2 Tanks
Average SIZE is 200,000 gallons
Average AGE is 51 years
Kanabec County
The county was created on March 13, 1858. The county name came from the Ojibwe term ginebig, meaning "snake", after the Snake River, which flows through the county. The 1870 United States census listed 53 occupants of the Kanabec County area. The county has 522 square miles of land and 12 square miles of water.
County Seat > Mora
2020 Census population > 16,602 (#53 of 87)
4 Towers
Average SIZE is 233,000 gallons
Average AGE is 60 years
Kandiyohi County
Kandiyohi County is named for a Dakota word meaning "where the Buffalo fish come". It was organized on March 20, 1858. The county has 797 square miles of land and 66 square miles of water.
County Seat > Willmar
2020 Census population > 43,813 (#23 of 87)
13 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 243,000 gallons
Average AGE is 40 years
Kittson County
On February 25, 1879, Kittson County was divided, creating Marshall County. Hallock became the county seat in 1880. The county has 1,099 square miles of land and 4.8 square miles of water.
County Seat > Hallock
2020 Census population > 4,060 (#84 of 87)
6 Towers and 2 Tanks
Average SIZE is 200,000 gallons
Average AGE is 34 years
Koochiching County
Koochiching County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. A portion of the Bois Forte Indian Reservation is in the county. A small part of Voyageurs National Park extends into its boundary, with Lake of the Woods County to its northwest. The county has 3,104 square miles of land and 50 square miles of water.
County Seat > International Falls
2020 Census population > 11,751 (#62 of 87)
6 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 50,000 gallons
Average AGE is 26 years
Lac qui Parle County
The county is part of the White Earth Indian Reservation. It is entirely within an Indian Reservation. The county was created on December 27, 1906. The county was named for the town, the name of which is one spelling of the Ojibwe word for "wild rice". The county has 558 square miles of land and 25 square miles of water.
County Seat > Madison
2020 Census population > 6,630 (#76 of 87)
6 Towers
Average SIZE is 300,000 gallons
Average AGE is 25 years
Lake County
Lake County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Prior to the arrival of Europeans, the area was had long been inhabited by Native American groups, such as Dakota Sioux and Ojibwe (also called Chippewa). The Two Harbors lighthouse was built on Agate Bay (Lake Superior) in 1892. The county has 2,109 square miles of land and 881 square miles of water.
County Seat > Two Harbors
2020 Census population > 10,855 (#65 of 87)
4 Towers and 3 Tanks
Average Size is 454,000 gallons
Average AGE is 50 years
Lake of the Woods County
Lake of the Woods County is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The county's population makes it the second-least populous county in Minnesota.
The county contains the Northwest Angle, the northernmost point of the Lower 48 States, and the U.S. portion of Lake of the Woods, shared with Canada. The county also includes the exclave of Elm Point. Since Alaska has no counties, Lake of the Woods is the northernmost county in the United States. It is also the only county in the United States with four words in its name, although there is a parish in Louisiana called St. John the Baptist Parish. The county has 1,298 square miles of land and 477 square miles of water.
County Seat > Baudette
2020 Census population > 3,778 (#86 of 87)
1 Tower and 1 Tank
Info regarding size and age is not available
Le Sueur County
Le Sueur County is a county southwest of Minneapolis. The county seat has remained in Le Sueur Center (renamed Le Center in 1930) since 1876. The Minnesota River flows northeast along the west border of the county. The county has 449 square miles of land and 25 square miles of water.
County Seat > Le Center
2020 Census population > 29,255 (#38 of 87)
10 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE 400,000 gallons
Average AGE is 30 years
Lincoln County
On March 6, 1873, Lyon County was divided into approximately equal halves, with the western half to be named Lincoln and lies on the border with South Dakota. The county has 537 square miles of land and 12 square miles of water.
County Seat > Ivanhoe
2020 Census Population > 5,521 (#80 of 87)
3 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 93,000 gallons
Average AGE is 46 years
Lyon County
Lyon County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Lyon County was named for Nathaniel Lyon, an Army officer, who served in the Dakota and Minnesota territories before being killed in the Civil War in 1861. The county has 715 square miles of land and 7 square miles of water.
County Seat > Marshall
2020 Census population > 25,427 (#44 of 87)
9 Towers and 3 Tanks
Average SIZE is 1,000,800 gallons
Average AGE is 43 years
Mahnomen County
The county is part of the White Earth Indian Reservation. It is entirely within an Indian Reservation. The county was created on December 27, 1906. The county was named for the town, the name of which is one spelling of the Ojibwe word for "wild rice". The county has 558 square miles of land and 25 square miles of water.
County Seat > Mahnomen
2020 Census population > 5,280 (#82 of 87)
2 Towers
Average SIZE is 300,000 gallons
Average AGE is 43 years
Marshall County
The Minnesota legislature created the county on February 25, 1879. It was named for William Rainey Marshall, who served as Minnesota governor from 1866 to 1870. The county has 1,775 square miles of land and 38 square miles of water. Marshall is one of 17 Minnesota savanna region counties where savanna soils predominate. The county has 1,775 square miles of land and 38 square miles of water.
County Seat > Warren
2020 Census population > 8,810 (#74 of 87)
8 Towers
Average SIZE is 79,000 gallons
Average AGE is 56 yhears
Martin County
The county was created by the Minnesota Territory legislature on May 23, 1857. Two explanations have been advanced for the county's name. A delegate to the US Congress from the Wisconsin Territory, Morgan Lewis Martin, introduced the legislative act to organize the Minnesota Territory. But in 1904 the county's oldest residents attested that the name referred to Henry Martin, an early settler from Connecticut . The county has 712 square miles of land and 17 square miles of water.
County Seat > Fairmont
2020 Census population > 19,657 (#49 of 87)
10 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 311,000 gallons
Average AGE is 43 years
McLeod County
The county was created by the Minnesota Territory legislature on March 1, 1856. It was named for Martin McLeod, a Canadian-born adventurer. who became a fur trader. The county has 491 square miles of land and 14 square miles of water.
County Seat > Glencoe
2020 Census population > 36,785 (#28 of 87)
12 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 543,000 gallons
Average AGE is 53 years
Meeker County
The county was created by the Minnesota Territory legislature on February 23, 1856. It was named for Bradley B. Meeker, (1813-1873), who served on the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court from 1849 to 1853. The county has 608 square miles of land and 37 square miles of water.
County Seat > Litchfield
2020 Census population > 23,490 (#43 of 87)
7 Towers
Average SIZE is 102,000 gallons
Average AGE is 60 years
Mille Lacs County
The county was founded in 1857 and its boundary was expanded in 1860. The name Mille Lacs, meaning "thousand lakes" in French, and was associated with Mille Lacs Lake in the region. The Rum River flows south through the county, originating from mille Lacs Lake. The county has 572 square miles of land and 109 square miles of water.
County Seat > Milaca
2020 Census population > 27,427 (#39 of 87)
11 Towers
Average SIZE is 146,000 gallons
Average AGE is 47 years
Morrison County
The county was named for fur trading brothers William and Allan Morrison. Camp Ripley Military Reservation occupies a significant area in north-central Morrison County. The county has 1,125 square miles of land and 28 square miles of water.
County Seat > Little Falls
2020 Census population > 34,250 (#32 of 87)
13 Towers
Average SIZE is 387,000 gallons
Average AGE is 39 years
Mower County
On February 20, 1855, the territorial legislature created Mower county from the southernmost part of Rice County. The new county was named for John Edward Mower, a member of the territorial legislature. Mower County lies on Minnesota's border with Iowa. The county has 711 square miles of land and 0.2 square miles of water, making it the smallest in water area in the state (tied with Wilkin county).
County Seat > Austin
2020 Census population > 40,058 (#26 of 87)
15 Towers
Average SIZE is 218,000 gallons
Average AGE is 48 years
Murray County
On May 23, 1857, a portion of Brown was partitioned off to create Murray County, although it was not organized at that time. The county was named for Willaim Pitt Murray (1825-1910), a prominent civic and political figure in Minnesota. The county has 705 square miles of land and 15 square miles of water.
County Seat > Slayton
2020 Census population > 8,049 (#75 of 87)
5 Towers and 2 Tanks
Average SIZE is 168,000 gallons
Average AGE is 34 years
Nicollet County
On March 5, 1853, the territorial legislature partitioned off the lower portion of Dakota County to form a separate entity. It was named for Joseph Nicolas Nicollet. The county has 448 square miles of land and 18 square miles of water.
County Seat > St. Peter
2020 Census population > 34,242 (#33 of 87)
8 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 602,000 gallons
Average AGE is 30 years
Nobles County
Nobles County was first occupied by the Sisseton Sioux. Nobles County was established May 23, 1857, and organized October 27, 1870. The county was named for William H. Nobles, a member of the Minnesota territorial legislature in 1854 and 1856. The county has 715 square miles of land and 7.5 square miles of water.
County Seat > Worthington
2020 Census population > 21,727 (#45 of 87)
13 Towers
Average SIZE is 88,000 gallons
Average AGE is 60 years
Norman County
Nobles County was created by the Minnesota Legislature on March 17, 1881. The county was named in recognition of the many settlers who came from Scandinavian countries, especially Norway. The county has 873 square miles of land and 3.9 square miles of water.
County Seat > Ada
2020 Census population > 6,329 (#77 of 87)
6 Towers
Average SIZE is 170,000 gallons
Average AGE is 38 years
Olmsted County
Olmsted County was created by the Minnesota Legislature on February 20, 1885. The county was named in recognition of David Olmsted, a member of the first territorial council and the first mayor of St. Paul. The county has 653 square miles of land and 1.5 square miles of water.
County Seat > Rochester
2020 Census population > 164,784 (#7 of 87)
20 Towers and 7 Tanks
Average SIZE us 802,000 gallons
Average AGE is 42 years
Otter Tail County
Some of the oldest Native American remains were found near Fergus Falls. On March 18, 1858, the outgoing territorial legislature created Otter Tail County from areas partitioned from Cass and Pembina, another of the original counties created in 1849. The county has 1,972 square miles of land and 252 square miles of water.
County Seat > Fergus Falls
2020 Census population > 58,741 (#17 of 87)
14 Towers
Average SIZE is 383,000 gallons
Average AGE is 26 years
Pennington County
The county was for Edmund Pennington (1848-1926), a longtime Minnesota railroad executive, who was serving as president of the Minneapolis, St. Paul and Sault Ste. Marie Railway. The county has 617 square miles of land and 1.7 square miles of water.
County Seat > Thief River Falls
2020 Census population > 13,847 (#52 of 87)
3 Towers
Average SIZE is 275,000 gallons
Average AGE is 59 years
Pine County
The county was formed in 1856 and organized in 1872. It was named for its abundant pine tree growth. The county has 1,411 square miles of land and 23 square miles of water.
County Seat > Pine City
2020 Census population > 29,359 (#37 of 87)
10 Towers
Average SIZE is 313,000 gallons
Average AGE is 33 years
Pipestone County
The county was formed on May 23, 1857. The county has a red pipestone quarry, which Native Americans used to make pipes. The county has 465 square miles of land and 0.9 square miles of water.
County Seat > Pipestone
2020 Census population > 9,121 (#72 of 87)
7 Towers
Average SIZE is 158,000 gallons
Average AGE is 93 years
Polk County
The Minnesota Legislature created the county on July 20, 1858, but did not organize it at that time. The county was named for the 11th president of the United States, James Knox Polk. The county has 1,971 square miles of land and 27 square miles of water.
County Seat > Crookston
2020 Census population > 30,900 (#34 of 87)
12 Towers
Average SIZE is 425,000 gallons
Average AGE is 49 years
Pope County
The county was formed in 1862 and organized in 1866. The county was named for John Pope, a Union Army general who had worked as a surveyor in the area. The county has 670 square miles of land and 47 square miles of water.
County Seat > Glenwood
2020 Census population > 11,277 (#63 of 87)
4 Towers and 3 Tanks
Average SIZE is 266,000 gallons
Average AGE is 43 years
Ramsey County
The county was formed in 1849 and is named for Alexander Ramsey, the first Governor of the Minnesota Territory. St. Paul is the county's largest city and twin city of Minneapolis. The county has 152 square miles of land and 18 square miles of water, making it the smallest county in the state.
County Seat > St. Paul
2020 Census population > 547,903 (#2 of 87)
31 Towers and 15 Tanks
Average SIZE is 1,188,000 gallons
Average AGE is 50 years
Red Lake County
The county was formed on December 24, 1896 and is named for Red Lake River. The county has 432 square miles of land and 0.9 square miles of water.
County Seat > Red Lake Falls
2020 Census population > 4,046 (#85 of 87)
3 Towers
Average SIZE is 233,000 gallons
Average AGE is 51 years
Redwood County
The Mdewakankton Tribal Reservation is entirely within the county. The county was formed on February 8, 1862 and was named for the Redwood River. The county has 879 square miles of land and 3.2 square miles of water.
County Seat > Redwood Falls
2020 Census population > 15,079 (#56 of 87)
13 Towers and 1 tank
Average SIZE is 158,000 gallons
Average AGE is 41 years
Renville County
The Minnesota Territory legislature created the county on February 20, 1855. The county was named for Joseph Renville, a fur trapper, trader, and British officer in the War of 1812. The county has 983 square miles of land and 4.2 square miles of water.
County Seat > Olivia
2020 Census population > 14,403 (#58 of 87)
10 Towers
Average SIZE is 86,000 gallons
Average AGE is 50 years
Rice County
The county on founded March 5, 1853. The county was named for Henry Mower Rice, a fur trapper who became instrumental in creation of the Minnesota Territory . The county has 496 square miles of land and 20 square miles of water.
County Seat > Faribault
2020 Census population > 67,084 (#14 of 87)
9 Towers and 6 Tanks
Average SIZE is 742,000 gallons
Average AGE is 49 years
Rock County
The county on founded May 23, 1857. One source attributes the county name to its rocky soil. The county is located in the southwest corner of Minnesota. The county has 482 square miles of land and 0.3 square miles of water.
County Seat > Luverne
2020 Census population > 9,301 (#70 of 87)
6 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 195,000 gallons
Average AGE is 41 years
Roseau County
The county was once the home of many Ojibwe, Sioux and Mandan tribes. The county was founded on February 11, 1896. The county has 1,672 square miles of land and 6.5 square miles of water.
County Seat > Roseau
2020 Census population > 15,117 (#55 of 87)
5 Towers
Average SIZE is 194,000 gallons
Average AGE is 50 years
Scott County
Shakopee is the county's largest city. The Shakopee-Mdewakanton Indian Reservation is entirely within the county. The county was founded on March 5, 1853 and named for General Winfield Scott. The county has 356 square miles of land and 12 square miles of water.
County Seat > Shakopee
2020 Census population > 150,689 (#9 of 87)
19 Towers and 8 Tanks
Average SIZE is 1,192,000 gallons
Average AGE is 30 years
Sherburne County
The boundaries of Sherburne County have remained as created since 1856. The county was named for Moses Sherburne, a prominent area attorney. The county has 433 square miles of land and 18 square miles of water.
County Seat > Elk River
2020 Census population > 98,811 (#12 of 87)
14 Towers
Average SIZE is 600,000 gallons
Average AGE is 37 years
Sibley County
The Minnesota River flows northeastward along the county's eastern border. The county has 589 square miles of land and 12 square miles of water.
County Seat > Gaylord
2020 Census population > 14,715 (#57 of 87)
9 Towers and 2 tanks
Average SIZE is 214,000 gallons
Average AGE is 40 years
St. Louis County
The county is the largest by land area, and the largest in the US by total area east of the Mississippi River. Duluth is on the southwest shore of Lake Superior. The county has 6,247 square miles of land and 612 square miles of water, making it the largest county in the state.
County Seat > Duluth
2020 Census population > 198,538 (#6 of 87)
38 Towers and 14 Tanks
Average SIZE is 1,294,000 gallons
Average AGE is 52 years
Stearns County
The county was founded in 1855. It was named for Charles Thomas Stearns, a member of the Minnesota Territorial Council (1849–1858). The county has 1,343 square miles of land and 47 square miles of water.
County Seat > St. Cloud
2020 Census population > 162,038 (#8 of 87)
31 Towers and 3 Tanks
Average SIZE is 538,000 gallons
Average AGE is 38 years
Steele County
The county was created by the Minnesota Territory legislature on February 20, 1855. It was named for Franklin Steel, a prominent early resident of the territory. The county has 430 square miles of land and 2.7 square miles of water.
County Seat > Owatonna
2020 Census population > 36,596 (#29 of 87)
11 Towers and 7 Tank
Average SIZE is 496,000 gallons
Average AGE is 56 years
Stevens County
The county was created by the Minnesota legislature on February 20, 1862. It was named for Isaac Stevens, who led a railroad survey party across Minnesota in 1853. The county has 564 square miles of land and 12 square miles of water.
County Seat > Morris
2020 Census population > 9,765 (#68 of 87)
4 Towers
Average SIZE is 308,000 gallons
Average AGE is 47 years
Swift County
The county was created by the Minnesota legislature on February 18, 1870. It was named for Henry Adoniran Swift, the third governor of Minnesota. The county has 742 square miles of land and 10 square miles of water.
County Seat > Benson
2020 Census population > 9,176 (#71 of 87)
5 Towers
Average SIZE is 350,000 gallons
Average AGE is 47 years
Todd County
The county was created by the Minnesota Territorial legislature on February 20, 1855. It was named for John Blair Smith Todd, a general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The county has 945 square miles of land and 35 square miles of water.
County Seat > Long Prairie
2020 Census population > 24,732 (#42 of 87)
8 Towers
Average SIZE is 290,000 gallons
Average AGE is 29 years
Traverse County
The county was founded in 1862 and organized in 1881. It borders both North Dakota and South Dakota along its western border. The county has 574 square miles of land and 12 square miles of water.
County Seat > Wheaton
2020 Census population > 3,218 (#87 of 87)
2 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 50,000 gallons
Average AGE is 104 years
Wabasha County
Wabasha was originally called Cratte's Landing. The county was founded by the Minnesota Territory legislature on October 27,1849. The county has 523 square miles of land and 27 square miles of water.
County Seat > Wabasha
2020 Census population > 21,642 (#46 of 87)
4 Towers and 2 tanks
Average SIZE is 193,000 gallons
Average AGE is 22 years
Wadena County
The newly organized Minnesota legislature created the county on June 11, 1858. The county has 536 square miles of land and 7 square miles of water.
County Seat > Wadena
2020 Census population > 13,807 (#59 of 87)
6 Towers
Average SIZE is 170,000 gallons
Average AGE is 42 years
Waseca County
The Minnesota Territory legislature formed the county from part of Steele county. The name Waseca comes from the Dakota word meaning "rich", a reference to the fertile soil in the area. The county has 423 square miles of land and 9.6 square miles of water.
County Seat > Waseca
2020 Census population > 18,550 (#51 of 87)
5 Towers
Average SIZE is 175,000 gallons
Average AGE is 49 years
Washington County
The largest city is Woodbury. On August 26, 1848, the "Stillwater Convention" drafted a Memorial to Congress that a new territory be created with the name “Minnesota". Because of this, Stillwater calls itself the "Birthplace of MInnesota". The county has 384 square miles of land and 38 square miles of water.
County Seat > Stillwater
2020 Census population > 265,476 (#5 of 87)
27 Towers and 13 Tanks
Average SIZE is 1,148,000 gallons
Average AGE is 38 years
Watonwan County
On February 25, 1860, the southern part of Brown county was partitioned to create this county. The county has 435 square miles of land and 4.8 square miles of water. The county was named for its' river, whose name reflects the Dakota word "watanwan", which means "plenty of fish".
The county has 435 square miles of land and 4.8 square miles of water.
County Seat > St. James
2020 Census population > 10,792 (#66 of 87)
6 Towers
Average SIZE is 600,000 gallons
Average AGE is 29 years
Wilkin County
On March 6, 1868, the county was named for Colonel Alexander Wilkin, a Minnesota attorney and secretary to the Minnesota Territory governor. It borders North Dakota along its western border, The county has 751 square miles of land and 0.2 square miles of water, making it the smallest in water area in the state (tied with Mower county).
County Seat > Breckenridge
2020 Census population > 6,161 (#78 of 87)
3 Towers
Average SIZE is 300,000 gallons
Average AGE is 42 years
Winona County
On February 23, 1854, the territory legislature partitioned the northern part of Fillmore County, plus a small section of Wabasha, to create Winona County. Its eastern border is along the Mississippi River and Wisconsin. The county has 626 square miles of land and 15 square miles of water.
County Seat > Winona
2020 Census population > 50,485 (#19 of 87)
6 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 258,000 gallons
Average AGE is 41 years
Wright County
The county was established in 1855, and was named for New York politician Silas Wright. The county's population in 1860 was 3,729. The county has 661 square miles of land and 53 square miles of water.
County Seat > Buffalo
2020 Census population > 140,249 (#10 of 87)
28 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 527,000 gallons
Average AGE is 32 years
Yellow Medicine County
The Upper Sioux Indian Reservation is entirely within the coutny. The county was established by the Minnesota legislature on March 6, 1871. The county has 759 square miles of land and 4.1 square miles of water.
County Seat > Granite Falls
2020 Census population > 9,580 (#71 of 87_
8 Towers and 1 Tank
Average SIZE is 168,000 gallons
Average AGE is 54 years
