Beltrami County, Minnesota
Beltrami County Courthouse
Location in the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location in the U.S.
Founded	February 28, 1866 (created) 1896 (organized)[1]
Named for	Giacomo Constantino Beltrami
Seat	Bemidji
Largest city	Bemidji
Area
• Total	3,056 sq mi (7,915 km2)
• Land	2,505 sq mi (6,488 km2)
• Water	551 sq mi (1,427 km2), 18%
Population (est.)
• (2016)	46,106
• Density	18/sq mi (7/km2)
Congressional districts	7th, 8th
Time zone	Central: UTC−6/−5
Website	www.co.beltrami.mn.us

Beltrami County (/bɛlˈtræmiː/ bel-TRAM-ee) is a county located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 44,442.^[2] Its county seat is Bemidji.^[3] The county's name comes from the Italian count Giacomo Beltrami, who supposedly explored the area in 1825. The county was created in 1866 and organized in 1896.^[4]

Beltrami County comprises the Bemidji, MN Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Portions of the Leech Lake and Red Lake Indian reservations are in the county. The northernmost portion of the Mississippi River flows through the southern part of the county, through the city of Bemidji. Beltrami County borders a total of nine counties, more than any other county in Minnesota, except for Renville County, which also borders nine counties.

Geography[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 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.^[5] It is the fourth-largest county in Minnesota by area.

Major highways[edit]

• 
  U.S. Highway 2
  


• 
  U.S. Highway 71
  


• 
  Minnesota State Highway 1
  


• 
  Minnesota State Highway 72
  


• 
  Minnesota State Highway 89
  


• 
  Minnesota State Highway 197
  

Adjacent counties[edit]

National protected area[edit]

• 
  Chippewa National Forest (part)

Climate and weather[edit]

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.^[6]

Demographics[edit]

Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data

As of the 2000 census, there were 39,650 people, 14,337 households, and 9,749 families residing in the county. The population density was 16 people per square mile (6/km²). There were 16,989 housing units at an average density of 7 per square mile (3/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.

In the county, the population was spread out with 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.^[12]

Crime[edit]

Between 1990 and 2005 the county had a suicide rate four times higher than the state.^[13] The county exceeds the state and national rates in both violent and property crimes.^[14] On 21 March 2005 ten people were murdered by a spree killer at the Red Lake Indian Reservation.^[15]

Communities[edit]

Cities[edit]

Townships[edit]

Unorganized territories[edit]

• Brook Lake


• Lower Red Lake


• North Beltrami


• Shotley Brook


• Upper Red Lake

Census-designated places[edit]

• Little Rock


• Ponemah


• Red Lake


• Redby

Unincorporated communities[edit]

• Hines


• Pennington


• Pinewood


• Puposky


• Saum


• Shooks


• Waskish

Politics[edit]

See also[edit]

• Gilfillan Biotic Area


• National Register of Historic Places listings in Beltrami County, Minnesota


• 
  Red Lake, the largest lake that is entirely in Minnesota.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Official website


• 
  360 Degree Virtual Tour^{[permanent dead link]} of 2011 Beltrami County Fair

Coordinates: 48°01′N 94°55′W / 48.02°N 94.92°W / 48.02; -94.92