PROFILE ISSUES COVERED
PROFILE OF NICOLLET COUNTY
BRIEF HISTORY OF COUNTY
Nicollet County, named in honor of Joseph N. Nicollet, a French explorer,
lies in south central Minnesota and closely resembles an isosceles triangle
with 104.6 miles of Minnesota River front. Within the 280,866.22 total
acres in the County, almost 245,000 acres is farmland with 24,000 acres of
forest land and 12,000 acres of wetland. The County is composed of 5 cities
and 13 townships.
The first county election was held on October 11, 1853 to fill the following
offices: three County Commissioners, Sheriff, Register of Deeds, County
Treasurer, two Constables, three Assessors, Judge of Probate, District
Attorney, and Court Surveyor.
The County Commissioners originally established nine townships in Nicollet
County. Several years later, four more townships were created. The state
capitol was nearly moved to St. Peter from St. Paul. However, Joseph
Rollette absconded with the bill that would make St. Peter the state capitol,
and returned to St. Paul 123 as the gavel sounded the end of the legislative
session.
In 1856, a petition was submitted to move the County Courthouse from
Traverse des Sioux to St. Peter. The petition was thrown out because some
names were duplicates, some were non-residents, and some were
deceased persons, along with other various reasons. In 1858, the petition
was resubmitted and passed by a vote of 457 to 301, and the Courthouse
was built in St. Peter.
By 1859, there were 15 school districts in Nicollet County, and the first
railroad came St. Peter in 1868.
Source: County’s website
QUICK FACTS OF COUNTY
Website: http://www.co.nicollet.mn.us/
Facts
Nicollet County Minnesota
Land area, 2010 (square miles)
448.49*
79,626.74*
Average Persons per square mile, 2010
73*
66.6*
Number of Cities
5**
854***
Number of Townships
13**
1,784***
Sources:
*U.S. Census Bureau: State and County Quick Facts, 2012)
**Number of Cities and Townships in Nicollet County (Minnesota Department of
Administration)
***Number of Townships in Minnesota (Minnesota Association of Townships)
 QUICK FACTS OF COUNTY
 POPULATION OF COUNTY
o Population Trend and
Projections (2000-2040)
o Population Projection by Age
Cohorts (2010- 2020)
o Population of Cities In
Nicollet county (2006- 2011)
o Population of Townships In
Nicollet county (2006- 2011)
o Key Highlights
 SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC
CHARACTERISTICS
o Projection of County’s
Household Types (20102020)
o Ethnic Composition of
County’s Population (2000 –
2011)
o Education Attainment (2012)
o Key Highlights
 COUNTY’S ECONOMIC
OUTLOOK
o County’s Labor Force
Outlook (2005-2035)
o County’s Labor Force
Outlook by Age Cohorts
(2005-2035)
o Comparing Unemployment
Rates for Nicollet county,
Region Nine and Sate (2000 –
2012)
o Trend in County’s Per Capita
Income (2000-2011)
o Key Highlights
 COUNTY’S HOUSING PROFILE
o Housing Units: Total, Owner
and Renter Units (2000-2011)
o Trend in County’s
Homeownership Rate (19902011)
o Other Housing
Characteristics (2000-2011)
o Housing Expenditure for
Nicollet county (2012)
o Key Highlights
POPULATION OF COUNTY
POPULATION OF CITIES IN NICOLLET COUNTY (2006- 2011)
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
POPULATION TREND AND PROJECTIONS (2000-2040)
 The county’s population is projected to increase
by a rate of between 3.1 – 4.1 per cent every five
years from 2010 to 2040.
43,000
41,000
39,000
 Population less than 19years are expected to
account for 28 per cent of the County’s projected
population increase in 2020. This represents 24
per cent increase in the less than 19 years
population group (comparing the 2010 and 2020
populations).
37,000
35,000
33,000
31,000
City
Courtland
Lafayette
Nicollet
North Mankato
St. Peter
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
589
521
991
12,817
10,887
591
479
1,000
12,935
10,966
598
479
1,008
13,003
10,884
609
485
1,012
13,045
10,917
611
504
1,093
0
11,196
606
500
1,091
0
11,459
Data Source: MN State Demographic Center, 2012
29,000
 All cohort groups above 65+ cohort are expected
to increase, meaning around 17 per cent of the
County’s population in 2020 will be 65+ years
old. This number is 64 per cent more of what was
recorded in 2010 implying possible increase in
demand for Senior Housing and health care
needs in the County.
27,000
25,000
2000
2010
Total Population 29,771 32,727
2015
2020
2025
2030
2035
2040
33937
35340
36662
37897
39087
40280
Data Source: MN State Demographic Center, 2012
Township
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Belgrade
1,038
1,018
1,016
1,020
1,052
1,047
Bernadotte
350
348
343
340
278
272
Brighton
157
156
155
157
149
150
Courtland
705
706
702
704
630
616
3500
Granby
248
251
249
251
246
242
3000
Lafayette
700
697
695
696
694
688
Lake Prairie
614
604
602
599
672
670
New Sweden
323
324
325
331
297
290
Nicollet
503
496
495
497
527
521
1500
Oshawa
530
527
526
531
502
502
1000
Ridgely
103
98
100
105
115
113
Traverse
359
351
352
352
334
331
West Newton
499
493
490
498
423
415
POPULATION PROJECTION BY AGE COHORTS (2010- 2020)
4000
Cohort Population
POPULATION OF TOWNSHIPS IN NICOLLET COUNTY (2006- 2011)
2500
2000
500
0
AGE COHORTS 0 - 4
10-14 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-55 56-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-84
85+
2010 2100
1770
5-9
1790
2430
3670
3050
1940
1690
1900
2330
2400
2050
1700
1040
850
640
480
580
2020 2208
2557
2372
2901
2702
1489
2108
2956
2049
1806
1832
2207
2252
1995
1556
934
711
705
Data Source: MN State Demographic Center, 2012
Data Source: MN State Demographic Center, 2012
SELECTED DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS
ETHNIC COMPOSITION OF COUNTY’S POPULATION (2000 – 2011)
PROJECTION OF COUNTY’S HOUSEHOLD TYPES (2010- 2020)
2010
960, 11%
780,
8%
Married Couples with Children
800,
9%
Ethnic Group
2020
Other Families with Children
1220, 13%
White alone
Married Couples with Children
2820, 30%
2890, 33%
Hispanic or Latino
Asian alone
Other Families with Children
Black or African American alone
Nonfamily Households, Living Alone
Nonfamily Households, Living Alone
Living Alone, 65+
3130, 35%
1050,
12%
3570, 37%
1140, 12%
Living Alone, 65+
Other Nonfamily Households
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone
Some Other Race alone
Other Nonfamily Households
Data Source: MN State Demographic Center, 2012
American Indian and Alaska Native alone
Data Source: MN State Demographic Center, 2012
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
 With projected decline of 2.4 per cent in the number of “Married
Couples with Children” and 14 per cent increase in ““Non-family
households living alone” in 2020, there might be potential increase in
demand for single family housing in Nicollet County.
Two or more races
 More than half (66 per cent) of the county’s 25+ population can be
categorized as highly skilled labor force based on their education
attainment (i.e. having attained more than high school degree).
2005-2009
2010
2011
28,405
29,489
29,688
29,772
535
835
1,110
1,165
335
438
355
383
232
452
601
668
59
84
108
128
5
10
9
1
8
72
65
51
192
314
335
303
Data Source: US Census Bureau, 2012
EDUCATION ATTAINMENT (2012)
TOTAL
Population Age 25+
< Grade 9
 The population of “Hispanic or Latino”, “Black or African American
alone”, and “American Indian and Alaska Native alone” ethnic groups
have significantly increased since 2000. In all, the percentage
composition of minority ethnic groups (all except “white alone”) in the
county’s population has increased from 4.6 per cent (in 2000) to 8.3 per
cent (in 2011).
2000
Grade 9-12
High School
Some College
Assoc Degree
Bach Degree
Grad Degree
%
20,623
619
3
1,007
4.88
5,495
26.65
4,557
22.1
2,031
9.85
4,683
22.71
2,231
10.82
Data Source: MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (MN DEED),
2012
COUNTY’S ECONOMIC OUTLOOK
COUNTY’S LABOR FORCE OUTLOOK BY AGE COHORTS (20052035)
COUNTY’S LABOR FORCE OUTLOOK (2005-2035)
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
16 to 24
21000
 Total labor force population is expected to
increase till 2025 when it starts decreasing, then
begins to increase again in 2035.
20500
20000
19000
3000
2000
1000
0
18000
17500
Total
65+
4000
 An individual earns about 13 per cent less annually
of what is averagely earned by a person statewide
(using the 2011 per capita income statistics).
18500
45 to 64
5000
 Both the unemployment rate and per capita
income of the County have been lower than the
State’s since 2000.
19500
25 to 44
6000
2005
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
2035
16 to 24
1780
1410
1230
1140
1160
1170
1160
25 to 44
3990
3840
3820
3770
3710
3480
3380
2005
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
2035
45 to 64
4920
5030
4760
4340
3750
3600
3620
18830
20010
20670
20830
20750
20640
20780
65+
650
760
970
1190
1340
1240
1110
Data Source: MN DEED), 2012
Data Source: MN DEED, 2012
COMPARING UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR BROWN COUNTY,
REGION NINE AND STATE (2000 – 2012)
9
Nicollet County
Region Nine
TREND IN COUNTY’S PER CAPITA INCOME (2000-2011)
Minnesota
Nicollet County
Minnesota
50000
8
45000
40000
6
Per Capita Income ($)
Unmeployment Rate
7
5
4
3
2
1
0
35000
30000
25000
20000
15000
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
10000
Nicollet County 2.5
3.6
3.2
3.9
3.4
3.2
3.4
4.1
5.1
6.3
5.6
4.5
4.2
Region Nine
3.4
4.3
4
4.8
4.2
4.3
4.4
5
6.4
7.4
6.4
5.4
4.9
Nicollet County 26613 27208 27180 28904 30924 32158 34296 34665 37160 35228 36580 38630
Minnesota
3.1
4.4
4.3
4.8
4.3
4.2
4.4
4.9
6.6
7.7
7
5.8
5.2
Minnesota
Data Source: MN DEED, 2012
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
32599 33348 34071 35252 37017 37892 39867 41642 43466 40950 42528 44560
Data Source: US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2012
COST OF LIVING
COUNTY’S HOUSING PROFILE
HOUSING UNITS: TOTAL, OWNER AND RENTER UNITS (2000-2011)
Owner-occupied
Renter-occupied
Total housing units
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
TREND IN COUNTY’S HOMEOWNERSHIP RATE
(1990-2011)
 Housing units increased by 14.1 per cent in 2011
Nicollet County
14000
(compared with the number of housing units in 2000).
77%
12000
However, although both owner-occupied and renter-
76%
10000
occupied housing units have decreased since 2000, the
8000
75%
74%
decrease in renter-occupied housing units is minimal.
73%
6000
72%
4000
71%
 The vacancy rates for both owner and renter occupied units
2000
0
Minnesota
70%
have also decreased in 2011.
2000
2005-2009
2006-2010
2007-2011
Owner-occupied
8,065
8817
8,965
9053
Renter-occupied
2,577
3262
3,236
3194
Total housing units
11,240
12674
12,873
12860
 Although higher than the State’s, the gap between the
County’s and State’s homeownership rates started closing
since 2006.
69%
1990
2000
2006-2010
2007-2011
Nicollet County
72.90%
75.80%
74.30%
73.9%
Minnesota
71.8%
74.6%
74.2%
73.6%
Data Source: Compiled from Decennial Census and U.S. Census Bureau,
American Community Survey
Data Source: MN State Demographic Center, 2012
 Annually, rent cost per household represents 31% of the
total housing cost paid by a homeowner.
HOUSING EXPENDITURE FOR BROWN COUNTY (2012)
OTHER HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS (2000-2011)
2000
2005-2009
2006-2010
2007-2011
10,642
12079
12,201
12247
598
595
672
613
Population in owner-occupied housing units
21,939
23,288
23,345
23338
Population in renter-occupied housing units
5,280
6,498
6,662
6843
Characteristics
Occupied housing units
Vacant housing units
Homeowner vacancy rate (percent)
1.2
-
1.8
0.6
Rental vacancy rate (percent)
8.7
-
7.3
3.7
Average household size of owner-occupied units
2.72
2.64
2.6
2.58
Average household size of renter-occupied units
2.05
1.99
2.06
2.14
Mortgage Interest
Property Taxes
Miscellaneous Owned Dwelling Costs
Rental Costs
Other Lodging
Data Source: MN DEED, 2012(mnprospector.com)
Data Source: US Census Bureau, 2012
$ PER HOUSEHOLD
TOTAL $000'S
$4,232
$51,925
$1,820
$22,336
$1,417
$17,389
$2,317
$28,436
$598
$7,340