Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota

Lake of the Woods County
US–Canada border monument no. 919
US–Canada border monument no. 919
Map of Minnesota highlighting Lake of the Woods County
Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Map of the United States highlighting Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 48°46′N 94°54′W / 48.77°N 94.9°W / 48.77; -94.9
Country United States
State Minnesota
FoundedNovember 28, 1922 (created by vote)
January 1, 1923 (organized)
Named forLake of the Woods (lake)
SeatBaudette
Largest cityBaudette
Area
 • Total1,775 sq mi (4,600 km2)
 • Land1,298 sq mi (3,360 km2)
 • Water477 sq mi (1,240 km2)  27%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total3,763
 • Estimate 
(2023)
3,778 Increase
 • Density2.9/sq mi (1.1/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district8th
Websiteco.lake-of-the-woods.mn.us

Lake of the Woods County is a county in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,763,[1] making it the second-least populous county in Minnesota. Its county seat is Baudette.[2]

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, and the United States Census Bureau treats parishes as county equivalents for census purposes.

  1. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.