Scott County | |
|---|---|
 Scott County Government Center | |
 Logo | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota | |
 Minnesota's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 44°39′N 93°32′W / 44.65°N 93.53°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Minnesota |
| Founded | March 5, 1853[1] |
| Named for | Winfield Scott[2] |
| Seat | Shakopee |
| Largest city | Shakopee |
| Area | |
• Total | 368 sq mi (950 km2) |
| • Land | 356 sq mi (920 km2) |
| • Water | 12 sq mi (30 km2) 3.2% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 150,928 |
• Estimate (2023) | 155,814  |
| • Density | 424.0/sq mi (163.7/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
| Website | www |
Scott County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 150,928.[3] Its county seat is Shakopee.[4] Shakopee is also the largest city in Scott County, the twenty-first-largest city in Minnesota, and the sixteenth-largest Twin Cities suburb. The county was organized in 1853 and named in honor of General Winfield Scott. Scott County is part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is a member of the Metropolitan Council, and shares many of the council's concerns about responsible growth management, advocating for progressive development concepts such as clustering, open-space design, and the preservation of open space and rural/agricultural land.
The Shakopee-Mdewakanton Indian Reservation is entirely within the county and within the cities of Prior Lake and Shakopee. Due to its proximity to major cities, the tribe has earned revenues at its gaming casinos and hotel; it has used funds to reinvest in economic development for the tribe, founding numerous other enterprises. The tribe is also committed to philanthropy, having donated more than $350 million to organizations and causes in Scott County and across the country.[5]
The Minnesota River had supported the county's fur trading, lumbering, and farming industries in the 19th century. Today, Scott County experiences a growing mix of commercial, industrial, and housing development, but is still primarily rural. Scott County is home to several historical, scenic, and entertainment destinations including Canterbury Park, The Landing, Minnesota's Largest Candy Store, Elko Speedway, Mystic Lake Casino run by the Shakopee-Mdewakanton Dakota; the Renaissance Festival, and Valleyfair Amusement Park.
- ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2014.
- ^ Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. p. 163.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "SMSC announces $4 million in donations to charitable organizations, tribes". Shakopee Valley News. February 20, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.