Ramsey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2010 census, the population was 508,640, making it the second-most populous county in Minnesota. Its county seat is St. Paul, which is also Minnesota's state capital. The county was founded in 1849 and is named for Alexander Ramsey (W), the first governor of the Minnesota Territory.
Ramsey County is included in the Minneapolisâ€"Saint Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the smallest and most densely populated county in Minnesota, as well as one of the most densely populated counties in the United States.
Government and politics
County Sheriff
The Ramsey County Sheriff is the top law enforcement official in Ramsey County. The Ramsey County Sheriff is elected for a four-year term via an election running concurrent with the federal mid-term elections.
The current sheriff is Jack G. Serier, who was appointed by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners on January 10, 2017 following the retirement of Sheriff Matt Bostrom.
Providing safety in Ramsey County is a collaborative effort across multiple agencies. The Ramsey County Sheriff's office provides a number of unique services across the county as mandated by law. This includes detention for court and other court services. This also includes safety, rescue and law enforcement on the waterways.
Proactively, the Sheriff's office provides multiple safety classes and coordinates community volunteer efforts.
The sheriff's office provides patrol and investigation for communities without local police forces and is available as backup for all communities. An emergency 911 call will send the appropriate agency according to the caller's location and law enforcement availability.
County Attorney
The Ramsey County Attorney prosecutes felony crimes that occur within the jurisdiction of Ramsey County. The current County Attorney is John Choi, who was elected in 2010.
County Commissioners
The county commission elects a chair who presides at meetings. Commissioners as of September 2015
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 170 square miles (440Â km2), of which 152 square miles (390Â km2) is land and 18 square miles (47Â km2) (11%) is water. It is the smallest county by area in Minnesota. It has been considered completely urbanized since the 1990 United States Census.
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Anoka County (north)
- Washington County (east)
- Dakota County (south)
- Hennepin County (west)
National protected area
- Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (part)
Demographics
2010
As of the 2010 Census, there were 508,640 people, 202,691 households, and 117,799 families residing in the county. The racial makeup of the county was 70.1% White, 11.0% Black or African American, 0.8% Native American, 11.7% Asian, 2.9% from other races, and 3.5% from two or more races. 7.2% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
According to the 2010â€"2015 American Community Survey, the largest ancestry groups were was German (26.0%), Irish (11.5%), Norwegian (9.9%), and Swedish (7.4%).
2000
At the 2000 Census, there were 511,035 people, 201,236 households, and 119,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 3,281 people per square mile (1,267/km²). There were 206,448 housing units at an average density of 1,325 per square mile (512/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 77.37% White, 7.61% Black or African American, 0.83% Native American, 8.77% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.45% from other races, and 2.90% from two or more races. 5.28% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 201,236 households out of which 29.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.00% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.40% were non-families. 32.00% 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 2.45 and the average family size was 3.16.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.60% under the age of 18, 11.30% from 18 to 24, 30.70% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 93.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $45,722, and the median income for a family was $57,747. (These figures had risen to $53,141 and $71,485, respectively, as of 2008.) Males had a median income of $39,806 versus $30,814 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,536. About 7.40% of families and 10.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.70% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
Township
- White Bear Township
Unincorporated communities
- Bald Eagle
- Bellaire
Records
Ramsey County records are available for research use. They include school records, district and municipal court files, Board of Commissioners records, County Auditor records, Court of Common Pleas, probate court records, Saint Paul City Council records, and agency histories.
See also
- Ramsey County Library
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Ramsey County, Minnesota
- Ramsey County Sheriff Matt Bostrom
References
External links
- Ramsey County government website
- Ramsey County Historical Society