Big Stone County is a county in Minnesota, United States, in the west-central part of the state, on the South Dakota border. It had a population of 5,166 at the 2020 census and covers 528 square miles (1,370 km2) centred near 45°26′N 96°25′W.
Ortonville is the county seat; its postal code is 56278. The county has 8 cities, 6 unincorporated communities and 14 civil townships. It lies in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Big Stone County
Big Stone County has 8 incorporated cities and 6 unincorporated communities spread across 14 townships. Ortonville, the seat, sits on the shore of Big Stone Lake; the rest of the cities are small farm-service towns strung along U.S. 12 and U.S. 75. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ortonville | City · seat | Ortonville | 1,809 | 56278 |
| Graceville | City | Graceville | — | 56240 |
| Clinton | City | — | — | 56225 |
| Beardsley | City | — | — | 56211 |
| Odessa | City | Odessa | — | 56276 |
| Correll | City | — | — | — |
| Barry | City | — | — | — |
| Johnson | City | — | — | — |
| Artichoke | Unincorp. | Artichoke | — | — |
| Big Stone Colony | Unincorp. | Big Stone | — | — |
| Bonanza Grove | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Foster | Unincorp. | Foster | — | — |
| Lagoona Beach | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Yankeetown | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Townships
Big Stone County has 14 organized civil townships. Population figures by township are not published at a level this page can verify, so they are omitted rather than estimated; townships are listed alphabetically.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Akron | — | — |
| Almond | — | — |
| Artichoke | — | Artichoke |
| Big Stone | — | Big Stone Colony |
| Browns Valley | — | — |
| Foster | — | Foster |
| Graceville | — | Graceville |
| Malta | — | — |
| Moonshine | — | — |
| Odessa | — | Odessa |
| Ortonville | — | Ortonville |
| Otrey | — | — |
| Prior | — | — |
| Toqua | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 56278 — Ortonville (also serves Big Stone Colony and Big Stone Lake shoreline addresses)
- 56240 — Graceville
- 56225 — Clinton
- 56211 — Beardsley
- 56276 — Odessa
Correll, Barry and Johnson are small enough that their own ZIP assignment could not be confirmed for this page; residents there typically use a neighboring town’s post office.
Geography
Big Stone County sits on the Coteau des Prairies transition zone in far west-central Minnesota, where rolling prairie gives way to the Minnesota River valley. Big Stone Lake, a 26-mile-long natural lake impounded further by the Big Stone Lake Dam (built 1937) at Ortonville, forms most of the county’s western border with South Dakota and is the source of the Minnesota River. The Little Minnesota River flows into the lake from the southwest.
Big Stone County borders Traverse County to the north, Stevens County to the northeast, Swift County to the southeast, Lac qui Parle County to the south, and Grant County and Roberts County, South Dakota to the west. Only Traverse County and Lac qui Parle County have a live, verified page on this site at time of writing; the others are named without a link.
Demographics
Big Stone County had 5,166 residents at the 2020 census, a decline from prior decades typical of rural west-central Minnesota. Ortonville and Graceville are the two largest communities, together holding roughly half the county’s population. Median household income in the county runs below the Minnesota median of $85,086, consistent with an agricultural, sparsely populated county. Population density is about 10 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives the county economy — corn, soybeans and small grains on the uplands, with cattle operations on land closer to the lake and river valley. Ortonville, the seat, anchors retail, medical and government services for the county and functions as a boating and fishing hub on Big Stone Lake in summer. Graceville is home to the Sisters of Grace campus and a regional Catholic school heritage dating to the 1880s. Big Stone Lake State Park, just outside Ortonville, is the county’s main recreation draw.
History
Big Stone County was created on February 20, 1862, and organized in 1874. Its name comes directly from Big Stone Lake, itself named for large granite boulders exposed along its shoreline. The county’s early settlement followed the Hudson’s Bay Company ox-cart trails that ran along the Minnesota River valley before the railroad reached Ortonville in the 1880s, after which the lake town grew into the county’s commercial center.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 12 and U.S. Highway 75 cross at Ortonville; Minnesota State Highways 7 and 28 also serve the county.
- Ortonville — 165 miles west of Minneapolis
- Milbank, South Dakota — 20 miles southwest
- Morris, Minnesota — 30 miles east
- Wheaton, Minnesota — 25 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, about 165 miles east.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Big Stone County?
It is in west-central Minnesota, on the South Dakota border, centred near Big Stone Lake.
What is the population of Big Stone County?
5,166 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Big Stone County?
528 square miles (1,370 km2) of land and water.
What is the county seat of Big Stone County?
Ortonville is the county seat.
How many towns are in Big Stone County?
Eight incorporated cities and six unincorporated communities, across 14 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Big Stone County?
Confirmed codes include 56278 (Ortonville), 56240 (Graceville), 56225 (Clinton), 56211 (Beardsley) and 56276 (Odessa).
What formed Big Stone Lake?
The 1937 Big Stone Lake Dam at Ortonville impounds the lake, which is also the headwater source of the Minnesota River.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Minnesota.