Mille Lacs County is a county in Minnesota, United States, in the east-central part of the state. It had a population of 26,459 at the 2020 census and covers 572 square miles (1,481 km2) of land plus 109 square miles (282 km2) of water, centred near 45°56′N 93°38′W.
Milaca is the county seat, and its postal code is 56353. The county has 8 incorporated cities, 7 unincorporated communities and 17 organized townships. It sits within the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan statistical area and observes Central Time.
Towns & Villages in Mille Lacs County
Mille Lacs County has 8 incorporated cities and 7 unincorporated communities spread across 17 townships. Princeton, in the county’s south, is the largest city; Milaca, near the centre, is the seat of government. Type key: City · seat, City, CDP (census-designated place), Unincorp. (unincorporated community).
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milaca | City · seat | Milaca Township | — | 56353 |
| Princeton | City | Princeton Township | — | 55371 |
| Onamia | City | Onamia Township | — | 56359 |
| Isle | City | Isle Harbor Township | — | 56342 |
| Wahkon | City | South Harbor Township | — | 56386 |
| Foreston | City | Milo Township | — | 56330 |
| Pease | City | Bogus Brook Township | — | 56363 |
| Bock | City | Borgholm Township | — | 56313 |
| Bayview | Unincorp. | South Harbor Township | — | 56386 |
| Cove | Unincorp. | South Harbor Township | — | 56386 |
| Estes Brook | Unincorp. | Greenbush Township | — | — |
| Johnsdale | Unincorp. | Milaca Township | — | — |
| Long Siding | Unincorp. | Onamia Township | — | — |
| Opstead | Unincorp. | Page Township | — | — |
| Vineland | Unincorp. | Kathio Township | — | 56359 |
The old page’s “Page” and “Woodward Brook” entries are Page Township itself and a rural crossing point rather than distinct populated places with their own ZIP; both are folded into their township’s listing above rather than duplicated as separate rows.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Princeton Township | — | Surrounds the city of Princeton |
| Milaca Township | — | Surrounds the city of Milaca; Johnsdale |
| Onamia Township | — | Surrounds the city of Onamia; Long Siding |
| South Harbor Township | — | Wahkon, Bayview, Cove, Mille Lacs Lake shoreline |
| Isle Harbor Township | — | Surrounds the city of Isle |
| Kathio Township | — | Vineland, Mille Lacs Indian Reservation lands |
| Milo Township | — | Surrounds the city of Foreston |
| Bogus Brook Township | — | Surrounds the city of Pease |
| Borgholm Township | — | Surrounds the city of Bock |
| Bradbury Township | — | Rural, west of Milaca |
| Dailey Township | — | Rural, southeast county |
| East Side Township | — | East shore, Mille Lacs Lake |
| Greenbush Township | — | Estes Brook |
| Hayland Township | — | Rural, southwest county |
| Lewis Township | — | Rural, west county |
| Mudgett Township | — | Rural, north county |
| Page Township | — | Opstead |
Individual 2020 township-level population figures were not available from a verified source at the time of writing, so those cells are left blank rather than estimated.
ZIP Codes
- 55371 — Princeton (also serves Princeton Township)
- 56353 — Milaca (also serves Milaca Township and Johnsdale)
- 56359 — Onamia (also serves Vineland and Long Siding)
- 56342 — Isle (also serves Isle Harbor Township)
- 56330 — Foreston (also serves Milo Township)
- 56386 — Wahkon (also serves Bayview and Cove)
- 56363 — Pease (also serves Bogus Brook Township)
- 56313 — Bock (also serves Borgholm Township)
Estes Brook, Johnsdale, Long Siding and Opstead have no dedicated ZIP code of their own and are served by the nearest incorporated city’s post office.
Geography
Mille Lacs County lies in Minnesota’s east-central lake country. The Rum River flows south through the middle of the county, and the county’s northeastern corner touches the southwestern shore of Mille Lacs Lake, the state’s second-largest lake and the source of the county’s name — French for “thousand lakes.” The terrain is a mix of wooded rolling hills and cleared farmland, with numerous smaller lakes and wetlands throughout.
Mille Lacs County borders Aitkin County to the north, Kanabec County to the northeast, Isanti County to the southeast, Sherburne County to the south, Benton County to the southwest, Morrison County to the west, and Crow Wing County to the northwest.
Demographics
Mille Lacs County had 26,459 residents at the 2020 census. Princeton and Milaca are its two largest communities. About 88 percent of residents identify as White and 5.7 percent as American Indian or Alaska Native, reflecting the county’s overlap with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe’s reservation lands around Kathio Township. Median household income runs below the Minnesota median of $85,086, typical of the state’s more rural east-central counties. Population density is roughly 46 people per square mile, and about 82 percent of residents live outside incorporated cities.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, forestry, tourism and healthcare anchor the local economy. Mille Lacs Lake draws walleye anglers and lake-cabin owners from across the Upper Midwest, supporting resorts, bait shops and marinas around Isle and Wahkon. The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe operates Grand Casino Mille Lacs near Onamia, one of the county’s largest employers. Milaca and Princeton serve as retail and healthcare hubs for the surrounding farm townships, and commuters from the county’s southern townships increasingly work in the outer Twin Cities suburbs.
History
Mille Lacs County was organized on May 23, 1857, one of nine counties created that year as Minnesota Territory moved toward statehood. Its borders were adjusted in 1860. The county’s name comes from Mille Lacs Lake, itself named by French traders for the region’s abundance of lakes. Part of the county lies within the Mille Lacs Indian Reservation, home to the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, whose presence in the area predates European settlement by centuries. The county has long straddled agricultural and lake-tourism economies, a pattern still visible in its township and city layout today.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 169 runs north–south through the county, connecting Onamia and Isle to the Twin Cities. State Highway 27 crosses east–west through Milaca, and State Highway 95 links Milaca to Princeton.
- Milaca — 60 miles northwest of Minneapolis–Saint Paul
- Princeton — 50 miles northwest of Minneapolis–Saint Paul
- Onamia — 90 miles north of Minneapolis–Saint Paul
- Isle — 100 miles north of Minneapolis–Saint Paul, on the shore of Mille Lacs Lake
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport is the nearest major commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mille Lacs County?
It is in east-central Minnesota, part of the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan statistical area, bordering Mille Lacs Lake to the northeast.
What is the population of Mille Lacs County?
26,459 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Mille Lacs County?
572 square miles (1,481 km2) of land plus 109 square miles (282 km2) of water.
What is the county seat of Mille Lacs County?
Milaca is the county seat; Princeton is the county’s largest city.
How many towns are in Mille Lacs County?
8 incorporated cities and 7 unincorporated communities across 17 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Mille Lacs County?
55371 (Princeton), 56353 (Milaca), 56359 (Onamia), 56342 (Isle), 56330 (Foreston), 56386 (Wahkon), 56363 (Pease) and 56313 (Bock).
Is Mille Lacs Lake in Mille Lacs County?
Only the county’s northeastern shoreline touches the lake, around Isle, Wahkon and East Side Township; most of the lake itself sits in neighboring Aitkin and Crow Wing counties.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Minnesota.