Cass County, Minnesota

Cass County is a county in Minnesota, United States, in the north-central lakes region of the state. It had a population of 30,066 at the 2020 census and covers 2,414 square miles (6,253 km2), roughly a sixth of it water, centred near 46°57′N 94°19′W.

Walker is the county seat and its postal code is 56484. The county contains 14 incorporated cities, roughly two dozen named unincorporated communities and 49 organized townships. Cass County sits in the Central time zone and forms part of the Brainerd, Minnesota Micropolitan Statistical Area; a substantial share of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation lies within its borders.

Towns & Villages in Cass County

The table below lists Cass County’s 14 incorporated cities plus the named unincorporated communities carried forward from local usage. Walker is the only city · seat; the rest are cities, or, where no municipal government exists, Unincorp. places inside one of the county’s 49 townships. 2020 census counts are given where the Census Bureau tabulates the place separately; lake-country hamlets that the Bureau does not tabulate on their own are marked —.

East Gull Lake, Lake Shore and Chickamaw Beach all sit in Sylvan Township on the shores of Gull Lake, a straddling case: the lake itself, and part of the built-up shoreline, extends into neighboring Crow Wing County, so addresses on the Cass County side carry these three separate city governments rather than one.

Townships

Cass County has 49 organized townships. The Census Bureau does not publish separate population counts for most of them, so the table lists only the townships tied to a named place above; the county’s other townships are largely unpopulated forest and lake land.

ZIP Codes

• 56484 — Walker (also serves Ah-gwah-ching)
• 56633 — Cass Lake (also serves Onigum, Pike Bay)
• 56474 — Pine River
• 56473 — Pillager
• 56435 — Backus
• 56672 — Remer
• 56452 — Hackensack
• 56655 — Longville
• 56662 — Outing
• 56641 — Federal Dam
• 56626 — Bena

East Gull Lake, Lake Shore, Chickamaw Beach and Boy River have no dedicated post office ZIP; mail there is typically routed through a neighboring Cass or Crow Wing County ZIP.

Geography

Cass County’s terrain is wooded, rolling hills heavily dotted with lakes and ponds, part of Minnesota’s north-woods lake district. Water covers roughly 16 percent of the county’s total area, with Leech Lake — one of Minnesota’s largest lakes and the anchor of the Leech Lake Indian Reservation — as its dominant feature; Gull Lake, Woman Lake and the Boy and Pine Rivers are the other principal waterways.

Cass County borders eight other counties: Beltrami County to the north, Itasca County to the northeast, Aitkin County to the east, Crow Wing County to the southeast, Morrison County to the south, Todd County to the southwest, Wadena County to the west and Hubbard County to the northwest.

Demographics

Cass County had 30,066 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 15 people per square mile of land. Walker and the Gull Lake-area cities of Lake Shore and East Gull Lake are the largest population centers; the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe is a significant presence countywide, with tribal government offices at Cass Lake. Median household income in Cass County runs below the Minnesota median of $85,086, reflecting the county’s seasonal-tourism and resource-based economy rather than a metro-area wage base.

Economy & Local Life

Tourism and lake-cabin recreation drive the county’s economy — Leech Lake and the Gull Lake chain are among Minnesota’s best-known walleye fisheries, and resorts, marinas and seasonal retail cluster around Walker, Longville and Hackensack. Forestry and forest-products work continue in the county’s northern townships. The Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe operates tribal government, health and gaming enterprises, including a casino at Cass Lake. Walker’s summer International Eelpout Festival on Leech Lake is the county’s best-known annual event, alongside Longville’s Turtle Races.

History

Cass County was created on September 1, 1851, and organized in 1897; it takes its name from Lewis Cass, a 19th-century Michigan political figure who never lived in Minnesota. Much of the county overlaps the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, established by an 1855 treaty, and the county’s history is closely tied to Ojibwe settlement at Leech Lake, Cass Lake and Lake Winnibigoshish long before European-American logging and resort development arrived in the late 1800s.

Getting There

US Route 2 crosses the county’s northern portion through Cass Lake and Bena; Minnesota State Highways 6, 34, 64, 84, 87, 200, 210 and 371 provide the main north-south and east-west links between the county’s towns.

• Brainerd — 30 miles southeast
• Bemidji — 35 miles northwest
• Park Rapids — 30 miles west
• Grand Rapids — 45 miles northeast

Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, just outside the county in Crow Wing County, is the nearest commercial airport with scheduled service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Cass County, Minnesota?
It is in north-central Minnesota, between Bemidji and Brainerd, centred on Leech Lake.

What is the population of Cass County?
30,066 people, at the 2020 census.

How big is Cass County?
2,414 square miles (6,253 km2), of which about 16 percent is water.

What is the county seat of Cass County?
Walker is the county seat.

How many towns are in Cass County?
14 incorporated cities, plus about two dozen named unincorporated communities across 49 townships.

What ZIP codes are in Cass County?
Eleven ZIP codes serve the county, including 56484 (Walker), 56633 (Cass Lake) and 56474 (Pine River).

Is the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in Cass County?
Yes, a substantial part of the reservation, including the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe’s headquarters at Cass Lake, lies within the county.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Minnesota.