Kittson is a county in Minnesota, United States, tucked into the northwestern corner of the state along the Red River, directly south of the Canadian province of Manitoba. It had a population of 4,207 at the 2020 census and covers 1,099 square miles (2,850 km2) of land centred near 48°47′N 96°47′W.
Hallock is the county seat and its postal code is 56728. The county has nine incorporated cities, five unincorporated communities, one ghost town (Pelan), and 25 organized townships. It observes Central Time.
Towns & Villages in Kittson County
Kittson County’s population is spread across nine small cities and a scatter of unincorporated crossroads and rail-line settlements. City is used for every incorporated municipality here (Minnesota does not distinguish “town” as a legal city class); CDP marks a place with no city government, and Unincorp. covers a hamlet or ghost-town site with neither.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hallock | City · seat | Hallock | 1,116 | 56728 |
| Karlstad | City | Skane | 708 | 56732 |
| Lake Bronson | City | Deerwood | 331 | 56734 |
| Kennedy | City | Norway | 203 | 56733 |
| Lancaster | City | Percy | 294 | 56735 |
| Humboldt | City | St. Vincent | 50 | 56731 |
| Halma | City | Spring Brook | 67 | 56729 |
| Donaldson | City | Deerwood | 15 | 56720 |
| St. Vincent | City | St. Vincent | 66 | 56755 |
| Caribou | Unincorp. | Cannon | — | — |
| Northcote | Unincorp. | South Red River | — | — |
| Noyes | Unincorp. | St. Vincent | — | 56740 |
| Orleans | Unincorp. | South Red River | — | — |
| Robbin | Unincorp. | Skane | — | — |
| Pelan | Unincorp. | Pelan | — | — |
Noyes, on the Canadian border at the Manitoba port of entry, has its own ZIP code (56740) despite never incorporating. Pelan is a genuine ghost town — its name survives only in the township that carries it.
Townships
Kittson County is organized into 25 civil townships covering nearly all of its land area outside the nine cities. The 2020 census does not break out population by township for this county, so counts are omitted rather than estimated.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Hallock | — | Hallock |
| Deerwood | — | Lake Bronson, Donaldson |
| Skane | — | Karlstad, Robbin |
| St. Vincent | — | St. Vincent, Humboldt, Noyes |
| Norway | — | Kennedy |
| Percy | — | Lancaster |
| Spring Brook | — | Halma |
| Cannon | — | Caribou |
| South Red River | — | Northcote, Orleans |
| Pelan | — | Pelan (ghost town) |
| Arveson | — | — |
| Clow | — | — |
| Davis | — | — |
| Granville | — | — |
| Hampden | — | — |
| Hazelton | — | — |
| Hill | — | — |
| Jupiter | — | — |
| Poppleton | — | — |
| Richardville | — | — |
| St. Joseph | — | — |
| Svea | — | — |
| Tegner | — | — |
| Teien | — | — |
| Thompson | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 56728 — Hallock (also serves surrounding Hallock Township)
- 56732 — Karlstad (also serves Robbin)
- 56734 — Lake Bronson (also serves Donaldson)
- 56733 — Kennedy
- 56735 — Lancaster
- 56731 — Humboldt
- 56729 — Halma
- 56720 — Donaldson
- 56755 — Saint Vincent
- 56740 — Noyes
Caribou, Northcote, Orleans, and Pelan have no post office of their own and are served by ZIP codes assigned to a neighboring city.
Geography
Kittson County sits at the northwestern tip of Minnesota’s Red River Valley, a flat glacial lake plain that flattens further toward the river itself. The Red River forms the county’s entire western border, flowing north into Manitoba; the terrain rises gently to low rolling hills toward the southeast, where the county’s highest point tops out near 1,079 feet (329 meters). Farmland — mostly small grains, sugar beets, and sunflowers — covers the great majority of the county’s 1,099 square miles of land.
Kittson County borders Marshall County to the south and Roseau County to the east, both in Minnesota. Across the Red River to the west lies Pembina County, North Dakota. To the north, the county line is the international border with the Rural Municipality of Piney and the Rural Municipality of Roland in Manitoba, Canada.
Demographics
Kittson County’s population was 4,207 at the 2020 census, down from earlier decades — the county peaked above 10,000 residents in the mid-20th century and fell under 5,000 by the mid-2000s. Hallock, the seat, is the largest community at 1,116 residents; Karlstad is second at 708. Kittson County’s household income figures have not been re-verified against a current ACS estimate for this rewrite; the state’s 2023 ACS median household income is $85,086, and this rural farming county has historically run below the Minnesota figure. Population density works out to roughly 3.8 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture drives Kittson County’s economy — small grains, sugar beets, and sunflowers dominate the flat Red River Valley soil, supported by grain elevators and farm-supply businesses in Hallock, Karlstad, and Lancaster. Hallock serves as the county’s retail and government hub, home to the county courthouse and a hospital serving the surrounding farm towns. Cross-border trade and travel through the Noyes–Emerson port of entry, on U.S. Highway 75 at the Manitoba line, has long shaped local commerce.
History
The county was originally organized as Pembina County in 1873; the Minnesota legislature renamed it Kittson County on March 9, 1878, after Norman Wolfred Kittson, a fur trader and entrepreneur who ran ox-cart freight trails between St. Paul and the Red River settlements decades earlier. Kittson County was a dry county by local option for most of the 20th century — voters did not repeal the ban until May 1965.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 75 and U.S. Highway 59 both run north–south through the county, meeting Minnesota Highways 11, 171, 175, and 220 at various points. U.S. 75 crosses into Manitoba at the Noyes–Emerson border station.
- Grand Forks, ND — 75 miles south
- Thief River Falls, MN — 45 miles southeast
- Winnipeg, Manitoba — 65 miles north
- Warroad, MN — 55 miles east
The nearest commercial airport is Grand Forks International Airport, about 75 miles south.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kittson County, Minnesota?
It occupies the northwestern corner of Minnesota, along the Red River and the Manitoba border.
What is the population of Kittson County?
4,207 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Kittson County?
1,099 square miles (2,850 km2) of land, plus 4.8 square miles (12 km2) of water.
What is the county seat of Kittson County?
Hallock is the county seat.
How many towns are in Kittson County?
Nine incorporated cities, five unincorporated communities, and one ghost town (Pelan), spread across 25 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Kittson County?
Ten ZIP codes serve the county, led by 56728 (Hallock), 56732 (Karlstad), and 56734 (Lake Bronson).
Why was Kittson County renamed from Pembina County?
The Minnesota legislature renamed it in 1878 to honor Norman Wolfred Kittson, an early fur trader and ox-cart freight operator on the Red River trails.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Minnesota.