Morrison County is a county in Minnesota, United States, centred on the city of Little Falls along the Mississippi River. It had a population of 34,010 at the 2020 census and covers 1,153 square miles (2,990 km2) of land and water, centred near 45°58′N 94°22′W.
Little Falls is the county seat, and its postal code is 56345. The county has 16 incorporated cities, 15 unincorporated communities, and 31 civil townships. Morrison County observes Central Time, and its FIPS code is 27097.
Towns & Villages in Morrison County
Morrison County’s 16 incorporated cities range from Little Falls, the seat and largest city, down to small villages with only a few hundred residents. Fifteen more places are unincorporated communities with no city government of their own, listed here as Unincorp. Camp Ripley Military Reservation, a Minnesota National Guard training site, occupies much of the north-central county and is not a civilian settlement.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Falls | City · seat | Little Falls Twp. | — | 56345 |
| Pierz | City | Buckman Twp. | — | 56364 |
| Royalton | City | Two Rivers Twp. | — | 56373 |
| Randall | City | Two Rivers Twp. | — | 56475 |
| Motley | City | Two Rivers Twp. | — | 56466 |
| Swanville | City | Swan River Twp. | — | 56382 |
| Upsala | City | Bellevue Twp. | — | 56384 |
| Buckman | City | Buckman Twp. | — | 56317 |
| Bowlus | City | Bellevue Twp. | — | 56314 |
| Sobieski | City | Buh Twp. | — | — |
| Genola | City | Culdrum Twp. | — | — |
| Elmdale | City | Elmdale Twp. | — | — |
| Flensburg | City | Bellevue Twp. | — | 56328 |
| Harding | City | Culdrum Twp. | — | — |
| Hillman | City | Hillman Twp. | — | 56338 |
| Lastrup | City | Rail Prairie Twp. | — | 56349 |
| Belle Prairie | Unincorp. | Belle Prairie Twp. | — | — |
| Center Valley | Unincorp. | Belle Prairie Twp. | — | — |
| Cushing | Unincorp. | Cushing Twp. | — | — |
| Darling | Unincorp. | Darling Twp. | — | — |
| Freedhem | Unincorp. | Ripley Twp. | — | — |
| Gregory | Unincorp. | Ripley Twp. | — | — |
| Lincoln | Unincorp. | Lincoln Twp. | — | — |
| Little Rock | Unincorp. | Little Falls Twp. | — | — |
| Morrill | Unincorp. | Ripley Twp. | — | — |
| North Prairie | Unincorp. | North Prairie Twp. | — | — |
| Platte | Unincorp. | Platte Twp. | — | — |
| Ramey | Unincorp. | Ripley Twp. | — | — |
| Shamineau Park | Unincorp. | Bellevue Twp. | — | — |
| Sullivan | Unincorp. | Sullivan Twp. | — | — |
| Vawter | Unincorp. | Little Falls Twp. | — | — |
Motley, Royalton and Swanville each straddle the county line, with the bulk of their platted area and population in Morrison County and a smaller portion crossing into Cass, Benton or Todd counties respectively.
Townships
Morrison County is organized into 31 civil townships covering nearly all of its unincorporated land, a legacy of Minnesota’s township-government system. Reliable individual 2020 population figures for each township were not available at publication, so this section lists the townships by name and their principal settlements rather than by population rank.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Little Falls Twp. | — | Little Rock, Vawter |
| Buckman Twp. | — | Buckman, Pierz (part) |
| Bellevue Twp. | — | Bowlus, Flensburg, Shamineau Park |
| Two Rivers Twp. | — | Royalton (part), Randall, Motley (part) |
| Ripley Twp. | — | Freedhem, Gregory, Morrill, Ramey |
| Belle Prairie Twp. | — | Belle Prairie, Center Valley |
| Swan River Twp. | — | Swanville (part) |
| Culdrum Twp. | — | Harding, Genola |
| Cushing Twp. | — | Cushing |
| Darling Twp. | — | Darling |
| Elmdale Twp. | — | Elmdale |
| Hillman Twp. | — | Hillman |
| Rail Prairie Twp. | — | Lastrup |
| Lincoln Twp. | — | Lincoln |
| North Prairie Twp. | — | North Prairie |
| Platte Twp. | — | Platte |
| Sullivan Twp. | — | Sullivan |
| Buh Twp. | — | Sobieski |
The remaining civil townships are largely rural farmland or forest with no platted settlement of their own.
ZIP Codes
- 56345 — Little Falls (also serves Little Rock, Vawter)
- 56364 — Pierz (also serves Buckman Township’s east side)
- 56373 — Royalton
- 56475 — Randall
- 56466 — Motley
- 56382 — Swanville
- 56384 — Upsala
- 56317 — Buckman
- 56314 — Bowlus
- 56328 — Flensburg
- 56338 — Hillman
- 56349 — Lastrup
Small unincorporated places such as Cushing, Darling, Elmdale, Genola, Harding, Sobieski and Sullivan use the ZIP of the nearest post-office town rather than carrying their own ZIP.
Geography
Morrison County lies in central Minnesota, split by the Mississippi River, which flows south through the west-central part of the county past Little Falls. Camp Ripley Military Reservation, a Minnesota National Guard training installation of roughly 53,000 acres, occupies much of the north-central county along the river. The terrain is a mix of river-bottom farmland, prairie in the south, and forest and lake country toward the north and east.
Morrison County borders Cass County to the north, Crow Wing County to the northeast, Mille Lacs County to the east, Benton County to the southeast, Stearns County to the south, and Todd County to the west.
Demographics
Morrison County had 34,010 residents at the 2020 census, giving it a density of roughly 30 people per square mile. Little Falls, the county seat, is the largest city, followed by Pierz. Median household income in the county runs below the Minnesota median of $85,086, reflecting the county’s agricultural and manufacturing economic base rather than the Twin Cities’ higher urban wages.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, particularly dairy and row-crop farming, remains a major employer across the county’s townships, alongside light manufacturing and healthcare centred in Little Falls, home to CHI St. Gabriel’s Health hospital. Camp Ripley is one of the county’s largest single employers, drawing National Guard personnel and support contractors. Pierz, a smaller city with a strong Central European heritage, hosts an annual Fun Fest each summer, while Little Falls holds an annual Riverfest along the Mississippi.
History
Morrison County was organized on February 25, 1856, partitioned from Benton County. It is named for brothers William and Allan Morrison, early fur traders who worked the upper Mississippi region in the early 19th century. Little Falls grew around a Mississippi River waterpower site and briefly hosted an aviation pioneer, Charles Lindbergh, whose boyhood home near town is preserved as a state historic site. Camp Ripley, established in 1931 as a National Guard training ground, has shaped the county’s north end for nearly a century.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 10 runs the length of the county through Little Falls, Randall and Motley, and Minnesota State Highways 25, 27, 28, 115, 238 and 371 connect the smaller towns.
- St. Cloud — 30 miles south
- Brainerd — 30 miles north
- Minneapolis — 100 miles south
- Alexandria — 45 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is St. Cloud Regional Airport, about 30 miles south of Little Falls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Morrison County?
It is in central Minnesota, along the Mississippi River, between St. Cloud and Brainerd.
What is the population of Morrison County?
34,010 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Morrison County?
1,153 square miles (2,990 km2), including 28 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Morrison County?
Little Falls is the county seat.
How many towns are in Morrison County?
16 incorporated cities and 15 unincorporated communities across 31 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Morrison County?
Little Falls uses 56345; other towns include Pierz (56364), Royalton (56373), Randall (56475) and Motley (56466).
What military base is in Morrison County?
Camp Ripley, a Minnesota National Guard training reservation, occupies much of the north-central county.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Minnesota.