Mower County is a county in Minnesota, United States, on the Iowa border in the south-central part of the state. It had a population of 40,029 at the 2020 census and covers 711 square miles (1,842 km2) centred near 43°40′N 92°45′W.
Austin is the county seat, and its postal code is 55912. The county has 14 incorporated cities, 8 unincorporated communities, and 20 townships. Mower County observes Central time (UTC−6, UTC−5 during daylight saving).
Towns & Villages in Mower County
Mower County’s 22 recognised places split into 14 incorporated cities and 8 unincorporated communities. Minnesota does not use the “town” or “village” designation for incorporated places — every incorporated place here is legally a city. Population figures below are census-tracked; places without a confirmed 2020 count are marked —.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | City · seat | Austin | — | 55912 |
| Adams | City | Adams | — | 55909 |
| Brownsdale | City | — | — | 55918 |
| Dexter | City | Dexter | — | 55926 |
| Elkton | City | — | — | 55933 |
| Grand Meadow | City | Grand Meadow | — | 55936 |
| Le Roy | City | Le Roy | — | 55951 |
| Lyle | City | Lyle | — | 55953 |
| Mapleview | City | — | — | 55912 (Austin) |
| Racine | City | Racine | — | 55967 |
| Rose Creek | City | — | — | 55970 |
| Sargeant | City | Sargeant | — | 55973 |
| Taopi | City | — | — | 55977 |
| Waltham | City | Waltham | — | 55982 |
| Andyville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Corning | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Johnsburg | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Mayville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Nicolville | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Ramsey | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Renova | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Varco | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Nine of the fourteen cities share a name with the civil township that surrounds them (Austin, Adams, Dexter, Grand Meadow, Le Roy, Lyle, Racine, Sargeant, and Waltham), a common Minnesota pattern where the township took its name from the platted town at its centre. Mapleview is a small city on Austin’s southeast edge and uses Austin’s 55912 ZIP code rather than one of its own.
Townships
Mower County’s twenty civil townships cover the land outside the incorporated cities. Township-level 2020 census counts are not published separately from the townships list used here, so populations are omitted rather than estimated; the table below is ordered alphabetically.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Adams | — | Adams |
| Austin | — | Austin |
| Bennington | — | — |
| Clayton | — | — |
| Dexter | — | Dexter |
| Frankford | — | — |
| Grand Meadow | — | Grand Meadow |
| Lansing | — | Lansing (unincorp.) |
| Le Roy | — | Le Roy |
| Lodi | — | — |
| Lyle | — | Lyle |
| Marshall | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — |
| Pleasant Valley | — | — |
| Racine | — | Racine |
| Red Rock | — | — |
| Sargeant | — | Sargeant |
| Udolpho | — | — |
| Waltham | — | Waltham |
| Windom | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 55912 — Austin (also serves Mapleview)
- 55909 — Adams
- 55918 — Brownsdale
- 55926 — Dexter
- 55933 — Elkton
- 55936 — Grand Meadow
- 55951 — Le Roy
- 55953 — Lyle
- 55950 — Lansing (PO Box only)
- 55967 — Racine
- 55970 — Rose Creek
- 55973 — Sargeant
- 55977 — Taopi
- 55982 — Waltham
The county’s eight unincorporated communities (Andyville, Corning, Johnsburg, Mayville, Nicolville, Ramsey, Renova, and Varco) have no ZIP code of their own and are served by the nearest listed post office town.
Geography
Mower County sits on the gently rolling till plains of southeastern Minnesota, drained by the Cedar River and its branches. Unusually for the region, the county has no natural lakes — it is one of only four Minnesota counties without one — though several small man-made impoundments dot its farmland. Lake Louise State Park, built around one of those reservoirs, lies near Le Roy in the county’s southeast corner. Farmland dominates the landscape, with row crops and livestock operations covering most of the 711 square miles of land.
Mower County borders Steele County to the northwest, Olmsted County to the northeast, Fillmore County to the east, Mitchell County, Iowa to the south, Worth County, Iowa to the southwest, Freeborn County to the west, and Dodge County to the north.
Demographics
Mower County recorded 40,029 residents at the 2020 census, spread over 711 square miles for a density of about 56 people per square mile. Austin is by far the largest place, home to most of the county’s population; among the smaller cities, Grand Meadow and Le Roy are the most populous. Mower County’s median household income runs below the Minnesota median of $85,086, reflecting an economy still anchored in agriculture and food processing rather than the higher-wage metro-area jobs found closer to the Twin Cities.
Economy & Local Life
Food processing is the county’s signature industry: Hormel Foods was founded in Austin in 1891 and still operates its corporate headquarters and a major processing plant there, making meatpacking and packaged foods the county’s largest private employer sector. Agriculture — corn, soybeans, and hog and cattle production — underpins the surrounding townships, and Mayo Clinic Health System operates a hospital campus in Austin serving the wider area. The county seat also hosts the annual Mower County Fair and the SPAM Town USA festival, both tied to Austin’s food-industry identity.
History
Mower County was created on February 20, 1855, and organized on March 1, 1856, one of the wave of counties formed as Minnesota Territory filled in ahead of statehood in 1858. It was named for John Edward Mower, a member of the territorial legislature. Austin, platted the same decade, grew into the county’s commercial center after the railroad arrived and after Hormel Foods established its plant there in the 1890s; the 1985–86 Hormel meatpacking strike, centered on the Austin plant, became one of the most closely watched American labor disputes of the era.
Getting There
Interstate 90 runs east–west through the county past Austin, with US Highways 63 and 218 and several state highways connecting the smaller towns. Austin Municipal Airport handles general aviation.
- Rochester, MN — about 40 miles north
- Mason City, IA — about 25 miles south
- Minneapolis, MN — about 105 miles north
- La Crosse, WI — about 75 miles east
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mower County, Minnesota?
It is in the south-central part of the state, on the Iowa border, along Interstate 90.
What is the population of Mower County?
40,029 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Mower County?
711 square miles (1,842 km2) of land, plus a small amount of water.
What is the county seat of Mower County?
Austin, which is also the county’s largest city and home of Hormel Foods.
How many towns are in Mower County?
14 incorporated cities and 8 unincorporated communities, spread across 20 townships.
What ZIP codes are in Mower County?
Fourteen, led by 55912 for Austin; see the ZIP Codes section above for the full list.
Why does Austin call itself SPAM Town USA?
Because Hormel Foods, which invented SPAM in 1937, was founded in and still operates its main plant in Austin.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Minnesota.