Stevens County is a county in Minnesota, United States, on the rolling prairie of the west-central part of the state. It had a population of 9,671 at the 2020 census and covers 575 square miles (1,490 km2) — 564 square miles of land and 12 square miles of water — centred near 45°35′N 95°55′W.
Morris is the county seat, and its postal code is 56267. The county has five incorporated cities and 16 organized townships. Stevens County is in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Stevens County
Stevens County has five incorporated cities, all small; Morris is the only one over 1,000 residents and is home to the University of Minnesota Morris. The rest of the county is organized into 16 townships, several of which carry unincorporated crossroads and rural settlements.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morris | City · seat | Morris | 5,105 | 56267 |
| Hancock | City | Hodges | — | 56244 |
| Chokio | City | Framnas | — | 56221 |
| Donnelly | City | Donnelly | — | 56235 |
| Alberta | City | Rendsville | — | 56207 |
| Waddells MH Park | Unincorp. | Morris | — | 56267 |
Waddells MH Park is an unincorporated mobile-home community just outside the city of Morris; it has no ZIP code of its own and is served by the Morris post office.
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Morris | — | Morris (city), Waddells MH Park |
| Hodges | — | Hancock (city) |
| Framnas | — | Chokio (city) |
| Donnelly | — | Donnelly (city) |
| Rendsville | — | Alberta (city) |
| Baker | — | rural |
| Darnen | — | rural |
| Eldorado | — | rural |
| Everglade | — | rural |
| Horton | — | rural |
| Moore | — | rural |
| Pepperton | — | rural |
| Scott | — | rural |
| Stevens | — | rural |
| Swan Lake | — | rural |
| Synnes | — | rural |
ZIP Codes
- 56267 — Morris (also serves Waddells MH Park)
- 56244 — Hancock
- 56221 — Chokio
- 56235 — Donnelly
- 56207 — Alberta
Every incorporated place in Stevens County has its own ZIP code; there are five in total, and rural addresses outside city limits are assigned to the nearest post office.
Geography
Stevens County sits on rolling prairie devoted mostly to agriculture, with its highest elevation, about 1,250 feet, on the northeastern county line. The Pomme de Terre River flows south through the county on its way to the Minnesota River. Stevens County borders Grant County to the north, Douglas County to the northeast, Pope County to the east, Swift County to the south, Big Stone County to the southwest, and Traverse County to the northwest.
Demographics
Stevens County had 9,671 residents at the 2020 census, about 52 percent classified as urban and 48 percent rural, with a median age of 34.7. Morris, the seat, is by far the largest community; Hancock is the county’s second-largest incorporated place. Stevens County’s median household income runs below the Minnesota median of $85,086, reflecting its farm-and-college-town economic base. Population density is roughly 17 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, education, and manufacturing anchor the county economy. The University of Minnesota Morris, a public liberal-arts campus enrolling around 1,900 students, is Morris’s largest institution. Superior Industries, a steel conveyor and storage-tank manufacturer, employs about 800 people in Morris, and Riverview LLP, headquartered in the city, runs one of Minnesota’s largest dairy operations. Row-crop and livestock farming dominate the townships outside Morris. The Stevens County Fair runs the second full weekend in August, and Prairie Pioneer Days brings a parade and fireworks to Morris each July.
History
The Minnesota legislature created Stevens County by act on February 20, 1862, but it went unorganized, with no county seat, for a decade; county government was organized in 1872. The county is named for Isaac Ingalls Stevens, who led a railroad survey party across Minnesota in 1853 and helped bring national attention to the Minnesota Territory before serving as the territorial governor of Washington.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 59 and Minnesota State Highways 9, 28, and 329 cross the county, with Morris at their hub.
- Alexandria, MN — 33 miles northeast
- Willmar, MN — 45 miles southeast
- Fargo, ND — 75 miles northwest
- Sioux Falls, SD — 140 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Alexandria Municipal Airport; Fargo Hector International Airport, about 75 miles northwest, offers a wider range of connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Stevens County, Minnesota?
It is in west-central Minnesota, on the prairie between the Minnesota River valley and the North Dakota border.
What is the population of Stevens County?
9,671 residents at the 2020 census.
How big is Stevens County?
575 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 564 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Stevens County?
Morris is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Stevens County?
Five incorporated cities — Morris, Hancock, Chokio, Donnelly, and Alberta — plus 16 townships and the unincorporated Waddells MH Park.
What ZIP codes are in Stevens County?
56267 (Morris), 56244 (Hancock), 56221 (Chokio), 56235 (Donnelly), and 56207 (Alberta).
What is Stevens County known for?
The University of Minnesota Morris and the Riverview LLP dairy operation, one of the state’s largest.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Minnesota.