Waseca County is a county in Minnesota, United States, in the prairie and farmland belt of the south-central part of the state. It had a population of 18,968 at the 2020 census, and it covers 433 square miles (1,120 km2) — 423 square miles (1,100 km2) of land and 9.6 square miles (25 km2) of water — centred near 44°01′N 93°35′W.
Waseca is the county seat, and its postal code is 56093. The county has five incorporated cities (Waseca, Janesville, New Richland, Waldorf, and part of Elysian), twelve townships, and nine unincorporated communities. Waseca County sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Waseca County
Waseca, the seat, anchors the county’s east-central side; the other four cities are smaller farm-service towns spread across the townships. Most of the remaining places on this list are unincorporated crossroads or platted townsite remnants with no city government of their own.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waseca | City · seat | — | 9,229 | 56093 |
| Janesville | City | Janesville | 2,421 | 56048 |
| New Richland | City | New Richland | 1,229 | 56072 |
| Waldorf | City | — | — | — |
| Elysian (part) | City | — | — | — |
| Alma City | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Colony Court | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Lake Elysian | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Matawan | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Otisco | Unincorp. | Otisco | — | — |
| Palmer | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Saint Mary | Unincorp. | St. Mary | — | — |
| Smiths Mill | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Vista | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Wilton | Unincorp. | Wilton | — | — |
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Alton | — | Rural, no platted town |
| Blooming Grove | — | Rural, no platted town |
| Byron | — | Rural, no platted town |
| Freedom | — | Rural, no platted town |
| Iosco | — | Rural, no platted town |
| Janesville | — | City of Janesville |
| New Richland | — | City of New Richland |
| Otisco | — | Otisco, Matawan |
| St. Mary | — | Saint Mary |
| Vivian | — | Rural, no platted town |
| Wilton | — | Wilton (the original county seat) |
| Woodville | — | Rural, no platted town |
ZIP Codes
- 56093 — Waseca (also serves surrounding rural townships)
- 56048 — Janesville
- 56072 — New Richland
Waldorf, Elysian, and the county’s unincorporated communities share ZIP codes with a neighboring post office town rather than carrying one of their own.
Geography
Waseca County lies in the Minnesota River watershed’s southern drainage, a landscape of gently rolling till plains, prairie potholes, and drained farmland dotted with natural lakes such as Clear Lake, Loon Lake, and Lake Elysian. The county has no native forest cover — it is one of a handful of southern Minnesota counties whose original vegetation was entirely prairie and savanna rather than woodland.
Waseca County borders Rice County and Le Sueur County to the north/northwest, Steele County to the east, Freeborn County to the southeast, Faribault County to the south/southwest, and Blue Earth County to the west.
Demographics
Waseca County’s population was 18,968 at the 2020 census. Waseca and Janesville are the two largest communities, together holding more than half the county’s residents. The county is predominantly White (89.8%), with small Black (1.9%) and Asian (0.6%) populations and a Hispanic or Latino community of 6.7%; median age is 40.6. Minnesota’s 2023 ACS median household income was $85,086; Waseca County, a rural agricultural county with a smaller manufacturing and institutional base, typically runs below that figure. Population density works out to roughly 45 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture — corn, soybeans, and hog and dairy operations on the county’s prairie soils — is the base of the local economy. Waseca’s largest private employer is a ConAgra Brands frozen-vegetable packing plant; the Federal Correctional Institution, Waseca, a low-security federal prison for women, and the Waseca Medical Center (Mayo Clinic Health System) are major public and healthcare employers. The Southern Research and Outreach Center, a University of Minnesota agricultural research campus on the edge of Waseca, anchors the county’s farm-research economy. The Waseca County Fair, held each July, is the county’s largest annual gathering.
History
Waseca County was organized on February 27, 1857. Its name comes from a Dakota word meaning “rich,” a reference to the depth and fertility of the county’s prairie soils. Wilton, platted in 1854, served as the first county seat before it was moved to Waseca around 1870, after the Winona and St. Peter Railroad reached the town and made it the county’s commercial center. On April 30, 1967, a tornado outbreak caused significant damage in and around the city of Waseca.
Getting There
U.S. Route 14 and Minnesota Highway 13 cross at Waseca, linking the county east–west and north–south through south-central Minnesota; Interstate 35 runs along the county’s western edge through Steele and Blue Earth counties.
- Mankato — about 20 miles west
- Owatonna — about 20 miles northeast
- Faribault — about 25 miles north
- Albert Lea — about 30 miles south
The nearest airport with scheduled commercial service is Rochester International Airport, roughly 45 miles east. Amtrak’s Empire Builder does not stop in Waseca County; the closest station is Union Depot in Saint Paul, roughly 70 miles northeast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Waseca postcode?
Waseca’s postal code is 56093.
What county is Waseca, Minnesota in?
Waseca is the county seat of Waseca County, Minnesota.
How many people live in Waseca County?
Waseca County had a population of 18,968 at the 2020 census.
What is the largest city in Waseca County?
Waseca, the county seat, is the largest city, with 9,229 residents at the 2020 census.
What was the original county seat of Waseca County?
Wilton, platted in 1854, was the first county seat before it moved to Waseca around 1870.
Does Waseca County have any forests?
No. Waseca County is one of the few southern Minnesota counties with no native forest ecosystem; its original land cover was prairie and savanna.
How big is Waseca County?
Waseca County covers 433 square miles (1,120 km2), of which 423 square miles (1,100 km2) is land and 9.6 square miles (25 km2) is water.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Minnesota.