31-575: Waite Park is a city in Stearns County , Minnesota , United States. The population was 8,341 at the 2020 census . Waite Park was incorporated in 1893. It was named for Henry Chester Waite , a state legislator. A post office was established at Waite Park in 1897, and remained in operation until 1972. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 8.94 square miles (23.15 km); 8.90 square miles (23.05 km)
62-692: A Gothic Revival stone structure built in 1873. Stearns County retains in its German character and is still home to one of the largest rural Catholic populations in Anglo-America." Furthermore, according to Kathleen Neils Conzen, "Stearns County Germans early established daughter settlements at West Union in Todd County , Millerville in Douglas County , and Pierz in Morrison County, later flooded into North Dakota (where 'Stearns County German' remains
93-550: A city-owned 6,000-seat outdoor amphitheater, opened in Waite Park in 2021. It hosts national acts, smaller concerts, and community events. Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race. As of the census of 2010, there were 6,715 people, 3,127 households, and 1,538 families living in
124-472: A household in the county was $ 42,426, and the median income for a family was $ 51,553. Males had a median income of $ 34,268 versus $ 23,393 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 19,211. About 4.30% of families and 8.70% of the population were below the poverty line , including 6.70% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over. In its early history Stearns County was heavily Democratic due to being largely German Catholic and opposed to
155-572: A missionary to Indians in central Minnesota, published a series of articles in 1851 in German Catholic newspapers advocating Catholic settlement in central Minnesota. Large numbers of immigrants, mainly German, but also Slovenian and Polish , responded. Over 20 parishes where formed in what is now Stearns County, each centered on a church-oriented hamlet. As the farmers prospered, the small frame churches were replaced by more substantial buildings of brick or stone such as St. Mary, Help of Christians ,
186-500: A recognized ethnicity today), and in 1905 negotiated with the Canadian authorities to establish the St. Peter Colony in north-central Saskatchewan ." The first courthouse was put into service on July 12, 1864, and it remained in use until the present courthouse was dedicated in 1922. In 1913 a campaign was mounted to shift the county seat to Albany , due to its more central location. The effort
217-429: A standardized methodology and set of questions. Per capita income is often used to measure a sector's average income and compare the wealth of different populations. Per capita income is also often used to measure a country's standard of living . When used to compare income levels of different countries, it is usually expressed using a commonly used international currency, such as the euro or United States dollar . It
248-563: Is St. Cloud . Included within the Minnesota Territory since 1849, the county was founded by European Americans in 1855. It was originally named for Isaac Ingalls Stevens , then renamed for Charles Thomas Stearns . Stearns County is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area , which is also included in the Minneapolis - St. Paul Combined Statistical Area . The Stearns County area
279-406: Is North Middle School, and the zoned high school is Apollo High School . Waite Park was formerly home to the St. Cloud area campus of Globe University/Minnesota School of Business , a private career college. Stearns County, Minnesota Stearns County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota . As of the 2020 census , the population was 158,292. Its county seat and largest city
310-415: Is devoted to agriculture or has been developed. The terrain slopes to the east and south, with its highest point a local protuberance at 7.6 miles (12.2 km) west and 1.6 miles (2.6 km) south of St. Joseph , at 1,461 ft (445 m) ASL. The county's total area is 1,390 square miles (3,600 km ), of which 1,343 square miles (3,480 km ) is land and 47 square miles (120 km ) (3.4%)
341-414: Is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km) is water. Minnesota State Highway 23 and County 75 are two of Waite Park's main routes. Minnesota Highway 15 skirts Waite Park's southeastern border. Interstate Highway 94 is immediately southwest of Waite Park. Waite Park borders the west side of St. Cloud. Stearns County Quarry Park, a former granite quarry, is on Waite Park's south side. "The Ledge",
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#1733106928528372-549: Is water. The northeastern border of Stearns County is formed by the Mississippi River. The land consists of rolling hills, scenic lakes, prairies, savannas and woodlands of a mixture of coniferous and deciduous trees. Stearns is one of 17 Minnesota savanna region counties with more savanna soils than either prairie or forest soils. The county has 166 lakes. Source: Sources: Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from
403-519: The American Community Survey . This allows the calculation of per capita income for both the country as a whole and specific regions or demographic groups. However, comparing per capita income across different countries is often difficult, since methodologies, definitions and data quality can vary greatly. Since the 1990s, the OECD has conducted regular surveys among its 38 member countries using
434-626: The Minnesota Territory effective March 3, 1849. The newly organized territorial legislature created nine counties across the territory in October of that year. The original counties had portions partitioned off in 1851 to create Cass County and in 1853 to create Sibley , Pierce , and Nicollet counties. In 1855 parts of those counties were partitioned off to create Stearns County. It was to be named Stevens County for territorial governor Isaac Ingalls Stevens , who had conducted an expedition through
465-428: The age of 18 living with them, 32.9% were married couples living together, 10.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 50.8% were non-families. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.12 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age in
496-422: The age of 18 living with them, 36.5% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.2% were non-families. 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.80. In the city, the population was spread out, with 19.6% under
527-463: The age of 18, 21.2% from 18 to 24, 30.1% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 13.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 33,803, and the median income for a family was $ 43,415. Males had a median income of $ 27,066 versus $ 21,481 for females. The per capita income for
558-586: The area in 1853, but due to a clerical error, the county was named Stearns for Charles Thomas Stearns, a member of the Territorial Council. (To compensate for this error the area two counties west was later named Stevens County .) The February 20, 1855, act that created the county directed the naming of three county commissioners and specified St. Cloud as the county seat. Writing in 1997, Jewish-American historian of America's religious architecture Marilyn J. Chiat commented, "Father Francis X. Pierz ,
589-528: The city was $ 17,796. About 7.9% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line , including 20.8% of those under age 18 and 4.7% of those age 65 or over. In the 2020 presidential election, Joe Biden won a 3% majority of Waite Park votes. In 2016, Donald Trump won by a 13% margin. Waite Park is in the St. Cloud Area School District . Most residents are zoned to Discovery Elementary School, while some blocks north of 3rd Street are zoned to Westwood Elementary School. The zoned middle school
620-403: The city was 32.6 years. 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 16.3% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.6% were from 25 to 44; 20.1% were from 45 to 64; and 17.4% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 6,568 people, 2,967 households, and 1,536 families living in the city. The population density
651-473: The city. The population density was 754.5 inhabitants per square mile (291.3/km). There were 3,424 housing units at an average density of 384.7 per square mile (148.5/km). The racial makeup of the city was 83.6% White , 6.6% African American , 0.7% Native American , 3.6% Asian , 2.7% from other races , and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.5% of the population. There were 3,127 households, of which 22.7% had children under
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#1733106928528682-508: The county's isolationism gave strong support to William Lemke ’s Union Party . Stearns County turned Republican until another Catholic nominee, John F. Kennedy , returned it to the Democratic ranks after being one of only 130 counties nationwide to back George McGovern in 1972. Since the “Reagan Revolution”, Stearns County has voted reliably Republican, with no Democrat gaining a majority since Jimmy Carter in 1976, and Bill Clinton in 1996
713-402: The largest city. 45°33′N 94°37′W / 45.55°N 94.61°W / 45.55; -94.61 Per capita income Per capita income ( PCI ) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such as
744-452: The only one to manage a plurality. The county's growing social conservative bent has fueled the Republican trend. In 2016 Donald Trump won the county with 59.8% of the vote, the highest percentage any presidential candidate has received since President Eisenhower in 1956. He improved on that in 2020 with 60.1% of the vote. As of 2024, one city in the county leans Democratic: St. Cloud ,
775-412: The pietistic Scandinavian Lutheran Republican Party of that era . It did not vote Republican until Theodore Roosevelt swept every Minnesota county in 1904. Anti- Woodrow Wilson feeling from World War I caused the county to shift overwhelmingly to Warren G. Harding in 1920 before swinging to Robert M. La Follette , coreligionist Al Smith and fellow “wet” Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt . In 1936
806-438: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 56.9% were of German and 9.4% Norwegian ancestry. There were 47,604 households, out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.30% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.50% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.40% had someone living alone who
837-588: The racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race. As of the census of 2000, there were 133,166 people, 47,604 households, and 32,132 families in the county. The population density was 99.2 per square mile (38.3/km ). There were 50,291 housing units at an average density of 37.4 per square mile (14.4/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 95.99% White , 0.83% Black or African American , 0.26% Native American , 1.58% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.47% from other races , and 0.82% from two or more races. 1.37% of
868-441: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.15. The county population contained 25.70% under the age of 18, 16.10% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 19.10% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.80 males. The median income for
899-477: Was 841.0 inhabitants per square mile (324.7/km). There were 3,065 housing units at an average density of 392.5 per square mile (151.5/km). The racial makeup of the city was 92.74% White , 0.72% African American , 0.56% Native American , 3.50% Asian , 0.05% Pacific Islander , 1.20% from other races , and 1.23% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.01% of the population. There were 2,967 households, out of which 23.8% had children under
930-552: Was formerly occupied by numerous indigenous tribes, such as the Sioux ( Dakota ), Chippewa ( Ojibwe ) and Winnebago ( Ho-chunk ). The first large immigration was of German Catholics in the 1850s. Early arrivals also came from eastern states. The Wisconsin Territory was established by the federal government effective July 3, 1836, and existed until its eastern portion was granted statehood (as Wisconsin ) in 1848. The federal government set up
961-631: Was not successful. Stearns County was also founded off of farmers' markets and crop trades, making it one of the top grossing crop producing counties in the state of Minnesota. Stearns County borders nine counties. The Mississippi River flows southeast along its northeast border, and the Sauk River drains the central part of the county into the Mississippi at St. Cloud . The county terrain consists of low rolling hills, lightly wooded, dotted with lakes and ponds, and carved with drainages. All available area