Total population (1990 census): 41945
County seat: Elk River
Crop Statistics (1997 US Census of Agriculture)
| Cereals | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Maize=Corn | 199 | 26579 | 3106412 bu | |
| Wheat for Grain, Total | 8 | 261 | 6477 bu | |
| Spring Wheat for Grain | 6 | D | D | |
| Barley | 4 | D | D | |
| Oats | 34 | 538 | 22423 bu | |
| Rye | 28 | 1516 | 24105 bu | |
| Sunflower | 4 | 64 | 38800 lbs | |
| Grain Legumes | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Soybean | 128 | 14465 | 505869 bu | |
| Dry Edible Beans | 4 | 1905 | 35483 cwt | |
| Forages | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Total Hay* | 257 | 8565 | 19276 tons, dry | |
| Alfalfa Hay | 212 | 6323 | 15971 tons, dry | |
| Small Grain Hay | 21 | 530 | 607 tons, dry | |
| Tame Hay | 34 | 738 | 1211 tons, dry | |
| Wild Hay | 49 | 570 | 547 tons dry | |
| Grass Silage | 9 | 404 | 2819 tons, grn | |
| Corn for Silage | 45 | 2095 | 31045 tons, grn | |
| Vegetables | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Snap Bean | 5 | D | ||
| Head Cabbage | 6 | D | ||
| Cantaloupes | 6 | 11 | ||
| Cucumbers & Pickles | 4 | D | ||
| Green Peas | 3 | Z | ||
| Hot Peppers | 3 | D | ||
| Sweet Peppers | 6 | 25 | ||
| Potatoes | 14 | 6232 | 1881714 bu | |
| Pumpkins | 11 | 56 | ||
| Squash | 9 | 46 | ||
| Sweet Corn | 20 | 2722 | ||
| Tomatoes | 8 | 26 | ||
| Watermelons | 6 | 15 | ||
| Fruits | Farms | Acres | Yield | |
| Apples | 11 | 26 | 1512 trees | |
| Strawberries | 4 | 58 | 157682 lbs | |
| Nursery and Greenhouse Crops, Cut Christmas Trees Harvested, Mushrooms, and Sod Grown for Sale | Farms | Sq. ft. under glass or other protection | Acres in the open | Sales ($1,000) |
| Nursery and Greenhouse Crops | 45 | 348756 | 1561 | 3891 |
| Nursery, Floriculture, Vegetable and Flower Seed Crops | 13 | X | 151 | X |
| Florculture Crops | 15 | D | 51 | 2347 |
| Bedding/Garden Plants | 11 | 115100 | D | 1100 |
| Cut Flowers and Cut Florist Greens | 5 | D | D | D |
| Potted Flowering Plants | 4 | D | D | D |
| Cut Christmas Trees Harvested | 22 | X | 180 | 1019 |
| Nursery Crops | 7 | D | 27 | 158 |
| Sod Harvested | 3 | X | 160 | 270 |
| Other Nursery and Greenhouse Crops | 17 | D | 1144 | 96 |
*Alfalfa, grass silage, green chops etc.
D=Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual farms.
X=Not applicable.
Z=Less than half of the unit shown.