Stearns County, Minnesota
77 public bodies govern here, 15 school districts are based here, and USDA lists 11 farmers markets. Everything below says where it came from.
In four numbers
- People
- 160,865
- Median household income
- $77,066
- ±1,832
- Unemployed
- 4.1%
- 3,639 of 88,499 in the labour force
- Homes with broadband
- 90.6%
- 55,632 of 61,403 households
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020-2024; read 2026-09-26. Percentages worked out here from the two counts shown.
Who governs here
County government 1
| Name | People | Office | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| County of Stearns | 158,947 (2021) | 705 Courthouse Sq, Saint Cloud | Website |
Cities, towns and villages 29
| Name | People | Office | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of Albany | 2,804 (2021) | Po Box 370, Albany | Website |
| City of Avon | 1,660 (2021) | Po Box 69, Avon | Website |
| City of Belgrade | 735 (2021) | Po Box 296, Belgrade | Website |
| City of Brooten | 633 (2021) | Po Box 81, Brooten | Website |
| City of Cold Spring | 4,205 (2021) | 27 Red River Ave S, Cold Spring | Website |
| City of Elrosa | 217 (2021) | Po Box 159, Elrosa | — |
| City of Freeport | 680 (2021) | Po Box 301, Freeport | Website |
| City of Greenwald | 199 (2021) | Po Box 182, Greenwald | — |
| City of Holdingford | 743 (2021) | Po Box 69, Holdingford | Website |
| City of Kimball | 809 (2021) | Po Box 238, Kimball | Website |
| City of Lake Henry | 75 (2021) | 38084 240th St, Belgrade | — |
| City of Meire Grove | 182 (2021) | 180 2nd Avenue Number, Melrose | — |
| City of Melrose | 3,609 (2021) | 225 1st St Ne, Melrose | Website |
| City of New Munich | 360 (2021) | Po Box 313, New Munich | — |
| City of Paynesville | 2,449 (2021) | 221 Washburne Ave, Paynesville | Website |
| City of Richmond | 1,493 (2021) | Po Box 400, Richmond | — |
| City of Rockville | 2,398 (2021) | Po Box 93, Rockville | Website |
| City of Roscoe | 130 (2021) | 305 First Street, Roscoe | — |
| City of Sartell | 19,532 (2021) | 125 Pine Cone Rd, Sartell | Website |
| City of Sauk Centre | 4,599 (2021) | 320 Oak St S, Sauk Centre | Website |
| City of Spring Hill | 67 (2021) | 221 Lake Henry Ave S, Spring Hill | — |
| City of St Anthony | 92 (2021) | 39025 County Road 153, Albany | — |
| City of St Augusta | 3,574 (2021) | 1914 250th St, Saint Augusta | Website |
| City of St Cloud | 68,818 (2021) | 400 2nd St S, Saint Cloud | Website |
| City of St Joseph | 6,932 (2021) | Po Box 668, Saint Joseph | Website |
| City of St Martin | 309 (2021) | Po Box 245, Saint Martin | — |
| City of St Rosa | 56 (2021) | 28842 County Road 17, Freeport | — |
| City of St Stephen | 800 (2021) | 2 6th Ave Se, Saint Stephen | — |
| City of Waite Park | 8,360 (2021) | Po Box 339, Waite Park | Website |
Townships 34
| Name | People | Office | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Township of Albany | 993 (2021) | Po Box 344, Albany | Website |
| Township of Ashley | 259 (2021) | 45925 430th St, Sauk Centre | — |
| Township of Avon | 2,093 (2021) | 16881 Queens Rd, Avon | Website |
| Township of Brockway | 2,926 (2021) | 43862 105th Ave, Holdingford | Website |
| Township of Collegeville | 3,221 (2021) | 27724 County Road 50, Cold Spring | Website |
| Township of Crow Lake | 359 (2021) | 45086 Glendale Rd, Belgrade | — |
| Township of Crow River | 319 (2021) | Po Box 174, Belgrade | — |
| Township of Eden Lake | 1,609 (2021) | 24949 180th St, Paynesville | — |
| Township of Fair Haven | 1,538 (2021) | 4561 182nd St, South Haven | — |
| Township of Farming | 990 (2021) | 27555 County Road 41, Albany | Website |
| Township of Getty | 347 (2021) | 39124 Piper Ln, Sauk Centre | — |
| Township of Grove | 483 (2021) | 33945 Oakshire Rd, Melrose | — |
| Township of Holding | 1,195 (2021) | 41249 190th Ave, Albany | — |
| Township of Krain | 994 (2021) | 40218 County Road 152, Albany | — |
| Township of Lake George | 309 (2021) | 42756 310th St, Belgrade | — |
| Township of Lake Henry | 251 (2021) | 34798 Cr 32, Belgrade | — |
| Township of Le Sauk | 1,508 (2021) | 2293 Pinecone Rd, Sartell | Website |
| Township of Luxemburg | 639 (2021) | 16217 183rd Ave, Watkins | — |
| Township of Lynden | 1,841 (2021) | 18418 Eaglewood Rd, Clearwater | Website |
| Township of Maine Prairie | 1,901 (2021) | 7551 Dellwood Road, Kimball | — |
| Township of Melrose | 735 (2021) | Po Box 111, Melrose | — |
| Township of Millwood | 957 (2021) | 28496 County Road 17, Freeport | — |
| Township of Munson | 1,462 (2021) | Po Box 505, Richmond | Website |
| Township of North Fork | 278 (2021) | 31647 463rd Ave, Brooten | — |
| Township of Oak | 631 (2021) | 28801 Co Rd 30, Freeport | — |
| Township of Paynesville | 1,440 (2021) | 28780 Koronis Road, Paynesville | — |
| Township of Raymond | 238 (2021) | 33816 Cr 18, Sauk Centre | — |
| Township of Sauk Centre | 1,193 (2021) | 38171 County Road 29, Sauk Centre | — |
| Township of Spring Hill | 345 (2021) | 32299 Sauk Valley Rd, Paynesville | — |
| Township of St Joseph | 956 (2021) | Po Box 585, St Joseph | — |
| Township of St Martin | 442 (2021) | 28283 273rd Ave, Albany | — |
| Township of St Wendel | 2,145 (2021) | Po Box 297, Saint Joseph | — |
| Township of Wakefield | 2,779 (2021) | 22295 Frostview Rd, Cold Spring | Website |
| Township of Zion | 306 (2021) | 22566 273rd Ave, Paynesville | — |
Special districts 13
| Name | What it does | Office | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sauk River Watershed District | Flood control | 642 Lincoln Rd, Sauk Centre | Website |
| Stearns County Family Services Collaborative | Health | 314 10th Avenue South, Waite Park | — |
| Melrose Housing and Redevelopment Authority | Housing and community development | 16 1st St Se, Melrose | — |
| Sauk Centre Housing and Redevelopment Authority | Housing and community development | 407 1st St N, Sauk Centre | — |
| St Cloud Housing and Redevelopment Authority | Housing and community development | 1225 W Saint Germain St, Saint Cloud | Website |
| Stearns County Housing and Redevelopment Authority | Housing and community development | Po Box 484, Cold Spring | Website |
| Great River Regional Library District | Libraries | 1300 W Saint Germain St, Saint Cloud | Website |
| North Fork Crow River Watershed District | Other multi-function districts | Po Box 40, Brooten | Website |
| Central Minnesota Regional Radio Board | Other single function districts | 400 2nd St S, Saint Cloud | — |
| Stearns-Benton Employment and Training Council Joint Powers Boar | Other single function districts | 1542 Northway Dr, Saint Cloud | Website |
| Gem Sanitation District | Sewerage | Po Box 90, Greenwald | — |
| Stearns County Soil and Water Conservation District | Soil and water conservation | 110 2nd St S, Waite Park | Website |
| West Central Technical Service Area | Soil and water conservation | 110 2nd St S, Waite Park | Website |
U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments, Government Units List (published August 2023); the file read 2026-09-26. Offices are placed by county; a special district’s territory can cross county lines. Each body posts its own meetings on its website where the Census records one.
School districts based here
ALBANY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
School district5 schools
30 FOREST AVE, Albany, MN, 56307
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Athlos Academy of Saint Cloud
Independent charter district1 schools
3701 33RD STREET SOUTH, Saint Cloud, MN, 56301
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
BELGRADE-BROOTEN-ELROSA SCHOOL DIST
School district2 schools
710 WASHBURN AVENUE, Belgrade, MN, 56312
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Benton-Stearns Education District
Specialized district6 schools
517 2ND ST S, Sartell, MN, 56377
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
HOLDINGFORD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
School district2 schools
900 5TH ST, Holdingford, MN, 56340
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
KIMBALL PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
School district2 schools
100 W STATE HIGHWAY 55, Kimball, MN, 55353
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
MELROSE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
School district3 schools
546 5TH AVE NE, Melrose, MN, 56352
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Paynesville Area Schools
School district2 schools
801 BUSINESS 23 S, Paynesville, MN, 56362
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
ROCORI PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
School district7 schools
534 N 5TH AVE, Cold Spring, MN, 56320
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Saint Cloud Math and Science Academ
Independent charter district2 schools
1025 18TH ST N, Saint Cloud, MN, 56303
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
Sartell-St. Stephen School District
School district5 schools
212 3RD AVE N, Sartell, MN, 56377
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
SAUK CENTRE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
School district3 schools
903 STATE RD, Sauk Centre, MN, 56378
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT
School district27 schools
1201 2ND ST S, Waite Park, MN, 56387
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
STRIDE Academy
Independent charter district1 schools
3241 OAKHAM LANE, Saint Cloud, MN, 56301
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
WEST CENTRAL EDUCATION DISTRICT
Specialized district5 schools
9 2ND ST SW, Melrose, MN, 56352
Its website — where its board posts meetings. Federal record.
National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data 2024-25; read 2026-09-26.
Farmers markets
Annandale Farmers' Market - Winter
MN, 13835
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
Melrose Community Farmers' Market
105 E Main St, Melrose, MN, 56352
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
Paynesville Farmers' Market
122 W James St, Paynesville, MN, 56362
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
Richmond Farmers' Market
388 4th St SW, Richmond, MN, 56368
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
Sartell Farmers' Market
850 19th St S, Sartell, MN, 56377
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
Sartell Farmers' Market - Winter
850 19th St S, Sartell, MN, 56377
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
Sauk Centre Farmers' Market
1181 Main St S, Sauk Centre, MN, 56378
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
St. Cloud Area Farmers' Market
198 7th Ave S, St Cloud, MN, 56301
SNAP / EBT
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
St. Joseph Farmers' Market
610 County Rd 2, St Joseph, MN, 56374
SNAP / EBT
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
St. Joseph Farmers' Market - Winter
610 County Rd 2, St Joseph, MN, 56374
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
St. Cloud Harvest Market
113 Waite Ave N, Waite Park, MN, 56387
SNAP / EBT
Submitted by the market; USDA record last changed 2023-02-22. USDA listing
USDA National Farmers Market Directory; read 2026-09-26.