Northfield is a city in Rice County, Minnesota, United States. A small portion lies in the adjacent Dakota County. The population was 20,790 at the 2020 census. Northfield is south of the downtowns of Minneapolis and St. Paul and is an exurb of the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area. It is home to two private liberal arts colleges, Carleton College and St. Olaf College.
History
Southern Minnesota was first settled by the indigenous Mdewakanton and Wahpekute Dakota peoples in the late 1700s, after battling with the Ojibwe and being expelled from northern Minnesota. The Wahpekute settled in the Big Woods region, which included most of what is now Northfield and Faribault. The Wahpekute used the Cannon and Straight rivers for easy transportation and game hunting. They engaged in the burgeoning Minnesota fur trade, leading Alexander Faribault to establish a trading post in Wahpekute territory in 1826, which became the town of Faribault in 1855. In 1834, the Wahpekute tribe moved their settlement to Faribault's trading post, leading to a confluence of economic and cultural engagement.
In 1822, during a war between the Wahpekute and the Sac and Fox tribes, Wahpekute head chief Shakeska (White Nails) died and was succeeded by his son Tasagi. About 170 Wahpekute people died in conflicts with the Sac and Fox between 1815 and 1825 in southern Minnesota. By this time, the Wahpekute had become economically dependent on white settlers like those at the Faribault trading post, and suffered from the depletion of game in the area.
In 1851, the Mdewakanton and Wahpekute ceded 24,000,000 acres (97,000 km2) of land to the U.S. government in the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux, in what is now considered an unequal treaty. The land the U.S. bought included what is now Northfield. Also in 1851, the two tribes signed the Treaty of Mendota, and were subsequently relocated to the newly created Lower Sioux Agency in Morton.
Northfield was platted in October 1855 by John W. North. It was founded by white settlers from New England known as "Yankees" as part of westward expansion.The Minds of the West: Ethnocultural Evolution in the Rural Middle West, 1869-1917 page 339 The town was an early agricultural center with many wheat and corn farms and supported lumber and flour mills powered by the Cannon River. As the "wheat frontier" moved west, dairy operations and diversified farms replaced wheat-based agriculture. The region has since moved away from dairy and beef operations, and it produces substantial crops of corn and soybeans, as well as hogs. The local cereal producer Malt-O-Meal is one of the few remnants of Northfield's historic wheat boom. The city's motto, "Cows, Colleges, and Community" (a recent change from "Cows, Colleges, and Contentment"), reflects the influence of the dairy farms as well as its two liberal arts colleges, Carleton College and St. Olaf College.
Since early in its history, Northfield has been a center of higher education. Carleton College (then Northfield College) was founded in 1866 by the Minnesota Conference of Congregational churches whose Congregation consisted of the "Yankee" settlers who had largely founded the town. These people descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the 1600s.The expansion of New England: the spread of New England settlement and institutions to the Mississippi River, 1620-1865 Carleton soon established its campus on the northern edge of town. St. Olaf College was founded in 1874 on the western edge of town by Norwegian Lutheran immigrant pastors and farmers who were eager to preserve their faith and culture by training teachers and preachers. These two institutions, which today enroll more than 5,000 students, make Northfield a college town.
In the 1970s, completion of Interstate 35 six miles west of Northfield enabled the expansion of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metro area south of the Minnesota River. The downtown grain elevator accepted its last load of corn in 2000 and was torn down in 2002. Residential growth has been rapid since the mid-1990s. Northfield Hospital, which opened in 2003 in the town's northwest corner, is in Dakota County, so chosen because government reimbursement rates are more generous for Dakota County than for Rice County.
Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of ; is land and is water. The peak elevation is about .
The town is roughly centered around the Cannon River and rises to the east and west from it.
Interstate 35 is west of Northfield. Minnesota State Highways 3, 19, and 246 are three of Northfield's main routes.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, Northfield had a population of 20,790. The median age was 30.9 years. 17.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.2% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 85.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 83.1 males age 18 and over.
99.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.5% lived in rural areas.
There were 6,723 households in Northfield, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.5% were married-couple households, 16.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 29.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 7,023 housing units, of which 4.3% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%.
+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census Race Number Percent White 15,770 75.9% Black or African American 635 3.1% American Indian and Alaska Native 115 0.6% Asian 1,034 5.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 8 0.0% Some other race 1,880 9.0% Two or more races 1,348 6.5% Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 2,637 12.7%
2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 20,007 people, 6,272 households, and 3,946 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 6,832 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.8% White, 1.3% African American, 0.2% Native American, 3.5% Asian, 4.0% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.4% of the population.
There were 6,272 households, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% were married couples living together, 9.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.04.
The median age in the city was 26.4 years. 19.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 29% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 19.1% were from 25 to 44; 20.1% were from 45 to 64; and 12% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.4% male and 52.6% female.
2000 census As of the census of 2000, there were 17,147 people, 4,909 households, and 3,210 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 5,119 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.57% White, 0.90% African American, 0.34% Native American, 2.36% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.78% from other races, and 1.99% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.73% of the population.
There were 4,909 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.7% were married couples living together, 9.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.6% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.08.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.2% under the age of 18, 32.1% from 18 to 24 (a figure heavily influenced by the student population of St. Olaf and Carleton College), 21.0% from 25 to 44, 16.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 23 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $49,972, and the median income for a family was $61,055. Males had a median income of $40,008 versus $28,456 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,619. About 2.8% of families and 7.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 7.4% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Early in the city's history, local merchants created a small town square between Fourth Street to the north, Division Street to the east, the Cannon River to the west, and the southern storefronts. The old Ames Mill/Malt-O-Meal plant was also nearby, originally powered by the dam on the river. Bridge Square and the surrounding downtown area remain a strong cultural attraction for the city. The square has several amenities including a large fountain, a memorial statue, and a concession stand known as "the popcorn wagon" run by the senior center. Several scenic walkways follow the river, and numerous shops and boutiques can be found on the neighboring streets.
Businesses serving the growing senior citizen community of Northfield have expanded to include the Northfield Senior Center, the Village on the Cannon, Millstream Commons, and new construction at the Northfield Retirement Center complex. The northern edge of the city has also been expanding with several residential and commercial developments.
Jesse James' and the James-Younger Gang's 1876 attempt to rob the First National Bank of Northfield serves as a heritage tourism draw for the town. The original bank building was converted to a museum operated by the Northfield Historical Society. The First National Bank of Northfield operates from a main office built half a block away from the historic site. In its front lobby, a glass case showcases a gun used during the robbery.
The Northfield Convention and Visitors Bureau provides comprehensive tourism information and visit planning services.
In 2023, the Mercado Local marketplace opened a brick-and-mortar store in downtown Northfield, after beginning operations in 2021. The store is affiliated with Rice County Neighbors United, and was founded to support the local Hispanic community. Its intended purpose is to provide economic empowerment to immigrant vendors while simultaneously addressing local issues like housing discrimination and income inequality. In addition to providing vendor space, Mercado Local hosts financial literacy, zumba, and art classes, poetry readings, talks, and meetings of local groups.
Housing
Viking Terrace , Viking Terrace, a northwestern Northfield manufactured home park serving predominantly low-income families, had about 150 lots. The city government established the park in 1975. Viking Terrace is outside walking distance from local food vendors aside from Dollar General, which lacks fresh produce.
In April 2022, the park was sold for $5 million to Lakeshore Management, which imposed curfews and restricted wheelchair accessibility, vehicles, gardening, pets, clotheslines, and children's toys and games. The company threatened eviction if residents did not meet the new standards. Residents protested and refused to renew their leases. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison overturned the landlord's restrictions in July 2022. He urged residents to "get organized", "complain", keep in touch with the Attorney General's office, and consider buying the property collectively.