Ramsey County is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. As of the 2020 census, the population was 552,352, making it the state's second-most populous county, and was estimated to be 541,623 in 2025. the state capital and the twin city of Minneapolis. The county was founded in 1849 and is named for Alexander Ramsey, the first governor of the Minnesota Territory. Ramsey County is part of the Minneapolis–Saint Paul–Bloomington, MN–WI Metropolitan statistical area. It is Minnesota's smallest and most densely populated county, as well as the 38th-most densely populated county in the United States in 2010.

History

With the establishment of the Minnesota Territory in 1849, nine counties, including Ramsey County, were created. In 1849, Ramsey County included all of what later became the present-day counties of Ramsey, Anoka, Isanti, and Kanabec, as well as parts of Washington, Pine, Carlton, Aitkin, Mille Lacs, and Hennepin. One of Ramsey County's early settlers was Heman Gibbs, whose farm is now the Gibbs Museum of Pioneer and Dakotah Life (Gibbs Farm) in Falcon Heights. Ramsey County remained largely farmland until small villages began to appear in the late 19th century, with the incorporation of North St. Paul in 1887, New Brighton in 1891, and White Bear Lake in 1921.

Government and politics

Ramsey County is overwhelmingly Democratic in presidential elections, not having voted for a Republican presidential nominee since 1924. In 2020, Democratic nominee Joe Biden received the largest share of the vote for any candidate in the county's history, with over 71%.

County sheriff

The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office was established in the old Minnesota Territory in 1849. The current sheriff is Bob Fletcher, who was elected in 2018 and reelected in 2022. The Ramsey County sheriff is elected to a four-year term in an election concurrent with the federal midterm elections.

The sheriff's office provides patrol and investigation for communities without local police forces and is available as backup for all communities. In addition to enforcing the law, the office provides town police services under contract to Arden Hills, Falcon Heights, Little Canada, North Oaks, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights, and White Bear Township.|source2=

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Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (10.44%) is water. It is Minnesota's smallest county by area, and has been considered completely urbanized since the 1990 census.

Adjacent counties

  • Anoka County (north)
  • Washington County (east)
  • Dakota County (south)
  • Hennepin County (west)

National protected area

  • Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (part)

Transportation

Rail

Ramsey County is a major freight hub along BNSF's Northern Transcon route and is also served by Union Pacific and Canadian Pacific.

Amtrak offers daily intercity passenger rail service on the Empire Builder from Union Depot in Saint Paul. Light rail service is provided by Metro, a light rail and bus rapid transit system operated by Metro Transit that connects several communities in Ramsey and Hennepin Counties. The Metro Green Line connects Union Depot to Target Field station in Minneapolis, in neighboring Hennepin County.

Road

Ramsey County is served by several interstate highways, including Interstate 35 and Interstate 94. I-35 has two routes through Ramsey County. I-35E enters the county from Dakota County to the south and proceeds north through Saint Paul, where it intersects I-94, then continues north to Little Canada, where it briefly joins with I-694 before continuing north through Vadnais Heights to Washington County. I-35W crosses from Minneapolis to the west through Saint Anthony before turning north through New Brighton, where it intersects I-694, and then to Anoka County, where it goes on to rejoin I-35E in Washington County.

Near the western edge of the county, I-94 enters from Minneapolis where it runs almost parallel to University Avenue until it meets I-35E in Saint Paul and continues east to Washington County. I-494 passes through the southeast corner of the county between Dakota and Washington Counties. From Anoka County in the west, I-694 takes a path through New Brighton, where it meets I-35W, to the junction with I-35E in Little Canada and finally to Washington County in the east.

Major highways

  • 25px Interstate 35E
  • 25px Interstate 35W
  • 20px Interstate 94
  • 25px Interstate 694
  • 20px U.S. Highway 10
  • 20px U.S. Highway 12
  • 20px U.S. Highway 52
  • 20px U.S. Highway 61
  • 20px Minnesota State Highway 5
  • 20px Minnesota State Highway 13
  • 20px Minnesota State Highway 36
  • 20px Minnesota State Highway 51
  • 20px Minnesota State Highway 120
  • 20px Minnesota State Highway 149
  • 20px Minnesota State Highway 280
  • 20px County Road 30 (Larpenteur Avenue)
  • 20px County Road 34 (University Avenue)
  • 20px 20px County Road 36/37 (Shepard Road/Warner Road)
  • Other county roads

Air

The primary airport serving Ramsey County is Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, in neighboring Hennepin County. The only airport in Ramsey County is Saint Paul Downtown Airport, a smaller commercial airport with three runways primarily used for general aviation and military operations.

Demographics