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Welcome to Stearns County ...

Time Zone: Stearns County lies in the Central Time Zone (CST/CDT) and observes daylight saving time.

The community of Saint Cloud is the Seat for Stearns County.

Stearns County was founded in 1855. Stearns was created by taking area from Cass, Nicollet, and Sibley Counties.

From the Census Estimates for 2019, <1> Stearns had a population of 161,075 people. This is an increase of 6.84% since the last Census (which gave a population of 150,756 people in 2010).

At the time of the 2010 Census, Stearns represented 2.84% of the total population of Minnesota.

Below are some of the communities located in Stearns County:

  • Albany
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Albany is located in Stearns County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albany
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,792 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Albany <2>
  • Avon
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Avon is located in Stearns County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,652 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avon <2>
  • Belgrade
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Belgrade is located in Stearns County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgrade
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 787 people
  • Brooten
    (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Brooten is located in Stearns County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooten
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 750 people
  • Cold Spring
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Elrosa
    (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Elrosa is located in Stearns County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elrosa
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elrosa <2>
  • Freeport
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Greenwald
    (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (21 more) ...
    • Holdingford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Kimball
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Kimball is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 802 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kimball <2>
    • Lake Henry
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Lake Henry is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Henry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 113 people
    • Meire Grove
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Meire Grove is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meire Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
    • Melrose
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Melrose is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,672 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Melrose <2>
    • New Munich
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Paynesville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Richmond
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Richmond is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,478 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Richmond <2>
    • Rockville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Roscoe
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Roscoe is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 114 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Roscoe <2>
    • Saint Anthony
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Anthony is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Anthony
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
    • Saint Augusta
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Saint Augusta is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Augusta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,900 people
    • Saint Cloud
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Saint Joseph
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Saint Martin
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Saint Rosa
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Rosa is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Rosa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
    • Saint Stephen
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Stephen is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Stephen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 867 people
    • Sartell
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Sartell is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sartell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 19,079 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sartell <2>
    • Sauk Centre
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Spring Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Spring Hill is located in Stearns County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 95 people
    • Waite Park
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)

Websites of Interest ...

Footnotes ...

<1>On a yearly basis, the US Census Bureau creates an estimate of the county's population. Keep in mind that this is an estimate and not an actual count. The last physical count was the 2010 Census and the next count will be for the 2020 Census.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.