Census Data for Red Wing

Population ...

The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Red Wing a population of 16,335 people.

The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Red Wing a population of 16,459 people.

The city of Red Wing is located in Goodhue County. The 2010 Census gave Goodhue County; a population of 46,183 people. This means that Red Wing had 35.64% of the county's total population, making it Goodhue's most populous community.

At the same time, Minnesota had a population of 5,303,925 people, meaning that Red Wing had 0.31% of the total population of Minnesota - making it the state's 64th most populous community.

Area ...

The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Red Wing has a total area of 41.19 square miles [106.7 km²]. Of this total, 34.6 square miles [89.6 km²] is land, with the balance (16%) being water (6.59 square miles [17.1 km²]).

Goodhue County has a land area of 756 square miles [1,960.2 km²]. At 34.6 square miles [89.6 km²], Red Wing has 4.57% of the county's total land area.

• Continue Reading ...
  • When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a city like Red Wing, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the city.
  • Things like population, area and housing for Red Wing reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Red Wing might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
  • Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
  • Lat:   44° 34' 54"   (or 44.58°)
  • Lon:   -92° 36' 0"   (or -92.6°)
  • More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).

Housing Units ...

At the time of the 2010 Census, Red Wing had 7,539 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 16,459 people, this averages 2.18 people per Housing Unit.

• Continue Reading ...
  • The 2010 Census shows Red Wing had a land area of 34.6 square miles [89.6 km²]. This translates to 183 Housing Units per square mile [70.7 housing units/km²].
  • From the Census of 2000: Red Wing had 6,867 Housing Units, a population of 16,116 people and a land area of 35.39 square miles [91.7 km²]. This gives a density of 2.35 people per Housing Unit and 166 Housing Units per square mile [64.1 housing units/km²].
  • Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 Census and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Red Wing and you need to be careful when comparing values between the censuses. More information about the changes can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).

Goodhue County ...

The community of Red Wing is located in Goodhue County<4> and is the County Seat for Goodhue County.

The county had a population of 46,183 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 16,459 people, Red Wing represented 35.64% of the county's total.

In addition, where the city of Red Wing has a population density of 399.6 people per square mile [154.3 people/km²], Goodhue County averages 61 people per square mile [23.56 people/km²].

For more information, please visit our Census Page for Goodhue County.

Census-to-Census Observations ...

Introduction ...

When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Red Wing, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Red Wing. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.

• Continue Reading ...
  • Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Red Wing or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
  • If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.

Location ...

While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Red Wing, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Red Wing.

• Continue Reading ...
  • For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
  • Lat:   44.581870°   (or 44°34'54" N)
  • Lon:   -92.600212°   (or -92°36'0" W)
  • For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
  • Lat:   44.565141°   (or 44°33'54" N)
  • Lon:   -92.562532°   (or -92°33'45" W)
  • The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 2 miles to the northwest<5> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
  • The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2396338) to Red Wing. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Red Wing. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
  • Lat:   44.581784°   (or 44°34'54" N)
  • Lon:   -92.604142°   (or -92°36'14" W)
  • The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 1,021 feet to the east<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Red Wing. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Red Wing.

Miscellaneous Information for Red Wing ...

The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Goodhue County or the city of Red Wing:

• The GNIS Codes ...
  • The current system of identification is called the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). The following GNIS codes relate to Red Wing:
  • GNIS ID for Red Wing: 2396338
  • GNIS ID for Goodhue County: 659470
  • GNIS ID for State of Minnesota: 662849

• The FIPS Codes ...
  • An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
  • State Code: 27 (Minnesota)
  • County Code: 049 (Goodhue County)
  • Place Code: 53620 (Red Wing)
  • State & County Code: 27/049 (Minnesota / Goodhue County)
  • State & Place Code: 27/53620 (Minnesota / Red Wing)

• Misc. Census Codes ...
  • Red Wing is located in Census Region #2 (the Midwest Region) and Division #4 (the West North-Central Division).

• The US Postal Service ZIP Code ...
  • While some people have used a ZIP code to identify a community, the purpose of the ZIP code was to make mail delivery more efficient by grouping addresses together. Although the ZIP Code doesn't specifically identify a city like Red Wing, it does identify addresses that are in (or near) Red Wing. It's important to remember that the boundaries of a ZIP Code can be changed, re-assigned or overlapped with other ZIP Codes.
  • The ZIP code for Red Wing:55066<7>

• Census ZCTA Codes ...
  • The US Census Bureau created statistical entities that they call ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) and these ZCTAs are frequently confused with the ZIP codes that come from the US Postal Service (USPS).
  • ZCTAs were first created for the 2000 Census and at that time, they were based upon the USPS ZIP codes. While largely covering the same areas, the boundaries of a ZCTA do not necessarily match the boundaries of a postal ZIP code with the same number. For example, while a postal ZIP code can cross a county or state line, a Census ZCTA can not. They should be treated as separate entities with no correlation between them.

For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Red Wing.

Off-the-Road Links ...

The official website for Red Wing: www.red-wing.org/

The official website for Goodhue County: www.co.goodhue.mn.us/

The official website for State of Minnesota: https://mn.gov/

The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau

The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)

The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)