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Established in 1849, Benton is one of the original nine Minnesota counties.
Area: 408 Square Miles
Congressional District: 6
US Census Population (2005 Est): 38,619
County Seat: Foley
Largest City: Sauk Rapids
Benton County is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area.
2012 Precinct Caucuses
Precinct caucuses will be held on Tuesday, February 7th. Find out more at the Secretary of State website.
Minnesota's Cold Weather Rule
11/08/2011 - Minnesota's Cold Weather Rule helps homeowners and renters protect and reconnect heat during the winter months.
Located in Central Minnesota, Benton County is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area. Benton County is one hour north of the Twin Cities and one hour south of premier lake and resort areas.
The center of the County is the City of Foley, the County Seat. Most of the County''s larger communities (St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Sartell, and Rice) are located on its western edge.
The largest city is Sauk Rapids, which has over 10,000 residents. The part of St. Cloud that is located in Benton County includes about 6,400 residents. Sartell's Benton County section includes over 2,000 people. Rice, with a population of over 700, is located on the northwestern edge of the County.