About The
West Central Region
Located on the western border of the state, this region is home to many rural communities. The largest city in the region is Moorhead, which is part of the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area. Other major cities include Fergus Falls, Alexandria, Detroit Lakes, and Morris.
The Region
Nine counties make up the West Central Region. Occasionally information at the regional level may include fewer or more counties because of how data are collected.
Support for this region of Minnesota Compass is provided by the West Central Initiative Foundation.
At a glance profiles
Becker – Becker County, population 32,000, is named after Brigadier General George Loomis Becker, one of three men elected to congress when Minnesota became a state. Since Minnesota could only send two, Becker elected to stay behind, and he was promised to have a county named after him. Its county seat is Detroit Lakes. A portion of the White Earth Indian Reservation extends into the county.
Clay – Clay County is part of the Fargo, ND–MN Metropolitan Statistical Area. Named for statesman Henry Clay, it was originally called Breckenridge County, but changed to its current name in 1862. It has a population of nearly 56,000. The county seat is Moorhead.
Douglas – Douglas County has a population of just over 36,000. Its county seat is Alexandria. Douglas County is the home of Minnesota's only wine-grape appellation, the 10,880-acre Alexandria Lakes Area.
Grant – Grant County, located in the West Central region of Minnesota, has a population of about 6,000. Its county seat is Elbow Lake.
Otter Tail – Named for Otter Tail Lake and Otter Tail River, the county has a population of nearly 57,000. It is home to more than 1,000 lakes and streams. Its county seat is Fergus Falls.
Pope – Pope County lies in the west central portion of Minnesota on the southern edge of the famous “Park Region” of the Northwest. It encompasses an area of about 460,800 acres, and has a population of around 11,000. Its county seat is Glenwood.
Stevens – This county was named for Civil War general Isaac Stevens, who had this county named for him in 1862, seven years after a legislative clerical error denied him that honor. With a population of more than 9,500, its county seat is Morris, home to University of Minnesota at Morris.
Traverse – With fewer than 4,000 residents, Traverse County is Minnesota’s smallest by population. It has an area of 568 square miles. It is located on the Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota borders. It has a population of more than 3,500 and its county seat is Wheaton.
Wilkin – Originally named Toombs County in 1858 after Robert Toombs of Georgia, it has undergone several name changes. Toombs had been a U.S. Senator and Congressman, but became a Confederate secretary of state in 1861, and later was a Confederate general. It was renamed Andy Johnson County (after the 17th President of the U.S.) in 1863. Its name was changed to Wilkin County in 1868. Its county seat is Breckenridge. With a population of more than 6,000, Wilkin County is part of the Wahpeton, ND–MN Combined Statistical Area.
