Waconia, Minnesota Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Waconia
City
View of Lake Waconia
Location of the city of Waconia within Carver County, Minnesota
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Carver
Area
• Total	4.79 sq mi (12.41 km²)
• Land	4.62 sq mi (11.98 km²)
• Water	0.17 sq mi (0.44 km²)
Population (2010)
• Total	10,697
• Estimate (2019)	12,370
• Density	2,675.17/sq mi (1,032.83/km²)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	55387
Area code(s)	952
FIPS code	27-67432

Waconia ( wə-KOHN-yə), a small city in Carver County, Minnesota, United States. Waconia attracts visitors to nearby Lake Waconia, a lake locally renowned for its fishing and recreation opportunities.

The city's population was 13,033 at the 2020 census.

Geography
Demographics
- 2010 census
History
- National Register of Historic Places gallery
Economy
- Top employers
Education
Notable people
Images for kids
See also

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.39 square miles (11.37 km²), of which, 4.34 square miles (11.24 km²) is land and 0.05 square miles (0.13 km²) is water.

Minnesota State Highways 5, 10, and 284 are three of the main routes in Waconia.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	218	—
1890	441	102.3%
1900	728	65.1%
1910	817	12.2%
1920	901	10.3%
1930	1,291	43.3%
1940	1,315	1.9%
1950	1,569	19.3%
1960	2,048	30.5%
1970	2,445	19.4%
1980	2,638	7.9%
1990	3,498	32.6%
2000	6,814	94.8%
2010	10,697	57.0%
2020	13,033	21.8%
U.S. Decennial Census

Carver County Historical Society Museum

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 10,697 people, 3,909 households, and 2,748 families living in the city. The population density was 2,464.7 inhabitants per square mile (951.6/km²). There were 4,112 housing units at an average density of 947.5 per square mile (365.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 95.7% White, 1.1% African American, 0.3% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 0.7% from other races, and 1.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.5% of the population.

There were 3,909 households, of which 45.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.1% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.7% were non-families. 25.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.31.

The median age in the city was 34.9 years. 32.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 5% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 30.7% were from 25 to 44; 20.7% were from 45 to 64; and 11.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.

History

A post office has been in operation at Waconia since 1860. The city took its name from Lake Waconia.

National Register of Historic Places gallery

Waconia has several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

One of the more prominent listings is for Coney Island, in Lake Waconia, where cottages, boathouses and a hotel attracted tourists from 1884 until the late 1920s, when the rise of the automobile allowed people to travel farther away for summer vacations.

Economy

Top employers

According to the city's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR), the top employers in the city are:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Ridgeview Medical Center	1,623
2	Strom Aviation	1,001
3	I.S.D. No. 110 (Waconia Schools)	969
4	ACPI Products	500
5	Mackenthun's Fine Foods	200
6	Physicians Service Network	200
7	Good Samaritan Society Waconia	158
8	Target	150
9	Lakeview Clinic	120
10	UFC Farm Supply	120

Education

Waconia Public Schools operates five schools. There are also two private schools within Waconia to make seven total:

Southview Elementary, grades K–5
Bayview Elementary, grades K–5
Laketown Elementary, grades K-5
Waconia Middle School, grades 6–8
St. Joseph Catholic Education Center, grades PreK–8
Trinity Lutheran School, grades K–8
Waconia High School, grades 9–12

Notable people

Robert O. Ashbach, Minnesota state legislator and businessman
Bill Diessner, Minnesota state legislator and physician
Aaron Elling, football player
Don Herbert, Mr. Wizard and host of Mr. Wizard's World
Noah McCourt, politician, disability advocate and speaker
Susie Schmitt Hanson, (1860–1956) milliner, dressmaker and entrepreneur
Maxx Williams, NFL tight end for the Arizona Cardinals, was born in Waconia
Shane Wiskus, artistic gymnast, set to represent Team USA in the 2020 Summer Olympics
Jenn Bostic, singer, songwriter, performer