Willmar

• Name — Willmar • Settlement Type — City • Mapsize1 — 250px within Kandiyohi County in the state of Minnesota • Subdivision Type — Country • Subdivision Name — United States • Subdivision Type1 — State • Subdivision Name1 — Minnesota • Subdivision Type2 — County • Subdivision Name2 — Kandiyohi • Leader Title — Mayor • Leader Name — Doug Reese • Established Title — Founded • Established Date — 1871 • Established Title2 — Incorporated (village) • Established Date2 — 1874 • Established Title3 — Incorporated (city) • Established Date3 — 1901 • Unit Pref — Imperial • Area Total Km2 — 40.35 • Area Land Km2 — 36.86 • Area Water Km2 — 3.50 • Area Total Sq Mi — 15.58 • Area Land Sq Mi — 14.23 • Area Water Sq Mi — 1.35 • Population As Of — 2020 • Population Est — 21282 • Pop Est As Of — 2022 • Population Total — 21015 • Population Density Km2 — 570.21 • Population Density Sq Mi — 1476.81 • Timezone — Central (CST) • Utc Offset — −6 • Timezone Dst — CDT • Utc Offset Dst — −5 • Elevation M — 344 • Elevation Ft — 1129 • Postal Code Type — ZIP Code • Postal Code — 56201 • Area Code — 320 • Blank Name — FIPS code • Blank Info — 27-70420 • Blank1 Name — GNIS feature ID • Blank1 Info — 2397323

• Illustration — Kandiyohi County Museum Agricultural expansion and Willmar's establishment as a division point on the Great Northern Railway determined its growth. The first settlers arrived during the 1850s, attracted to the fertile land and abundant timber and game. The Dakota War of 1862 left the township abandoned for several years. The advent of the railroad in Kandiyohi County in 1869 brought new settlers. Many were of Swedish and Norwegian origin; residents of Scandinavian heritage are still a majority. In 1870, Leon (Chadwick) Willmar, a Belgian acting as an agent for the European bondholder of the Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad, bought the title to Section 1 of Willmar Township. Willmar was established as the county seat in 1871 and was incorporated as a village in 1874 and as a city in 1901. Willmar was the site of a bank robbery by the Machine Gun Kelly gang on July 15, 1930. They robbed the Bank of Willmar (later Otto Bremer Trust) of about $70,000 and wounded three people. The Willmar Memorial Auditorium, designed by architect William Ingemann, was the largest assembly hall within 70 miles when completed in 1938. It was funded by the city of Willmar and the state and federal governments as a Depression-era works project. It contains several murals by Richard Haines commissioned by the Federal Art Project, and wood paneling in the oak doors by WPA artists. It is on the National Register of Historic Places. From 1977 to 1979, Willmar was the site of the Willmar 8, a strike of female workers confronting sexual discrimination at a local bank. The strike was reported in mainstream media and a documentary. Bradley Joseph's music draws inspiration from his childhood in Willmar, and his company, Robbins Island Music, is named after a Willmar city park. Willmar was home to the annual Sonshine Festival, a Christian music festival, from 1982 to 2014.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 15.95 sqmi, of which 14.15 sqmi is land and 1.80 sqmi is water. The 45° latitude line passes just south of Willmar, placing it approximately halfway between the equator and the North Pole.

As of the 2020 census, Willmar had a population of 21,015. The median age was 34.2 years. 27.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 93.7 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 90.3 males age 18 and over. 99.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 0.6% lived in rural areas. There were 7,875 households in Willmar, of which 32.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 41.4% were married-couple households, 18.7% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 32.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. There were 8,425 housing units, of which 6.5% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.8%. Racial composition as of the 2020 census • Race — Number — Percent • White — 13,865 — 66.0% • Black or African American — 2,537 — 12.1% • American Indian and Alaska Native — 145 — 0.7% • Asian — 501 — 2.4% • Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander — 31 — 0.1% • Some other race — 1,873 — 8.9% • Two or more races — 2,063 — 9.8% • Hispanic or Latino (of any race) — 4,991 — 23.7%

As of the census of 2010, there were 19,610 people, 7,677 households, and 4,538 families living in the city. The population density was 1385.9 PD/sqmi. There were 8,123 housing units at an average density of 574.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 86.9% White; 4.8% Black, primarily Somali; 0.5% Native American; 0.6% Asian; 0.1% Pacific Islander; 5.4% from other races; and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 20.9% of the population. There were 7,677 households, of which 30.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.9% were non-families. 32.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.10. The median age in the city was 33.8 years. 25.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 12.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.1% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 15.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.8% male and 51.2% female.

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,351 people, 7,302 households, and 4,461 families living in the city. The population density was 1,549.9 PD/sqmi. There were 7,789 housing units at an average density of 657.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 88.12% White, 0.90% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.11% Pacific Islander, 8.52% from other races, and 1.36% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 15.86% of the population. There were 7,302 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.3% were married couples living together, 10.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 31.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.08. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 19.0% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.6 males. The median income for a household in the city was $33,455, and the median income for a family was $45,415. Males had a median income of $31,575 versus $22,158 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,515. About 8.4% of families and 13.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under the age of 18 and 8.0% of those 65 and older.

Since 1989, Willmar has had a large influx of immigrants from Latin America and Northeast Africa, mostly due to demand for labor at the Jennie-O poultry plant. In 2001, the National Civic League recognized Willmar as an "All America City", in part for its success as growing numbers of immigrants became part of the community. In 2005, the city received attention from national media after several Somali-American high school students gave Willmar High School its first cross-country state championship in 20 years. The team won the state tournament and attended the Nike Nationals in both 2005 and 2006. The city gained attention from Sports Illustrated, and NBC Nightly News ran a story on Willmar's changing complexion and acceptance of its new citizens. Willmar received more national attention when an opinion piece about immigration and Willmar by Thomas Friedman appeared in the New York Times on May 14, 2019. On January 16, 2026, national news outlets—including MS NOW—reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents ate a meal at a Mexican restaurant in Willmar, then returned later in the day to arrest the employees who had provided their meal.

• Illustration — Willmar Public Library Willmar is home to Ridgewater College, a community and technical college on the site of a former military base. It has a sister college in Hutchinson. Ridgewater enrolls over 5,500 students and provides a moderate range of programs, in addition to providing access to some four-year programs through relationships with universities in the MnSCU system. It is also home to Willmar High School and Willmar Community Christian School.

U.S. Highways 12 and 71 and Minnesota State Highways 23 and 40 are four of the main routes in the city. Willmar greatly benefited from being at the junction of multiple railway lines. From Willmar, the Great Northern Railway had lines radiating east to Minneapolis and St. Paul, northwest to Fargo and Seattle, northeast to St. Cloud and Duluth, and southwest to Sioux Falls and Yankton. Willmar was served by numerous passenger trains over the years. The last passenger train left Willmar station in 1979.

• Team — League — Venue • Willmar Stingers — Northwoods League, Baseball — Bill Taunton Stadium • Willmar WarHawks — NA3HL, Ice Hockey — Willmar Civic Center

• West Central Tribune • La Gran America (Trilingual newspaper)

• Seasons of Minnesota

• UHF-TV Inc. WRAC TV - Regional Access Channel

• Channel — Callsign — Affiliation — Branding — Subchannels — Owner • (Virtual) — Channel — Programming • 4.1 — K33OT-D (WCCO Translator) — CBS — WCCO 4 — 4.2 — Start TV — UHF Television, Inc. • 9.9 — K30FZ-D (KMSP Translator) — FOX — FOX 9 — 9.4 9.5 9.6 — Buzzr Light TV Decades — UHF Television, Inc. • 9.2 — K36OL-D (WFTC Translator) — Ind. — FOX 9 Plus — 9.3 9.1 — Movies! FOX — UHF Television, Inc. • 10.1 — K22ND-D (KWCM Translator) — PBS — Pioneer Public TV — 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 — Create Minnesota Channel World PBS Kids — UHF Television, Inc. • 11.1 — K17FA-D (KARE Translator) — NBC — KARE 11 — 11.2 11.3 11.4 — Court TV True Crime Network Quest — UHF Television, Inc. • 23.1 — K14LF-D (WUCW Translator) — CW — CW 23 — 23.2 23.3 23.4 — Comet Charge! TBD — UHF Television, Inc. • 28.1 — K28IF-D — TBN — 28.2 28.3 — Hillsong Channel JUCE TV — UHF Television, Inc. • 34.1 — K34HO-D — Reelz — 5.4 5.6 34.2 34.3 — Antenna TV This TV Kool-TV Retro TV — UHF Television, Inc. • 35.1 — K35NR-D — Heartland — 35.2 35.3 35.4 — Retro TV Rev'n Family — UHF Television, Inc. • 41.1 — K26NU-D (KPXM Translator) — ION — ION — 41.2 41.3 41.4 41.5 41.6 — Qubo Ion Plus ION Shop QVC HSN — UHF Television, Inc. • 42.1 — K19IH-D (KSAX Translator) — ABC — 5 Eyewitness News — 42.2 42.3 — 45TV MeTV — UHF Television, Inc.

• Charter Communications • DirecTV • Dish Network

• AM radio stations • Frequency — Call sign — Name — Format — Owner • 1340 — KWLM — News/Talk — Lakeland Media, LLC • 1590 — KDJS — Classic country — Iowa City Broadcasting Company • FM radio stations • Frequency — Call sign — Name — Format — Owner • 90.9 — KKLW — K-Love — Christian — Educational Media Foundation • 91.9 — KBHZ — Praise Live — Christian — North Central University • 92.7 — K224DB (KTIS-FM Translator) — Life 98.5 — Contemporary Christian — University of Northwestern - St. Paul • 94.1 — KKLN — 94.1 The Loon — Classic rock — Lakeland Media, LLC • 95.3 — KDJS — K-95.3 — Country — Iowa City Broadcasting, Inc. • 96.3 — K242CF (KWLM-AM Translator) — News/Talk — Lakeland Media, LLC • 100.1 — KOLV — Big Country 100.1 — Country — Bold Radio, Inc. • 102.5 — KQIC — — Hot AC — Lakeland Media, LLC • 103.3 — K277CC (KTIS-AM Translator) — Faith 900 — Christian talk and teaching — University of Northwestern - St. Paul • 105.7 — K289CO (KDJS-AM Translator) — Classic country — Iowa City Broadcasting Company • 106.5 — KLFN — 106.5 The Train — Classic Hits — Lakeland Media, LLC

• Thomas K. Berg – politician and lawyer • Wallace Gustafson – lawyer and politician • Olof Hanson – architect • Bonnie Henrickson – head women's college basketball coach at UC Santa Barbara • Roy C. Jensen – farmer and politician • Dean Johnson – politician • Robert George Johnson – politician • Carl O. Jorgenson – politician • Bradley Joseph – composer and recording artist • Pinky Nelson – astronaut • Alec G. Olson – politician • Earl B. Olson – founder of the Jennie-O Turkey company • Kenneth L. Olson – United States Army soldier • Jim Pederson – professional football player • Henrik Shipstead – politician • Curt Swan – illustrator of Superman comics from the 1950s to the 1980s • Rick Swenson – dog musher and Iditarod participant • Alan Welle – politician and businessman • Henry G. Young – lawyer and politician

Willmar • Belarus Vileyka, Belarus