County · code 27099
Mower CountyMinnesota
Mower County is a county in Minnesota with its county seat in Austin. It was formed on February 20, 1855 from Rice County and named after John Edward Mower.
- Founded1855
- County seatAustin
- Named forJohn Edward Mower
- Land area711 sq mi + 0.2 sq mi water
- Population40,029 2020 Census
- Parcels mapped22,956 checked 16 October 2026
Where it is
Mower on the map of Minnesota
Minnesota has 87 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.
History
Formed in 1855 from Rice County
An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.
Mower was created from Rice County in 1855. It was fully organized for county government and judicial purposes on March 1, 1856. In 1857, it lost territory to Olmsted County.
- 1855Mower County created Mower created from Rice. · Minn. Terr. Laws 1855, ch. 6, sec. 3/p. 23
- 1856Changed Mower fully organized for county government and judicial purposes. · Minn. Terr. Laws 1856, ch. 37, sec. 1/p. 65
- 1857Lost territory Mower lost to Olmsted. · Minn. Terr. Laws 1857, ext. sess., ch. 88, sec. 1/p. 316
Land and parcels
What the maps cover in Mower
Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.
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Parcels Good enough
Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 22,956 parcels from Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 16 October 2026 -
Address points Official
One point per address, 17,158 in all from Minnesota Geospatial Information Office (MnGeo), Minnesota Geospatial Commons.
checked 13 October 2026 -
Buildings Reference
Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026
- Official
- from the office that keeps the record
- Good enough
- a reliable statewide or national copy
- Fallback
- a guide only; check the official record
- Missing
- nothing public found yet
People and land
Mower by the Census
Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Rules and offices
Who to ask before you build, dig or sell
Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.
Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.
Records
Permits
- Health department: septic and well
Environmental Services
- Utility Permits
- Online Permits
- Septic Systems
Zoning and code
County government
- County government
The official website of Mower County.
See your own lot on these maps
Open Mower County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.
Questions
Common questions about Mower County
- When was Mower County founded?
- Mower County was founded in 1855, formed from Rice County, and named after John Edward Mower.
- What is the county seat of Mower County?
- The county seat of Mower County is Austin.
- Is there an online parcel map for Mower County?
- Yes. Minnesota Geospatial Commons publishes a parcel map of 22,956 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
- Has Mower County's boundary or name changed?
- Mower County was created in 1855 from Rice County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 2 later changes, chiefly involving Olmsted County.
- Who issues building permits in Mower County?
- The county's page on building permits: Utility Permits. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
- Who issues septic and well permits in Mower County?
- The county's page on septic systems and wells: Environmental Services.
- Is my lot in a flood zone?
- We do not have flood maps for Mower County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.
Nearby