Who is the Waseca County County Attorney?

Rachel Cornelius is the County Attorney of Waseca County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Waseca County County Auditor?

Tammy Spooner is the County Auditor of Waseca County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Waseca County County Recorder?

Katie Burns is the County Recorder of Waseca County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Waseca County Sheriff?

Jay Dulas is the Sheriff of Waseca County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who are the Waseca County commissioners?

Douglas Christopherson (District 1); Brian W. Harguth (District 2); Blair Nelson (District 3); DeAnne Malterer (District 4); Brad Krause (District 5).

What is the population of Waseca County?

About 18,885 people, with a median age of 40.6; the median household income is $76,261 and 7.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

What is the unemployment rate in Waseca County?

4.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 416 people unemployed in a labor force of 9,472, against 3.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).

How many local governments are there in Waseca County?

26 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal, 12 township, 3 school district and 6 special district governments.

Waseca County, MN elected officials: county commissioners, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Waseca County: 9 seats on 5 elected bodies. 7 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

County Board of Commissioners

Waseca County Board of Commissioners

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
County Commissioner, District 1	Douglas Christopherson source
County Commissioner, District 2	Brian W. Harguth source
County Commissioner, District 3	Blair Nelson source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 4	DeAnne Malterer source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Commissioner, District 5	Brad Krause source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
County Attorney	Rachel Cornelius source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Auditor	Tammy Spooner source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Recorder	Katie Burns source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Sheriff	Jay Dulas source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Waseca County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 26 local governments in Waseca County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of government	Census count (2022)	Listed on this page
County government	1	1
Cities, towns, villages and townships (4 municipal, 12 township)	16	0
School districts (school boards)	3	0
Special districts (elected boards)	6	0

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Waseca County

18,885people

40.6median ageU.S.: 38.9

$76,261 household incomeU.S.: $80,734

7.5%below the U.S.: 12.5%

21%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%

$220,800median home valueU.S.: $332,700

2.5%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%

2.9%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%

5.8%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%

3.6%U.S.: 8.4%

38.4%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%

22.4%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 7.3% · White 87.2% · Black 1% · Asian 1.8% · Other or more than one race 2.7% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Waseca County

4.4%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 3.6%. Minnesota: 4.4%.

416people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.

9,056people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.

9,472in the September 2026, preliminary.

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years

Month	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)	4.4%	416	9,056	9,472
August 2026	5.0%	483	9,083	9,566
July 2026	4.8%	460	9,071	9,531
June 2026	5.0%	471	8,997	9,468
May 2026	4.4%	415	8,935	9,350
April 2026	4.8%	455	9,007	9,462
March 2026	6.0%	557	8,748	9,305
February 2026	6.5%	609	8,788	9,397
January 2026	6.6%	621	8,755	9,376
December 2025	5.0%	473	8,920	9,393
November 2025	4.1%	393	9,115	9,508
October 2025	not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025	3.6%	348	9,444	9,792
August 2025	4.4%	431	9,401	9,832
July 2025	4.6%	442	9,253	9,695
June 2025	4.7%	451	9,209	9,660
May 2025	4.0%	380	9,082	9,462
April 2025	4.5%	428	9,153	9,581
March 2025	5.5%	523	8,988	9,511
February 2025	5.3%	505	8,952	9,457
January 2025	5.2%	488	8,953	9,441
December 2024	3.9%	368	9,107	9,475
November 2024	3.2%	303	9,270	9,573
October 2024	2.7%	265	9,567	9,832

Yearly averages

Year	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
2025 (11 months)	4.6%	442	9,134	9,576
2024	3.8%	366	9,238	9,604
2023	3.5%	331	9,124	9,455
2022	2.9%	272	9,156	9,428
2021	3.8%	371	9,306	9,677
2020	5.7%	578	9,507	10,085
2019	3.6%	358	9,672	10,030
2018	3.8%	377	9,544	9,921
2017	3.5%	363	9,892	10,255
2016	3.9%	408	10,003	10,411

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Minnesota's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 4.5% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Waseca County

117.8 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 223.5.

776.7 per 100,0002025. Minnesota: 1,411.5.

0murders2025, 22 violent crimes in all.

Earlier years

Year	Violent	Rate	Property	Rate
2025	22	117.8	145	776.7
2024	32	167.2	159	830.9
2023	21	111.0	183	967.6
2022	32	167.8	176	922.6
2021	33	178.0	326	1,758.8
2020	31	167.7	303	1,639.1
2019	26	139.8	284	1,527.0
2018	27	144.2	301	1,607.9
2017	19	100.3	276	1,457.0
2016	19	100.3	248	1,309.7

By police agency (4)

Agency	Year	Violent	Property	People served
Waseca Police Department	2025	14	102	9,030
Waseca County Sheriff's Office	2024	5	47	6,223
Janesville Police Department	2025	4	11	2,465
New Richland Police Department	2025	2	11	1,180

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Minnesota · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.09 per 1,000 residents2025, 4 agencies serving 18,668 people.

39sworn officers2025, full-time, as of October 31.

20civilian staff2025, full-time.

Agencies counted (4), 2025

Agency	Officers	Civilians	People served
Waseca County Sheriff's Office	15	18	5,993
Waseca Police Department	18	2	9,030
Janesville Police Department	4	0	2,465
New Richland Police Department	2	0	1,180

Earlier years

Year	Officers	Per 1,000	Civilians	Agencies
2025	39	2.09	20	4
2024	39	2.04	19	4
2023	36	1.90	21	4
2022	36	1.89	20	4
2021	37	2.00	19	4
2020	38	2.06	19	4
2019	37	1.99	16	4
2018	36	1.92	18	4
2017	33	1.74	17	4
2016	33	1.74	17	4

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Waseca County County Attorney?: Rachel Cornelius is the County Attorney of Waseca County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Waseca County County Auditor?: Tammy Spooner is the County Auditor of Waseca County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Waseca County County Recorder?: Katie Burns is the County Recorder of Waseca County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Waseca County Sheriff?: Jay Dulas is the Sheriff of Waseca County, Minnesota. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Waseca County commissioners?: Douglas Christopherson (District 1); Brian W. Harguth (District 2); Blair Nelson (District 3); DeAnne Malterer (District 4); Brad Krause (District 5).
What is the population of Waseca County?: About 18,885 people, with a median age of 40.6; the median household income is $76,261 and 7.5% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Waseca County?: 4.4% in September 2026 (preliminary): 416 people unemployed in a labor force of 9,472, against 3.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Waseca County?: 26 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 4 municipal, 12 township, 3 school district and 6 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 21, 2025, from the Minnesota Legislative Manual (Blue Book) published by the Secretary of State; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

Waseca County's 2026 ballot and results · Every Minnesota county · Minnesota's members of Congress

See your members of Congress and every race and measure on your ballot in Waseca County, from your address. Your address stays in your browser.Look up my races

See something wrong on this page? Report a problem · Corrections