Isanti County, Minnesota, USA

Isanti County is located north of the Twin Cities metropolitan area in east-central Minnesota, with Cambridge serving as its county seat. The county was established in 1857 and takes its name from the Isanti, or Santee, division of the Dakota people; the name has been interpreted as referring to those who lived near Knife Lake. Its landscape includes glacial sand plains, wooded areas, wetlands, lakes and the Rum River, which runs through the county. Cambridge, Isanti and Braham are its principal cities, while much of the surrounding area remains rural or suburban. The county had about 44,400 residents in 2025 and provides services including law enforcement, courts, elections, roads, public health and emergency management.