SearchSystems Editorial
Edited by Sam Rokni — Editor & Owner, SearchSystems.net. Public records professional since 1999. NAPBS founding member. Full bio & credentials.
Last reviewed: June 04, 2026 · Methodology: all Houston County record-source URLs verified against the official local and Minnesota state publishers on the review date. 4 primary .gov / official sources cited below.
Houston County — Key Numbers (2026)
Population, demographics, and county-seat data for Houston County, Minnesota — verified against U.S. Census 2024 estimates.
18,352
Population
Census estimate
8,028
Households
Census estimate
$71,580
Median income
Annual household
$216,400
Median home value
Census ACS
Caledonia
County seat
In Minnesota
Criminal records
see state portal
Court records
5 sources
Wants & warrants
see state portal
Property records
2 sources
Vital records
1 source
Voter records
see state portal
Professional licenses
see state portal
Recorded documents
see state portal
Count of verified official sources per record type. Multiple sources One source Use state portal
Houston County Records at a Glance
| Record type | Houston County verified sources |
|---|---|
| Court records | Criminal Court Records - Criminal & Traffic Division - H… Judgment Search - Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) |
| Criminal records | No verified source — see Houston County state portal below |
| Wants & warrants | No verified source — see Houston County state portal below |
| Property records | Houston County MN - Beacon - Schneider Corporation Recorder – Houston County |
| Vital records | Minnesota Vital Records and Certificates - MN Dept. of Healt… |
| Voter records | No verified source — see Houston County state portal below |
| Professional licenses | No verified source — see Houston County state portal below |
| Recorded documents | No verified source — see Houston County state portal below |
Count of officially verified .gov / .us record sources cataloged for Houston County. Data verified June 04, 2026.
What Changed in 2026 — Houston County Records
2026
Houston County official government portal active
The official Houston County government website at www.co.houston.mn.us continues to serve as the canonical local source.
2026
Houston County court records portal verified
State court system links for Houston County verified against the Minnesota judiciary portal in 2026.
2026
Houston County property records online
Houston County property assessment and recorder office online portal active in 2026.
2026
FBI Identity History Summary (federal complement)
For records that may exist outside Minnesota, the FBI Identity History Summary at fbi.gov complements all county-level state records.
The 4-Step Houston County Records Pathway
1
Step 1 — Start at the Houston County clerk/courthouse
For most local records (court cases, property deeds, marriage licenses), the Houston County clerk's office is the first stop.
2
Step 2 — Use the Minnesota statewide systems
Criminal background, court case search, voter registration, and professional licensing are all run at the Minnesota state level — not by the county.
3
Step 3 — Federal sources for federal records
Federal court cases (PACER), federal tax liens (IRS), military records (NPRC), and immigration data (ICE) are all federal — not held by the county.
4
Step 4 — Cross-check before relying on data
Most county portals lag 24-48 hours behind the courthouse. For time-sensitive verification, call the clerk directly.
Five Things People Get Wrong About Houston County Records
❌ Myth: "Houston County maintains all criminal records."
✓ Truth: False. Criminal records for Houston County are held by the Minnesota state repository, NOT the county. The county sheriff has only the local arrest log.
❌ Myth: "Records sealed in Houston County are gone everywhere."
✓ Truth: False. Sealing removes records from public search but they still exist at the courthouse and may appear in FBI records (Identity History Summary).
❌ Myth: "Free 'instant background' sites have Houston County data."
✓ Truth: False. Only the official Minnesota state repository has verified, current Houston County data. Free sites often have stale data.
❌ Myth: "The Houston County assessor's value is what I'll sell my home for."
✓ Truth: False. The Houston County assessor's value is for property tax purposes only — usually below market value.
❌ Myth: "All county records older than 50 years are public."
✓ Truth: Partially false. Public-records rules vary by record type AND state. Court records and deeds are usually older-public; vital records remain restricted longer (often 75-125 years).
Primary Sources (All Verified)
- www.co.houston.mn.us — Official Houston County government website
- mncourts.gov — Court records — official source
- www.health.state.mn.us — Vital records — official source
- fbi.gov — FBI Identity History Summary (federal record)
Related — Houston County & Minnesota Records
For records not specific to Houston County, use Minnesota's statewide system or the national hub.
📍 Minnesota statewide record systems:
- Minnesota Court Records →
- Minnesota Criminal Records →
- Minnesota Property Records →
- Minnesota Vital Records →
- Minnesota Voter Records →
- Minnesota Wants & Warrants →
- Minnesota Licenses →
- Minnesota Recorded Documents →
🇺🇸 National hubs:
Related Public Records
Minnesota statewide records: Court records · Criminal records · Wants & warrants · Property records · Vital records · Voter records · Licenses · Recorded docs
National directories: Court records · Criminal records · Property records · Vital records · Federal databases
About Houston County, Minnesota
Houston County is located in southeastern Minnesota. The county seat is Caledonia (official site: https://www.co.houston.mn.us/).
- Population: 18,352
- Households: 8,028
- Median household income: $71,580
- Median home value: $216,400
- Below poverty line: 7.2%
- Land area: 552.1 sq mi
- Population density: 33.2 people / sq mi
- Public libraries indexed: 5
- NCES schools indexed: 16
Criminal Court Records - Criminal & Traffic Division - Hennepin County District Court
Official Free
Minnesota Court Records Online - MCRO is the public, online version of the MN Court Information System (MNCIS), where you can search court records online. NOTE: There are limits to case information online which are described in the MN Rules of Public Access to Records of the Judicial Branch. Online records do NOT include street addresses for parties, or information on pre-conviction criminal, traffic, and petty ...
Judgment Search - Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO)
Official Free
Case records are displayed for all Minnesota district (trial) courts. The information available on MCRO is limited to case, hearing, and monetary judgment search results; case record information; Registers of Actions; monetary judgment details; and documents for publicly accessible district court case records that may also be available online, as defined by Rule 8, subd.
Minnesota Judicial Branch launches Minnesota Court Records Online
Official Free
All public documents in all Major and Minor Civil case types. All public documents in all public Formal Probate, Other Probate, Guardianship and Conservatorship, and Trust case types. Public orders, appellate opinions, and notices prepared by the court in public Family case types and post-adjudication paternity proceedings.Additional Documents:
Abdi, Abdullahi Mohamed Zoom Session 02/06/2026 2:30 PM Sturino, Carmaine
Official Free
Court Trial · Defendant · 55-CO-25-930 · Alpha Roster Report · Date Range: 01/30/2026 to 02/06/2026 · Case Category:Probate or Mental Health,Civil,Criminal,Family · Criminal Connection Types: Defendant Civil Connection Types: Defendant,Pl... Family Connection Types: Defendant,Pl...
Administration Phone Numbers - Houston County District Court
Official Free
County Attorney: (507) 725-5802 Sheriff: (507) 725-3379 Dept. of Corrections: (507) 725-5808 Jail: (507) 725-3379 City Attorney (Hokah, LaCrescent): (507) 895-8200 Public Defender ( Rochester): (507) 285-7370 City Attorney (Spring Grove, Houston, Brownsville & Caledonia): (507) 725-3361 Victim ...
Houston County MN - Beacon - Schneider Corporation
Official Free
Houston County, MN · 304 South Marshall St · Caledonia, MN 55921 · (507) 725-5803 · http://www.co.houston.mn.us/ opens in a new tab · Assessor · Luke Onstad · (507) 725-5801 · Attorney · Suzanne Bublitz · (507) 725-5802 · Auditor/Treasurer · Polly Heberlein ·
Recorder – Houston County
Official Free
The County Recorder also maintains records on documentation of Vitals (birth death and marriage records), and Military Service discharge records . The Recorder also makes and updates Abstracts of Title for all the parcels of land in Houston County. An Abstract of Title is a history of any given ...
Minnesota Vital Records and Certificates - MN Dept. of Health
Official Free
If the birth or death did not occur in Minnesota, see Where to Write for Vital Records on the CDC website. For fastest service, request your records in person at a county vital records office - find one near you using the Directory of County Offices. Most of the time, you can receive your order ...
Minnesota Official Marriage System - MACO/MOMS®
Official Free
Apply for MN Marriage License or Minnesota Marriage Certificate Search
Inmates — VineLink
Official Free
Official websites use .gov A .gov Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Multi-court Voice Case Information System: 866-222-8029 ext.
Register to Vote or Update Your Registration - MNVotes
Official Free
This form is for eligible Minnesota residents to register to vote. Learn about your eligibility to vote · If you are a participant in Minnesota's Safe at Home Address Confidentiality Program, do not use this form. Contact Safe at Home at 1-866-723-3035
Houston County
Official Free
Field notes are the narrative record of the cadastral survey . They are written in tabular format and contain the detailed descriptions of entire survey process including the instrumentation and procedures utilized, calling all physical evidence evaluated in the survey process, and listing all ...
https://mblsportal.sos.state.mn.us/Business/Search
Business, Voter & Other
Minnesota SOS business search.
mblsportal.sos.state.mn.us
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up court cases in Houston County?
Houston County court cases are searchable through the Criminal Court Records - Criminal & Traffic Division - Hennepin County District Court portal: https://mncourts.gov/find-courts/hennepin/hennepincriminaltrafficcourt/criminal-court-records. Minnesota also operates a state-level case lookup through the Minnesota Court Records Online (MCRO) system. For federal matters, see PACER.
Does an arrest show up on a background check before conviction in Minnesota?
Yes — in Minnesota, an arrest can appear on a name-based background check from the moment of booking, even before any court ruling. Whether it appears on an employment screening depends on the type of check (name-based vs. fingerprint-based) and how recent the arrest is.
Are Minnesota marriage records public?
Marriage records in Minnesota are generally public — anyone can verify that a marriage occurred and request a non-certified copy. Certified copies (needed for legal purposes like name changes or immigration) may be restricted to the spouses, immediate family, or those with a court order.
Are Minnesota criminal records public?
Mostly yes. Minnesota's public-records law makes adult arrests, court filings, and conviction histories accessible to anyone unless a specific statutory exemption applies. Juvenile cases and sealed records are generally excluded by statute.