Brown County occupies a broad part of south-central Minnesota where New Ulm anchors the northeast and smaller communities such as Sleepy Eye, Springfield, Hanska, Comfrey, and Evan are spread across rolling farm country. The Minnesota River forms a deeply cut northern and northeastern boundary, while Cottonwood River, Sleepy Eye Creek, and Little Cottonwood River cross the interior. The contrast between low river valleys and higher southern terrain becomes especially clear when the road, water, and elevation maps are compared. High-resolution map files are available for download in the section below.
This page combines a general county map, a six-city ranking index, a water map, and an elevation map with an actual range of roughly 238 to 384 meters. High-resolution A3 JPG originals for all four maps are available together in one ZIP for printing, classroom use, trip preparation, and side-by-side geographic comparison.
Table of Contents
New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, and the county’s main road pattern
New Ulm is the strongest reference point on the general county map. MN-68 reaches the city from the west, while MN-15 provides a major north–south route through the eastern side. The city lies close to the Minnesota River valley, so the road network, river boundary, and developed area come together in one compact part of the county.
Sleepy Eye sits farther west in the interior. MN-4 runs south from the city toward the Comfrey side, while local east–west roads connect Sleepy Eye with Cobden and the New Ulm corridor. Evan lies to the northwest near MN-8, giving the upper western section a separate road reference from the larger city area.
Springfield occupies the southwest and is served by US-14. Hanska lies in the southeast, while Comfrey is close to the southern boundary. These communities are separated by broad agricultural areas, and the road spacing becomes noticeably wider away from New Ulm and Sleepy Eye.
Martin Luther College and selected smaller place labels such as Cobden, Essig, and Searles appear for orientation. The map is intended for county-scale understanding rather than live traffic or detailed street navigation. Its strongest use is seeing how the principal roads connect New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield, Hanska, and Comfrey across the county.
Six ranked communities with New Ulm clearly first
The city index ranks six selected communities. New Ulm is number 1 with a printed value of 14,056, followed by Sleepy Eye at 3,444, Springfield at 2,125, Hanska at 380, Comfrey at 338, and Evan at 89. These figures are reproduced from the supplied city-index graphic and are not presented here as newly calculated population estimates.
Their positions show a dispersed settlement pattern. New Ulm lies in the northeast, Sleepy Eye near the center, Springfield in the southwest, Hanska in the southeast, Comfrey on the southern edge, and Evan in the northwest. New Ulm’s printed value is much larger, but the remaining communities occupy separate parts of the county rather than forming one continuous urban corridor.
There are no connector lines or mileage labels on this city map. It is a ranking and location graphic rather than a distance chart. Use it to compare where the six selected communities sit within the county, then refer to the general road map or a current routing service when actual driving mileage or travel time is needed.
Cottonwood River, Minnesota River, and the interior lake network
The Minnesota River is the dominant boundary waterway along the north and northeast. It follows the county’s irregular upper edge and passes close to New Ulm. On the elevation map, the same river corridor appears as one of the lowest and most deeply incised parts of the county, making the relationship between water and relief easy to recognize.
Cottonwood River is the most prominent interior river. It crosses from the western side through the central county toward New Ulm, and Sleepy Eye Creek joins the broader system through the middle. Spring Creek is labeled farther north, adding another tributary corridor between the interior and the Minnesota River valley.
Little Cottonwood River runs through the southern half, while Mound Creek appears in the southwest. These smaller waterways cut lower corridors through farm country that is otherwise higher than the northern river boundary. Their winding courses contrast with the straighter agricultural roads and show how drainage follows local valleys rather than the road grid.
Several lakes provide additional local references. Sleepy Eye Lake lies north of Sleepy Eye, Gilman Lake and Altermatt Lake occupy the south-central interior, and Lake Hanska is prominent in the southeast. Omsrud Lake, Linden Lake, Emerson Lake, Clear Lake, and Wood Lake are also labeled, giving the county a broader lake network than the road map alone suggests.
Brown County’s official parks page connects several of these waterways with local recreation. The county park system includes Lake Hanska County Park, and Brown County also maintains canoe access sites on the Cottonwood River. Those facilities show how the lakes and river corridors visible on the map also function as public outdoor spaces.
Use the water map for names, relative positions, and broad drainage relationships. It does not show flood probability, legal shoreline limits, navigation depth, parcel ownership, or current water conditions. Those questions require current products from the responsible public agency.
Elevation from 238 to 384 meters
The elevation map reports an actual range of about 238 to 384 meters and a mean near 311 meters. Greens represent lower terrain, while tan and brown colors mark higher ground. The Minnesota River corridor along the northern and northeastern boundary is the most continuous low area, with especially deep relief close to New Ulm.
The Cottonwood River and Sleepy Eye Creek form a second network of lower valleys through the county’s center. Their green corridors cut through broader agricultural uplands and widen where tributaries meet. Comparing the water and elevation maps makes these interior valleys much easier to recognize.
The highest terrain is concentrated toward the southwest and along portions of the southern edge. Dark brown uplands appear south of Springfield and near the county’s southwestern corner, while the Hanska and Lake Hanska side remains higher than the Minnesota River valley even when it is not part of the maximum-elevation zone.
The county-wide difference is roughly 146 meters. That is not mountain-scale relief, but it clearly separates the northern river valley, central stream corridors, and higher southern farm country. This surface is intended for broad terrain comparison rather than survey-grade measurement; precise construction, drainage, engineering, or site work requires more detailed official elevation data and field verification.
How New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, and Springfield occupy different settings
New Ulm combines the county’s strongest city footprint with the deepest river setting. MN-15 and MN-68 provide major road references, the Minnesota River lies immediately to the north and east, and Cottonwood River approaches from the southwest. The elevation map places the city close to one of the county’s lowest major valleys.
Sleepy Eye sits in a more open interior setting. Sleepy Eye Lake and Sleepy Eye Creek provide the clearest water references, while MN-4 runs south through surrounding farm country. The landscape is still cut by stream valleys, but it lacks the broad, deeply incised boundary valley that defines New Ulm.
Springfield and the Comfrey side occupy higher southern terrain. US-14 and local roads cross broad uplands, while Cottonwood River, Little Cottonwood River, and Mound Creek carve lower valleys through them. The road, water, and elevation layers together show how Brown County shifts from a deep northern river corridor to higher southern farm country.
The set works well for general county orientation, school assignments, local-history presentations, and trip preparation. It does not replace parcel records, zoning documents, flood-regulation products, legal surveys, or real-time transportation information, so specialized decisions should rely on current county, state, or federal sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which maps best show the difference between New Ulm and Sleepy Eye?
Start with the general county map for roads and settlement locations, then compare the water and elevation maps. New Ulm sits beside the deeply cut Minnesota River valley, while Sleepy Eye occupies a broader interior setting around Sleepy Eye Lake and Creek.
Are the city-index values current population estimates?
The values described here are the numbers printed in the supplied city-index graphic. For the latest population figures, use current U.S. Census Bureau or Brown County statistics rather than treating the map values as a new estimate.
Can the 238–384 meter elevation range be used for engineering or surveying?
No. The elevation layer is suitable for broad comparison of higher and lower terrain, but precise construction, drainage, engineering, or survey work requires more detailed official elevation data and field verification.
Map File Information
A ZIP containing the high-resolution A3 JPG originals for the Brown County map, city index, water map, and elevation map.
- Included Files: county map, city index map, water map, elevation map
- File Type: JPG
Related Maps
Sources and references
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line Shapefiles – official geographic files for county boundaries, roads, and place references.
- USGS National Hydrography – federal source for rivers, streams, lakes, and other hydrographic features.
- USGS 3D Elevation Program – official U.S. elevation and terrain data resources.
- Brown County official website – official county government, resident services, and local information.
- Brown County Parks – official information about county parks, Lake Hanska County Park, and Cottonwood River canoe access sites.
Green Map creates custom-edited map images using open geographic data sources such as geoBoundaries, Natural Earth, OpenStreetMap, and government open data. These maps are edited visual materials, not raw data files, and are provided for education, documents, presentations, and graphic reference.
