Olmsted County's strategy, budget, and performance

Strategy

Mission, Vision, and Values

Mission: Building a sustainable foundation for a safe, healthy, and welcoming community through public service excellence. 

Vision: A vibrant community where everyone thrives. 

Values:

  • Thoughtful: We are intentional with our thoughts and actions by considering the needs of others and acting with respect and compassion. We use data and community input to make informed decisions. 
  • Principled: We are careful stewards of our resources and are honest, ethical, and accountable in our work and interactions. 
  • Inclusive: We strive to build equitable and supportive environments that cultivate a sense of belonging. 
  • Service Focused: We strive to add value to the community through quality core services, innovative problem-solving, and continuous improvement. 
  • Collaborative: We work together and seek diverse perspectives, ideas, and experiences to strengthen our community. 

Strategic priorities and goals

  • Community trust and engagement 
    • Olmsted County earns community trust through engagement, collaboration, and reliable public service. 
  • Community safety and well-being 
    • Olmsted County strives to keep our community safe and ensures equitable access to programs and services that improve quality of life. 
  • Environmental sustainability 
    • Olmsted County leads in sustainable practices. 
  • Responsible growth and development 
    • Olmsted County anticipates and adapts to the needs of a growing community. 
  • Effective and engaged workforce  
    • Olmsted County has an engaged and high-performing workforce that reflects the diversity of our community. 

Legislative priorities

The county sets priorities prior to each legislative session to help focus advocacy efforts on initiatives that will support the county’s mission and goals. See the priority items for 2026.   

Budget

Public meetings regarding 2027 property tax levy and Olmsted County budget

  • September 15, 2026: Preliminary property tax levy set at board of commissioners meeting at 6 p.m.
  • December 1, 2026: Truth in taxation meeting at 6 p.m.
  • December 15, 2026: Final property tax levy set at board of commissioners meeting at 6 p.m. 

See details about Olmsted County's public meetings on our PrimeGov site. 

Annual budget

Olmsted County is dedicated to making sound financial decisions and following strong financial policies and practices. We support the priorities of Olmsted County while taking a responsible approach to our county’s commitments to residents, business owners, and community partners. Learn more about our annual budget process by viewing our 2026 Budget in Brief.

Performance

Performance measures

Each year, Olmsted County participates in a voluntary state measures program, administered by the State Auditor’s Office. This performance reporting provides transparency and comparison with services of other local government jurisdictions in Minnesota to assure quality standards are met.

View the 2025 State Performance Measures Program Report

Survey of residents

Olmsted County regularly surveys its residents to learn more about their quality of life and their experience with Olmsted County government. We use this survey to identify areas of focus for our work to improve the quality of life in Olmsted County and also to improve our services to residents. Please see the 2025 resident survey report below. 

2025 Olmsted County Resident Survey

Olmsted County community indicators 

Olmsted County has a population of approximately 164,000 and is one of 87 counties in Minnesota. Community indicators help to understand Olmsted County from a variety of perspectives. These indicators are intended to support county leadership by providing valuable data and information toward fulfilling the county’s mission of “Building a sustainable foundation for a safe, healthy, and welcoming community through public service excellence.”