Welcome to City of Kandiyohi City of Kandiyohi… A Great Place to Live!

In the City of Kandiyohi, we are defined less by boundaries on a map than by the sense of shared values our residents hold dear. Small town values, guided growth, preservation of historical, cultural, and natural heritage are just a few of the core principles that makes the City of Kandiyohi a wonderful place to call home.

The City of Kandiyohi is located in central Minnesota, approximately 93 miles west of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area, 60 miles south of St. Cloud, and 6 miles east of Willmar. Situated in Kandiyohi Township, the community is centrally located in Kandiyohi County, which is characterized by rolling, wooded hills and possessing vast water resources.

Prior to its founding, the area of Kandiyohi was inhabited solely by the Dakota Sioux and indigenous peoples of North America. Kandiyohi was derived from a Sioux name meaning "where the buffalo fish come from"

Kandiyohi was laid out in 1869, when the railroad was extended to that point. In 1869 the Minnesota legislature voted Kandiyohi to be the new state capital due to its central location. The bill was vetoed by Governor William Rainey Marshall on the grounds that "the western treeless districts" further out from Kandiyohi would place the capital away from the likely population center.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 0.34 square miles (0.88 km²), all land. Including five family-friendly parks. U.S. Route 12 serves as a main route in the community.