Hastings is a city located in Minnesota at the confluence of the Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 18,204. It is the county seat of Dakota County6. The bulk of Hastings is in Dakota County, but a small part of the city extends into Washington County. The city is named for the first elected governor of the state of Minnesota, Henry Hastings Sibley.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.5 km2 (11.0 mi2). 26.2 km2 (10.1 mi2) of it is land and 2.3 km2 (0.9 mi2) of it is water. The total area is 7.92% water.