Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Le Sueur, an Nicollet counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 32,427 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Blue Earth County, and is located along a large bend of the Minnesota River at its confluence with the Blue Earth River. Mankato is located in Blue Earth County and neighbored by its sister city across the Minnesota River, North Mankato, and completely encompasses the town of Skyline.