Jump to content

Minnesota statistical areas

The U.S. State of Minnesota currently has 34 statistical areas that have been delineated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). On July 21, 2023, the OMB delineated six combined statistical areas, nine metropolitan statistical areas, and 19 micropolitan statistical areas in Minnesota.[1] As of 2025, the largest of these is the Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN-WI CSA, comprising the area around the state's twin citiesMinneapolis, its largest city, and St. Paul, its capital.

Statistical areas

[edit source]

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has designated more than 1,000 statistical areas for the United States and Puerto Rico.[2] These statistical areas are important geographic delineations of population clusters used by the OMB, the United States Census Bureau, planning organizations, and federal, state, and local government entities.

The OMB defines a core-based statistical area (CBSA) as the county or counties (or county-equivalents) surrounding at least one densely-settled core of at least 10,000 population,[2] "plus adjacent counties having a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured through commuting ties with the counties containing the core".[2] The OMB further divides a CBSA based on population into a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) for those with at least 50,000 people or a micropolitan statistical area (μSA) for those with 10,000 to 49,999 people.[2]

The OMB defines a combined statistical area (CSA) as two or more adjacent CBSAs where the employment interchange rate (percent commuting from A to B plus percent commuting from B to A) is at least 15%.[2] A primary statistical area (PSA) includes all CSAs and any CBSA that is not a constituent of a combined statistical area.

The 34 United States statistical areas and 87 counties of the State of Minnesota[a]
Combined statistical area[1] 2025 population (est.)[3] Core-based statistical area[1] 2025 population (est.)[3] County 2025 population (est.)[3]
Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN-WI CSA 4,188,378
4,046,583 (MN)
Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington, MN-WI MSA 3,790,295
3,648,500 (MN)
Hennepin County, Minnesota 1,284,784
Ramsey County, Minnesota 541,623
Dakota County, Minnesota 457,710
Anoka County, Minnesota 381,605
Washington County, Minnesota 286,895
Scott County, Minnesota 159,017
Wright County, Minnesota 157,559
Carver County, Minnesota 114,379
Sherburne County, Minnesota 104,194
St. Croix County, Wisconsin 98,276
Chisago County, Minnesota 59,142
Isanti County, Minnesota 44,386
Pierce County, Wisconsin 43,519
Le Sueur County, Minnesota 29,453
Mille Lacs County, Minnesota 27,753
St. Cloud, MN MSA 205,854 Stearns County, Minnesota 164,110
Benton County, Minnesota 41,744
Faribault–Northfield, MN μSA 69,939 Rice County, Minnesota 69,939
Red Wing, MN μSA 48,195 Goodhue County, Minnesota 48,195
Owatonna, MN μSA 37,464 Steele County, Minnesota 37,464
Hutchinson, MN μSA 36,631 McLeod County, Minnesota 36,631
Rochester–Austin–Winona, MN CSA 322,678 Rochester, MN MSA 231,184 Olmsted County, Minnesota 166,731
Fillmore County, Minnesota 21,540
Wabasha County, Minnesota 21,537
Dodge County, Minnesota 21,376
Winona, MN μSA 50,523 Winona County, Minnesota 50,523
Austin, MN μSA 40,971 Mower County, Minnesota 40,971
Duluth–Grand Rapids, MN-WI MSA 326,623
282,633 (MN)
Duluth, MN-WI MSA 281,219
237,229 (MN)
St. Louis County, Minnesota 200,518
Douglas County, Wisconsin 43,990
Carlton County, Minnesota 36,711
Grand Rapids, MN μSA 45,404 Itasca County, Minnesota 45,404
Mankato–New Ulm, MN CSA 130,424 Mankato, MN MSA 104,907 Blue Earth County, Minnesota 70,634
Nicollet County, Minnesota 34,273
New Ulm, MN μSA 25,517 Brown County, Minnesota 25,517
none Brainerd, MN μSA 100,562 Crow Wing County, Minnesota 69,132
Cass County, Minnesota 31,430
Fargo–Wahpeton, ND-MN CSA 292,547
74,022 (MN)
Fargo, ND-MN MSA 269,528
67,734 (MN)
Cass County, North Dakota 201,794
Clay County, Minnesota 67,734
Wahpeton, ND-MN μSA 23,019
6,288 (MN)
Richland County, North Dakota 16,731
Wilkin County, Minnesota 6,288
none Fergus Falls, MN μSA 61,041 Otter Tail County, Minnesota 61,041
Bemidji, MN μSA 47,055 Beltrami County, Minnesota 47,055
Willmar, MN μSA 44,720 Kandiyohi County, Minnesota 44,720
Alexandria, MN μSA 40,120 Douglas County, Minnesota 40,120
Detroit Lakes, MN μSA 35,497 Becker County, Minnesota 35,497
Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA 105,046
30,545 (MN)
Grand Forks County, North Dakota 74,501
Polk County, Minnesota 30,545
Albert Lea, MN μSA 30,440 Freeborn County, Minnesota 30,440
Marshall, MN μSA 25,684 Lyon County, Minnesota 25,684
Worthington, MN μSA 22,338 Nobles County, Minnesota 22,338
Fairmont, MN μSA 19,440 Martin County, Minnesota 19,440
La Crosse–Onalaska–Sparta, WI-MN MSA 217,754
18,400 (MN)
La Crosse–Onalaska, WI-MN MSA 171,182
18,400 (MN)
La Crosse County, Wisconsin 121,339
Vernon County, Wisconsin 31,443
Houston County, Minnesota 18,400
Sparta, WI μSA 46,572 Monroe County, Wisconsin 46,572
none Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA 314,638
9,524 (MN)
Minnehaha County, South Dakota 212,691
Lincoln County, South Dakota 77,145
Rock County, Minnesota 9,524
Turner County, South Dakota 9,314
McCook County, South Dakota 5,964
none Morrison County, Minnesota 34,620
Pine County, Minnesota 30,472
Todd County, Minnesota 26,060
Meeker County, Minnesota 23,603
Hubbard County, Minnesota 22,369
Waseca County, Minnesota 18,688
Kanabec County, Minnesota 16,628
Aitkin County, Minnesota 16,252
Sibley County, Minnesota 15,356
Redwood County, Minnesota 15,265
Roseau County, Minnesota 15,246
Wadena County, Minnesota 14,388
Renville County, Minnesota 14,356
Faribault County, Minnesota 13,888
Pennington County, Minnesota 13,686
Chippewa County, Minnesota 12,406
Koochiching County, Minnesota 11,587
Watonwan County, Minnesota 11,459
Pope County, Minnesota 11,420
Cottonwood County, Minnesota 11,405
Lake County, Minnesota 10,746
Jackson County, Minnesota 9,857
Swift County, Minnesota 9,763
Stevens County, Minnesota 9,747
Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota 9,477
Pipestone County, Minnesota 9,260
Marshall County, Minnesota 8,798
Clearwater County, Minnesota 8,647
Murray County, Minnesota 7,942
Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota 6,704
Norman County, Minnesota 6,336
Grant County, Minnesota 6,085
Lincoln County, Minnesota 5,583
Cook County, Minnesota 5,522
Mahnomen County, Minnesota 5,153
Big Stone County, Minnesota 5,054
Kittson County, Minnesota 4,031
Red Lake County, Minnesota 3,940
Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota 3,770
Traverse County, Minnesota 3,130
State of Minnesota 5,830,405
The 28 core-based statistical areas of the State of Minnesota[b]
2025 rank Core-based statistical area[1] Population
2025 estimate[3] Change 2020 Census[4] Change 2010 Census[5]
1 Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington, MN-WI MSA (MN) 3,648,500+2.64%3,554,513+10.79%3,208,269
2 Duluth, MN-WI MSA (MN) 237,229+0.33%236,438+0.35%235,612
3 Rochester, MN MSA 231,184+2.15%226,329+9.40%206,877
4 St. Cloud, MN MSA 205,854+3.10%199,671+5.59%189,093
5 Mankato, MN MSA 104,907+1.29%103,566+7.06%96,740
6 Brainerd, MN μSA 100,562+4.55%96,189+5.62%91,067
7 Faribault–Northfield, MN μSA 69,939+4.24%67,097+4.61%64,142
8 Fargo, ND-MN MSA (MN) 67,734+3.70%65,318+10.71%58,999
9 Fergus Falls, MN μSA 61,041+1.60%60,081+4.85%57,303
10 Winona, MN μSA 50,523+1.72%49,671−3.48%51,461
11 Red Wing, MN μSA 48,195+1.29%47,582+3.03%46,183
12 Bemidji, MN μSA 47,055+1.79%46,228+4.02%44,442
13 Grand Rapids, MN μSA 45,404+0.87%45,014−0.10%45,058
14 Willmar, MN μSA 44,720+2.26%43,732+3.53%42,239
15 Austin, MN μSA 40,971+2.35%40,029+2.21%39,163
16 Alexandria, MN μSA 40,120+2.86%39,006+8.32%36,009
17 Owatonna, MN μSA 37,464+0.16%37,406+2.27%36,576
18 Hutchinson, MN μSA 36,631−0.38%36,771+0.33%36,651
19 Detroit Lakes, MN μSA 35,497+0.89%35,183+8.24%32,504
20 Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA (MN) 30,545−2.07%31,192−1.29%31,600
21 Albert Lea, MN μSA 30,440−1.47%30,895−1.15%31,255
22 Marshall, MN μSA 25,684+1.64%25,269−2.27%25,857
23 New Ulm, MN μSA 25,517−1.52%25,912+0.07%25,893
24 Worthington, MN μSA 22,338+0.22%22,290+4.27%21,378
25 Fairmont, MN μSA 19,440−2.92%20,025−3.91%20,840
26 La Crosse–Onalaska, WI-MN MSA (MN) 18,400−2.35%18,843−0.97%19,027
27 Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA (MN) 9,524−1.85%9,704+0.18%9,687
28 Wahpeton, ND-MN μSA (MN) 6,288−3.35%6,506−1.06%6,576
Duluth, MN-WI MSA 281,219+0.17%280,733+0.34%279,771
Fargo, ND-MN MSA 269,528+7.88%249,843+19.67%208,777
Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA 105,046+0.66%104,362+5.99%98,461
La Crosse–Onalaska, WI-MN MSA 171,182+0.49%170,341+4.22%163,438
Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington, MN-WI MSA 3,790,295+2.71%3,690,261+10.70%3,333,633
Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA 314,638+9.85%286,434+20.18%238,338
Wahpeton, ND-MN μSA 23,019−0.07%23,035+0.60%22,897
The six combined statistical areas of the State of Minnesota[c]
2025 rank Combined statistical area[1] Population
2025 estimate[3] Change 2020 Census[4] Change 2010 Census[5]
1 Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN-WI CSA (MN) 4,046,583+2.63%3,943,040+10.11%3,580,914
2 Rochester–Austin–Winona, MN CSA 322,678+2.10%316,029+6.23%297,501
3 Duluth–Grand Rapids, MN-WI CSA (MN) 282,633+0.42%281,452+0.28%280,670
4 Mankato–New Ulm, MN CSA 130,424+0.73%129,478+5.58%122,633
5 Fargo–Wahpeton, ND-MN CSA (MN) 74,022+3.06%71,824+9.53%65,575
6 La Crosse–Onalaska–Sparta, WI-MN CSA (MN) 18,400−2.35%18,843−0.97%19,027
Duluth–Grand Rapids, MN-WI CSA 326,623+0.27%325,747+0.28%324,829
Fargo–Wahpeton, ND-MN CSA 292,547+7.21%272,878+17.79%231,674
La Crosse–Onalaska–Sparta, WI-MN CSA 217,754+0.53%216,615+4.09%208,111
Minneapolis–St. Paul, MN-WI CSA 4,188,378+2.69%4,078,788+10.05%3,706,278

See also

[edit source]
  1. An out-of-state area and its population are displayed in green. An area that extends into more than one state is displayed in purple. A purple population number over a black population number show the total population versus the in-state population. The state's abbreviation is also shown next to the in-state total.
  2. For CBSAs comprising populations from multiple states, they are listed twice to show both their intrastate population within that CBSA as well as the CBSA's total population. Only the intrastate population is ranked.
  3. For CSAs comprising populations from multiple states, they are listed twice to show both their intrastate population within that CSA as well as the CSA's total population. Only the intrastate population is ranked.

References

[edit source]
  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas (July 21, 2023). "0MB BULLETIN NO. 23-01" (PDF). Office of Management and Budget. Retrieved October 23, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "2020 Standards for Delineating Core Based Statistical Areas". Office of Management and Budget. July 16, 2021. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2025". United States Census Bureau, Population Division. July 2025. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
  4. 1 2 "PROFILE OF GENERAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS". U.S. Census Bureau. 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  5. 1 2 "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019". U.S. Census Bureau. 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
[edit source]

46°16′51″N 94°18′19″W / 46.2807°N 94.3053°W / 46.2807; -94.3053 (State of Minnesota)