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 2023, the largest of these is the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI CSA, comprising the area around the state's twin cities - Minneapolis, its largest city, and St. Paul, its capital.

Statistical areas

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 (commonly referred to as a 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 core-based statistical areas based on population into metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) for those with at least 50,000 and micropolitan statistical areas (μSAs) for those with 10,000 to 49,999 people.^[2]

The OMB defines a combined statistical area (CSA) as two or more adjacent core-based statistical areas where the employment interchange rate (% commuting from A to B plus % commuting from B to A) is at least 15%.^[2] The primary statistical areas (PSAs) include all combined statistical areas and any core-based statistical area that is not a constituent of a combined statistical area.

Table

The 34 United States statistical areas and 87 counties of the State of Minnesota^[a]

Combined statistical area[1]	2023 population (est.)[3]	Core-based statistical area[1]	2023 population (est.)[3]	County	2023 population (est.)[3]
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI CSA	4,104,786 3,964,997 (MN)	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI MSA	3,712,020 3,572,231 (MN)	Hennepin County, Minnesota	1,258,713
				Ramsey County, Minnesota	536,075
				Dakota County, Minnesota	447,440
				Anoka County, Minnesota	372,441
				Washington County, Minnesota	278,936
				Scott County, Minnesota	155,814
				Wright County, Minnesota	151,150
				Carver County, Minnesota	111,057
				Sherburne County, Minnesota	102,206
				St. Croix County, Wisconsin	96,763
				Chisago County, Minnesota	58,535
				Isanti County, Minnesota	43,182
				Pierce County, Wisconsin	43,026
				Le Sueur County, Minnesota	29,255
				Mille Lacs County, Minnesota	27,427
		St. Cloud, MN MSA	202,577	Stearns County, Minnesota	160,977
				Benton County, Minnesota	41,600
		Faribault-Northfield, MN μSA	67,948	Rice County, Minnesota	67,948
		Red Wing, MN μSA	48,035	Goodhue County, Minnesota	48,035
		Owatonna, MN μSA	37,421	Steele County, Minnesota	37,421
		Hutchinson, MN μSA	36,785	McLeod County, Minnesota	36,785
Rochester-Austin-Winona, MN CSA	318,856	Rochester, MN MSA	229,077	Olmsted County, Minnesota	164,784
				Wabasha County, Minnesota	21,683
				Fillmore County, Minnesota	21,522
				Dodge County, Minnesota	21,088
		Winona, MN μSA	49,721	Winona County, Minnesota	49,721
		Austin, MN μSA	40,058	Mower County, Minnesota	40,058
Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI MSA	326,968 282,704 (MN)	Duluth, MN-WI MSA	281,603 237,339 (MN)	St. Louis County, Minnesota	200,514
				Douglas County, Wisconsin	44,264
				Carlton County, Minnesota	36,825
		Grand Rapids, MN μSA	45,365	Itasca County, Minnesota	45,365
Mankato–New Ulm, MN CSA	129,876	Mankato, MN MSA	104,248	Blue Earth County, Minnesota	70,006
				Nicollet County, Minnesota	34,242
		New Ulm, MN μSA	25,628	Brown County, Minnesota	25,628
none		Brainerd, MN μSA	99,750	Crow Wing County, Minnesota	68,304
				Cass County, Minnesota	31,446
Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN CSA	285,484 72,564 (MN)	Fargo, ND-MN MSA	262,620 66,258 (MN)	Cass County, North Dakota	196,362
				Clay County, Minnesota	66,258
		Wahpeton, ND-MN μSA	22,864 6,306 (MN)	Richland County, North Dakota	16,558
				Wilkin County, Minnesota	6,306
none		Fergus Falls, MN μSA	60,626	Otter Tail County, Minnesota	60,626
		Bemidji, MN μSA	46,718	Beltrami County, Minnesota	46,718
		Willmar, MN μSA	43,813	Kandiyohi County, Minnesota	43,813
		Alexandria, MN μSA	39,953	Douglas County, Minnesota	39,953
		Detroit Lakes, MN μSA	35,283	Becker County, Minnesota	35,283
		Albert Lea, MN μSA	30,515	Freeborn County, Minnesota	30,515
		Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA	103,120 30,412 (MN)	Grand Forks County, North Dakota	72,708
				Polk County, Minnesota	30,412
		Marshall, MN μSA	25,427	Lyon County, Minnesota	25,427
		Worthington, MN μSA	21,727	Nobles County, Minnesota	21,727
		Fairmont, MN μSA	19,657	Martin County, Minnesota	19,657
La Crosse-Onalaska-Sparta, WI-MN MSA	216,389 18,582 (MN)	La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN MSA	170,238 18,582 (MN)	La Crosse County, Wisconsin	120,486
				Vernon County, Wisconsin	31,170
				Houston County, Minnesota	18,582
		Sparta, WI μSA	46,151	Monroe County, Wisconsin	46,151
none		Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA	304,555 9,551 (MN)	Minnehaha County, South Dakota	206,930
				Lincoln County, South Dakota	73,238
				Rock County, Minnesota	9,551
				Turner County, South Dakota	9,027
				McCook County, South Dakota	5,809
		none		Morrison County, Minnesota	34,250
				Pine County, Minnesota	30,197
				Todd County, Minnesota	25,667
				Meeker County, Minnesota	23,490
				Hubbard County, Minnesota	22,132
				Waseca County, Minnesota	18,981
				Kanabec County, Minnesota	16,602
				Aitkin County, Minnesota	16,102
				Redwood County, Minnesota	15,288
				Roseau County, Minnesota	15,252
				Sibley County, Minnesota	15,084
				Renville County, Minnesota	14,348
				Wadena County, Minnesota	14,241
				Faribault County, Minnesota	13,873
				Pennington County, Minnesota	13,714
				Chippewa County, Minnesota	12,172
				Koochiching County, Minnesota	11,751
				Pope County, Minnesota	11,400
				Cottonwood County, Minnesota	11,319
				Watonwan County, Minnesota	11,077
				Lake County, Minnesota	10,855
				Jackson County, Minnesota	9,919
				Stevens County, Minnesota	9,728
				Swift County, Minnesota	9,719
				Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota	9,467
				Pipestone County, Minnesota	9,245
				Marshall County, Minnesota	8,810
				Clearwater County, Minnesota	8,644
				Murray County, Minnesota	8,049
				Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota	6,630
				Norman County, Minnesota	6,329
				Grant County, Minnesota	6,139
				Cook County, Minnesota	5,639
				Lincoln County, Minnesota	5,521
				Mahnomen County, Minnesota	5,280
				Big Stone County, Minnesota	5,105
				Kittson County, Minnesota	4,060
				Red Lake County, Minnesota	3,911
				Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota	3,778
				Traverse County, Minnesota	3,136
State of Minnesota					5,738,051

Core-based statistical areas

The following table provides the in-state population ranking of each CBSA along with its rate of population change over time.

The 28 core-based statistical areas of the State of Minnesota^[b]

2023 rank	Core-based statistical area[1]	Population
		2023 estimate[3]	Change	2020 Census[4]	Change	2010 Census[5]
1	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI MSA	3,572,231	+0.50%	3,554,513	+10.79%	3,208,269
2	Duluth, MN-WI MSA (MN)	237,339	+0.38%	236,438	+0.35%	235,612
3	Rochester, MN MSA	229,077	+1.21%	226,329	+9.40%	206,877
4	St. Cloud, MN MSA	202,577	+1.46%	199,671	+5.59%	189,093
5	Mankato, MN MSA	104,248	+0.66%	103,566	+7.06%	96,740
6	Brainerd, MN μSA	99,750	+3.70%	96,189	+5.62%	91,067
7	Faribault-Northfield, MN μSA	67,948	+1.27%	67,097	+4.61%	64,142
8	Fargo, ND-MN MSA (MN)	66,258	+1.44%	65,318	+10.71%	58,999
9	Fergus Falls, MN μSA	60,626	+0.91%	60,081	+4.85%	57,303
10	Winona, MN μSA	49,721	+0.10%	49,671	−3.48%	51,461
11	Red Wing, MN μSA	48,035	+0.95%	47,582	+3.03%	46,183
12	Bemidji, MN μSA	46,718	+1.06%	46,228	+4.02%	44,442
13	Grand Rapids, MN μSA	45,365	+0.78%	45,014	−0.10%	45,058
14	Willmar, MN μSA	43,813	+0.19%	43,732	+3.53%	42,239
15	Austin, MN μSA	40,058	+0.07%	40,029	+2.21%	39,163
16	Alexandria, MN μSA	39,953	+2.43%	39,006	+8.32%	36,009
17	Owatonna, MN μSA	37,421	+0.04%	37,406	+2.27%	36,576
18	Hutchinson, MN μSA	36,785	+0.04%	36,771	+0.33%	36,651
19	Detroit Lakes, MN μSA	35,283	+0.28%	35,183	+8.24%	32,504
20	Albert Lea, MN μSA	30,515	−1.23%	30,895	−1.15%	31,255
21	Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA (MN)	30,412	−2.50%	31,192	−1.29%	31,600
22	New Ulm, MN μSA	25,628	−1.10%	25,912	+0.07%	25,893
23	Marshall, MN μSA	25,427	+0.63%	25,269	−2.27%	25,857
24	Worthington, MN μSA	21,727	−2.53%	22,290	+4.27%	21,378
25	Fairmont, MN μSA	19,657	−1.84%	20,025	−3.91%	20,840
26	La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN MSA (MN)	18,582	−1.39%	18,843	−0.97%	19,027
27	Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA (MN)	9,551	−1.58%	9,704	+0.18%	9,687
28	Wahpeton, ND-MN μSA (MN)	6,306	−3.07%	6,506	−1.06%	6,576
	Duluth, MN-WI MSA	281,603	+0.31%	280,733	+0.34%	279,771
	Fargo, ND-MN MSA	262,620	+5.11%	249,843	+19.67%	208,777
	Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA	103,120	−1.19%	104,362	+5.99%	98,461
	La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN MSA	170,238	−0.06%	170,341	+4.22%	163,438
	Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI MSA	3,712,020	+0.59%	3,690,261	+10.70%	3,333,633
	Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA	304,555	+6.33%	286,434	+20.18%	238,338
	Wahpeton, ND-MN μSA	22,864	−0.74%	23,035	+0.60%	22,897

Combined statistical areas

The following table provides the in-state population ranking of each CSA along with its rate of population change over time.

The six combined statistical areas of the State of Minnesota^[c]

2023 rank	Combined statistical area[1]	Population
		2023 estimate[3]	Change	2020 Census[4]	Change	2010 Census[5]
1	Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI CSA (MN)	3,964,997	+0.56%	3,943,040	+10.11%	3,580,914
2	Rochester-Austin-Winona, MN CSA	318,856	+0.89%	316,029	+6.23%	297,501
3	Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI CSA (MN)	282,704	+0.44%	281,452	+0.28%	280,670
4	Mankato-New Ulm, MN CSA	129,876	+0.31%	129,478	+5.58%	122,633
5	Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN CSA (MN)	72,564	+1.03%	71,824	+9.53%	65,575
6	La Crosse-Onalaska-Sparta, WI-MN CSA (MN)	18,582	−1.39%	18,843	−0.97%	19,027
	Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI CSA	326,968	+0.37%	325,747	+0.28%	324,829
	Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN CSA	285,484	+4.62%	272,878	+17.79%	231,674
	La Crosse-Onalaska-Sparta, WI-MN CSA	216,389	−0.10%	216,615	+4.09%	208,111
	Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI CSA	4,104,786	+0.64%	4,078,788	+10.05%	3,706,278

See also

• Geography portal
• United States portal
• Minnesota portal

• Geography of Minnesota
  • Demographics of Minnesota

Notes

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.