# 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. 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.

## Background

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has designated more than 1,000 statistical areas for the United States and Puerto Rico. 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, "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". 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.
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%. 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 :
| Combined statistical area | 2023 population (est.) | Core-based statistical area | 2023 population (est.) | County | 2023 population (est.) |
| 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 |
| 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) | Ramsey County, Minnesota | 536,075 |
| 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) | Dakota County, Minnesota | 447,440 |
| 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) | Anoka County, Minnesota | 372,441 |
| 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) | Washington County, Minnesota | 278,936 |
| 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) | Scott County, Minnesota | 155,814 |
| 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) | Wright County, Minnesota | 151,150 |
| 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) | Carver County, Minnesota | 111,057 |
| 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) | Sherburne County, Minnesota | 102,206 |
| 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) | St. Croix County, Wisconsin | 96,763 |
| 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) | Chisago County, Minnesota | 58,535 |
| 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) | Isanti County, Minnesota | 43,182 |
| 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) | Pierce County, Wisconsin | 43,026 |
| 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) | Le Sueur County, Minnesota | 29,255 |
| 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) | Mille Lacs County, Minnesota | 27,427 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI CSA | 4,104,786 3,964,997 (MN) | St. Cloud, MN MSA | 202,577 | Stearns County, Minnesota | 160,977 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI CSA | 4,104,786 3,964,997 (MN) | St. Cloud, MN MSA | 202,577 | Benton County, Minnesota | 41,600 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI CSA | 4,104,786 3,964,997 (MN) | Faribault-Northfield, MN μSA | 67,948 | Rice County, Minnesota | 67,948 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI CSA | 4,104,786 3,964,997 (MN) | Red Wing, MN μSA | 48,035 | Goodhue County, Minnesota | 48,035 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI CSA | 4,104,786 3,964,997 (MN) | Owatonna, MN μSA | 37,421 | Steele County, Minnesota | 37,421 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI CSA | 4,104,786 3,964,997 (MN) | 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 |
| Rochester-Austin-Winona, MN CSA | 318,856 | Rochester, MN MSA | 229,077 | Wabasha County, Minnesota | 21,683 |
| Rochester-Austin-Winona, MN CSA | 318,856 | Rochester, MN MSA | 229,077 | Fillmore County, Minnesota | 21,522 |
| Rochester-Austin-Winona, MN CSA | 318,856 | Rochester, MN MSA | 229,077 | Dodge County, Minnesota | 21,088 |
| Rochester-Austin-Winona, MN CSA | 318,856 | Winona, MN μSA | 49,721 | Winona County, Minnesota | 49,721 |
| Rochester-Austin-Winona, MN CSA | 318,856 | 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 |
| Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI MSA | 326,968 282,704 (MN) | Duluth, MN-WI MSA | 281,603 237,339 (MN) | Douglas County, Wisconsin | 44,264 |
| Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI MSA | 326,968 282,704 (MN) | Duluth, MN-WI MSA | 281,603 237,339 (MN) | Carlton County, Minnesota | 36,825 |
| Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI MSA | 326,968 282,704 (MN) | 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 |
| Mankato–New Ulm, MN CSA | 129,876 | Mankato, MN MSA | 104,248 | Nicollet County, Minnesota | 34,242 |
| Mankato–New Ulm, MN CSA | 129,876 | New Ulm, MN μSA | 25,628 | Brown County, Minnesota | 25,628 |
| none | none | Brainerd, MN μSA | 99,750 | Crow Wing County, Minnesota | 68,304 |
| none | none | Brainerd, MN μSA | 99,750 | 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 |
| Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN CSA | 285,484 72,564 (MN) | Fargo, ND-MN MSA | 262,620 66,258 (MN) | Clay County, Minnesota | 66,258 |
| Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN CSA | 285,484 72,564 (MN) | Wahpeton, ND-MN μSA | 22,864 6,306 (MN) | Richland County, North Dakota | 16,558 |
| Fargo-Wahpeton, ND-MN CSA | 285,484 72,564 (MN) | Wahpeton, ND-MN μSA | 22,864 6,306 (MN) | Wilkin County, Minnesota | 6,306 |
| none | none | Fergus Falls, MN μSA | 60,626 | Otter Tail County, Minnesota | 60,626 |
| none | none | Bemidji, MN μSA | 46,718 | Beltrami County, Minnesota | 46,718 |
| none | none | Willmar, MN μSA | 43,813 | Kandiyohi County, Minnesota | 43,813 |
| none | none | Alexandria, MN μSA | 39,953 | Douglas County, Minnesota | 39,953 |
| none | none | Detroit Lakes, MN μSA | 35,283 | Becker County, Minnesota | 35,283 |
| none | none | Albert Lea, MN μSA | 30,515 | Freeborn County, Minnesota | 30,515 |
| none | none | Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA | 103,120 30,412 (MN) | Grand Forks County, North Dakota | 72,708 |
| none | none | Grand Forks, ND-MN MSA | 103,120 30,412 (MN) | Polk County, Minnesota | 30,412 |
| none | none | Marshall, MN μSA | 25,427 | Lyon County, Minnesota | 25,427 |
| none | none | Worthington, MN μSA | 21,727 | Nobles County, Minnesota | 21,727 |
| none | none | 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 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska-Sparta, WI-MN MSA | 216,389 18,582 (MN) | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN MSA | 170,238 18,582 (MN) | Vernon County, Wisconsin | 31,170 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska-Sparta, WI-MN MSA | 216,389 18,582 (MN) | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN MSA | 170,238 18,582 (MN) | Houston County, Minnesota | 18,582 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska-Sparta, WI-MN MSA | 216,389 18,582 (MN) | Sparta, WI μSA | 46,151 | Monroe County, Wisconsin | 46,151 |
| none | none | Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA | 304,555 9,551 (MN) | Minnehaha County, South Dakota | 206,930 |
| none | none | Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA | 304,555 9,551 (MN) | Lincoln County, South Dakota | 73,238 |
| none | none | Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA | 304,555 9,551 (MN) | Rock County, Minnesota | 9,551 |
| none | none | Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA | 304,555 9,551 (MN) | Turner County, South Dakota | 9,027 |
| none | none | Sioux Falls, SD-MN MSA | 304,555 9,551 (MN) | McCook County, South Dakota | 5,809 |
| none | none | none | none | Morrison County, Minnesota | 34,250 |
| none | none | none | none | Pine County, Minnesota | 30,197 |
| none | none | none | none | Todd County, Minnesota | 25,667 |
| none | none | none | none | Meeker County, Minnesota | 23,490 |
| none | none | none | none | Hubbard County, Minnesota | 22,132 |
| none | none | none | none | Waseca County, Minnesota | 18,981 |
| none | none | none | none | Kanabec County, Minnesota | 16,602 |
| none | none | none | none | Aitkin County, Minnesota | 16,102 |
| none | none | none | none | Redwood County, Minnesota | 15,288 |
| none | none | none | none | Roseau County, Minnesota | 15,252 |
| none | none | none | none | Sibley County, Minnesota | 15,084 |
| none | none | none | none | Renville County, Minnesota | 14,348 |
| none | none | none | none | Wadena County, Minnesota | 14,241 |
| none | none | none | none | Faribault County, Minnesota | 13,873 |
| none | none | none | none | Pennington County, Minnesota | 13,714 |
| none | none | none | none | Chippewa County, Minnesota | 12,172 |
| none | none | none | none | Koochiching County, Minnesota | 11,751 |
| none | none | none | none | Pope County, Minnesota | 11,400 |
| none | none | none | none | Cottonwood County, Minnesota | 11,319 |
| none | none | none | none | Watonwan County, Minnesota | 11,077 |
| none | none | none | none | Lake County, Minnesota | 10,855 |
| none | none | none | none | Jackson County, Minnesota | 9,919 |
| none | none | none | none | Stevens County, Minnesota | 9,728 |
| none | none | none | none | Swift County, Minnesota | 9,719 |
| none | none | none | none | Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota | 9,467 |
| none | none | none | none | Pipestone County, Minnesota | 9,245 |
| none | none | none | none | Marshall County, Minnesota | 8,810 |
| none | none | none | none | Clearwater County, Minnesota | 8,644 |
| none | none | none | none | Murray County, Minnesota | 8,049 |
| none | none | none | none | Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota | 6,630 |
| none | none | none | none | Norman County, Minnesota | 6,329 |
| none | none | none | none | Grant County, Minnesota | 6,139 |
| none | none | none | none | Cook County, Minnesota | 5,639 |
| none | none | none | none | Lincoln County, Minnesota | 5,521 |
| none | none | none | none | Mahnomen County, Minnesota | 5,280 |
| none | none | none | none | Big Stone County, Minnesota | 5,105 |
| none | none | none | none | Kittson County, Minnesota | 4,060 |
| none | none | none | none | Red Lake County, Minnesota | 3,911 |
| none | none | none | none | Lake of the Woods County, Minnesota | 3,778 |
| none | none | none | none | Traverse County, Minnesota | 3,136 |
| State of Minnesota | State of Minnesota | State of Minnesota | State of Minnesota | 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 :
| 2023 rank | Core-based statistical area | Population | Population | Population | Population | Population |
| 2023 rank | Core-based statistical area | 2023 estimate | Change | 2020 Census | Change | 2010 Census |
| 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 :
| 2023 rank | Combined statistical area | Population | Population | Population | Population | Population |
| 2023 rank | Combined statistical area | 2023 estimate | Change | 2020 Census | Change | 2010 Census |
| 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 |