Twin Cities growing fast, census estimates show

Big cities in Minnesota continue to gain population even as many rural parts of the state struggle to hold onto residents, according to new population estimates by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Minnesota's population increased by more than 35,000 last year. Minneapolis and St. Paul alone accounted for about a quarter of the state's population growth last year.

The bureau released population estimates from cities and towns on Thursday. When combined with previously released U.S. Census data, the estimates paint a picture of an ascendant urban core amidst struggling rural areas.

Much of the state's growth took place in the city of Minneapolis, which gained an estimated 6,560 residents, which is a 1.6 percent increase over the previous. Although the city's population growth slowed coming out of the recession, it's been growing at close to this rate since 2011.

"We're continuing to see strong growth in the urban centers," said Minnesota State Demographer Susan Brower. "In the context of what we've seen over the last several decades, it really points to sustained growth in that urban center."

Many rural counties lost residents, including Martin County, which lost 132 residents and experienced one more deaths than births. Some of these rural counties with older populations may be a sign of what's to come for the rest of the state as residents get older.

"We'll have to rely much more heavily on immigration to make up the difference in what we're not getting out of our natural growth," Brower said. "Our projections put that tipping point somewhere around 2040."

Minneapolis may be gaining a lot of residents compared to historic levels, but it still lags in growth behind many cities in the west and south, including Texas, California and Florida. Minneapolis was ranked 155 in the country for its proportion of population growth last year.

St. Paul also gained an estimated 2,209 residents between 2013 and 2014. Other standouts include Maple Grove, which added 1,482 residents, and Lakeville, which added 1,249.

Although the state managed to attract more than 14,000 international immigrants, almost 7,000 residents also moved out of the state.

"We have struggled in recent years to get people to come to Minnesota," Brower said. "We have made up for those losses to other states by attracting a lot of people from other countries, so we still have a net gain of people coming to the state."

Much of the growth in the state came in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Dakota County added 3,700 residents; Washington County added 2,600 residents; and Anoka County added 2,635 residents.

Hennepin County added 12,004 residents, at least 5,800 through international immigration. The county's birth rate was also twice its death rate.

"Here in the Twin Cities metro we're still seeing very robust growth among the suburbs that are within the seven-county metro area. We're seeing continued growth of some greater Minnesota cities as well," Brower said. "It's not just a story about Minneapolis and St. Paul, although those are certainly standout cities at this point."

Minnesota's estimated population change, 2010-2014

Source: U.S. Census Bureau