The Metropolitan Council reports net growth of the metropolitan area of 8% in the years between 2010 and 2017, with the greatest growth occurring in “Urban Center communities” — Minneapolis and Saint Paul and the region’s oldest suburbs. Growth in these areas has accounted for one-third of the region’s population growth since 2010.

Growth by Presence of/Plan for Transitways

The Council reports that growth was greatest in communities with existing or planned transitways; this is an aggregate assessment.  As individual categories, growth was greatest in communities with no transitways.

Growth By Community Designation

Urban Center communities account for one-third of regional growth. Urban Center (all others) includes communities that experienced their peak development before 2000, such as Brooklyn Park and Maplewood. Suburban Edge and Emerging Suburban Edge communities include Woodbury and Chanhassen – cities with more open land.

More about these growth charts, additional charts of the communities driving the greatest growth, and information about the population estimation models in use can be found on the Met Council site.