Is being in an area of Minnesota that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul, while others want peace and quiet like in Elko New Market and Becker, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Minnesota have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the North Star State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Minnesota gained a net 8,300 people from other states in the year ending July 2025 — 17th in the nation for domestic migration; the full moving statistics breakdown shows who’s coming and going.
94.7% growth since 2010 · 4,423 net new residents
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
87.0% growth since 2010 · 2,902 net new residents
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
78.6% growth since 2010 · 6,024 net new residents
Located in
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Rogers is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 8,597 at the 2010 census. However, the population increased to over 11,000 upon the annexing of surrounding Hassan Township in 2012. The population of Hassan Township was 2,600 in 2010, giving the current city a population base of 11,197 as of the census. The center of population of Minnesota is located in Rogers. The city is a northwest suburb of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
77.7% growth since 2010 · 9,724 net new residents
Located in
Wright County, Minnesota
Otsego is a city in Wright County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,571 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
66.8% growth since 2010 · 5,262 net new residents
Located in
Washington County, Minnesota
Lake Elmo is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 8,069 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
62.4% growth since 2010 · 4,341 net new residents
Located in
Carver County, Minnesota
Victoria is a city in Carver County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 7,345 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
48.9% growth since 2010 · 2,288 net new residents
Located in
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
48.0% growth since 2010 · 2,337 net new residents
Located in
Isanti County, Minnesota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
45.7% growth since 2010 · 2,732 net new residents
Located in
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
41.6% growth since 2010 · 1,953 net new residents
Byron is a city in Olmsted County, Minnesota, United States, approximately 5 miles west of Rochester on U.S. Route 14. It is surrounded by Kalmar Township. The population was 4,914 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Minnesota’s statewide median.
On the map
Where Minnesota’s growth is happening
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the North Star State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (the latest available data, which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 151 Minnesota cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the North Star State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula: [Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010].
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Minnesota.
The full plate
Fastest Growing Places In Minnesota For 2026
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dayton | 9,095 | 4,672 | 94.7% | 4,423 |
| 2 | Carver | 6,239 | 3,337 | 87.0% | 2,902 |
| 3 | Rogers | 13,685 | 7,661 | 78.6% | 6,024 |
| 4 | Otsego | 22,245 | 12,521 | 77.7% | 9,724 |
| 5 | Lake Elmo | 13,140 | 7,878 | 66.8% | 5,262 |
| 6 | Victoria | 11,295 | 6,954 | 62.4% | 4,341 |
| 7 | Medina | 6,968 | 4,680 | 48.9% | 2,288 |
| 8 | Isanti | 7,210 | 4,873 | 48.0% | 2,337 |
| 9 | Minnetrista | 8,708 | 5,976 | 45.7% | 2,732 |
| 10 | Byron | 6,646 | 4,693 | 41.6% | 1,953 |
| 11 | Elko New Market | 5,002 | 3,622 | 38.1% | 1,380 |
| 12 | Lakeville | 74,354 | 53,984 | 37.7% | 20,370 |
| 13 | Corcoran | 7,302 | 5,380 | 35.7% | 1,922 |
| 14 | Hugo | 16,340 | 12,129 | 34.7% | 4,211 |
| 15 | Sartell | 19,758 | 14,756 | 33.9% | 5,002 |
| 16 | Rosemount | 27,562 | 20,708 | 33.1% | 6,854 |
| 17 | Alexandria | 14,735 | 11,094 | 32.8% | 3,641 |
| 18 | Waconia | 13,434 | 10,159 | 32.2% | 3,275 |
| 19 | Zimmerman | 6,546 | 4,954 | 32.1% | 1,592 |
| 20 | Woodbury | 78,305 | 59,447 | 31.7% | 18,858 |
| 21 | Shakopee | 46,012 | 35,075 | 31.2% | 10,937 |
| 22 | Cambridge | 10,307 | 7,868 | 31.0% | 2,439 |
| 23 | Delano | 6,942 | 5,301 | 31.0% | 1,641 |
| 24 | Blaine | 72,488 | 55,413 | 30.8% | 17,075 |
| 25 | St. Michael | 20,010 | 15,384 | 30.1% | 4,626 |
| 26 | Big Lake | 12,367 | 9,659 | 28.0% | 2,708 |
| 27 | Jordan | 6,771 | 5,341 | 26.8% | 1,430 |
| 28 | Prior Lake | 28,016 | 22,193 | 26.2% | 5,823 |
| 29 | Albertville | 8,207 | 6,548 | 25.3% | 1,659 |
| 30 | Waite Park | 8,399 | 6,720 | 25.0% | 1,679 |
| 31 | Chaska | 28,706 | 22,993 | 24.8% | 5,713 |
| 32 | Ramsey | 28,421 | 22,925 | 24.0% | 5,496 |
| 33 | Kasson | 7,050 | 5,703 | 23.6% | 1,347 |
| 34 | Savage | 32,889 | 26,609 | 23.6% | 6,280 |
| 35 | Moorhead | 45,036 | 36,721 | 22.6% | 8,315 |
| 36 | St. Francis | 8,372 | 6,853 | 22.2% | 1,519 |
| 37 | Baxter | 8,966 | 7,342 | 22.1% | 1,624 |
| 38 | Farmington | 23,902 | 19,659 | 21.6% | 4,243 |
| 39 | Monticello | 14,858 | 12,230 | 21.5% | 2,628 |
| 40 | Chisago City | 5,899 | 4,881 | 20.9% | 1,018 |
| 41 | Maple Grove | 71,173 | 59,039 | 20.6% | 12,134 |
| 42 | Cottage Grove | 40,992 | 34,025 | 20.5% | 6,967 |
| 43 | North Oaks | 5,179 | 4,316 | 20.0% | 863 |
| 44 | St. Anthony | 9,671 | 8,106 | 19.3% | 1,565 |
| 45 | Mankato | 45,473 | 38,187 | 19.1% | 7,286 |
| 46 | Elk River | 26,793 | 22,514 | 19.0% | 4,279 |
| 47 | Detroit Lakes | 10,025 | 8,472 | 18.3% | 1,553 |
| 48 | Bemidji | 15,569 | 13,209 | 17.9% | 2,360 |
| 49 | Rochester | 122,330 | 104,201 | 17.4% | 18,129 |
| 50 | New Prague | 8,237 | 7,017 | 17.4% | 1,220 |
| 51 | Belle Plaine | 7,423 | 6,325 | 17.4% | 1,098 |
| 52 | Forest Lake | 20,729 | 17,747 | 16.8% | 2,982 |
| 53 | Stewartville | 6,807 | 5,861 | 16.1% | 946 |
| 54 | Becker | 5,034 | 4,342 | 15.9% | 692 |
| 55 | North Branch | 11,565 | 9,978 | 15.9% | 1,587 |
| 56 | Oak Grove | 9,130 | 7,881 | 15.8% | 1,249 |
| 57 | Plymouth | 79,220 | 69,171 | 14.5% | 10,049 |
| 58 | Apple Valley | 55,679 | 48,751 | 14.2% | 6,928 |
| 59 | Brooklyn Park | 83,876 | 73,642 | 13.9% | 10,234 |
| 60 | Chanhassen | 26,006 | 22,851 | 13.8% | 3,155 |
| 61 | Columbia Heights | 22,155 | 19,501 | 13.6% | 2,654 |
| 62 | Princeton | 5,274 | 4,671 | 12.9% | 603 |
| 63 | Minneapolis | 427,246 | 379,631 | 12.5% | 47,615 |
| 64 | St. Joseph | 7,021 | 6,246 | 12.4% | 775 |
| 65 | Edina | 53,262 | 47,445 | 12.3% | 5,817 |
| 66 | Lino Lakes | 22,113 | 19,784 | 11.8% | 2,329 |
| 67 | Buffalo | 16,499 | 14,771 | 11.7% | 1,728 |
| 68 | Ham Lake | 16,702 | 14,953 | 11.7% | 1,749 |
| 69 | Hermantown | 10,218 | 9,149 | 11.7% | 1,069 |
| 70 | Worthington | 13,780 | 12,357 | 11.5% | 1,423 |
| 71 | St. Louis Park | 49,594 | 44,665 | 11.0% | 4,929 |
| 72 | Sauk Rapids | 13,852 | 12,482 | 11.0% | 1,370 |
| 73 | Orono | 8,195 | 7,386 | 11.0% | 809 |
| 74 | St. Peter | 12,185 | 11,017 | 10.6% | 1,168 |
| 75 | Willmar | 21,378 | 19,335 | 10.6% | 2,043 |
| 76 | North St. Paul | 12,570 | 11,387 | 10.4% | 1,183 |
| 77 | Fridley | 30,241 | 27,467 | 10.1% | 2,774 |
| 78 | Andover | 33,035 | 30,097 | 9.8% | 2,938 |
| 79 | Maplewood | 40,695 | 37,085 | 9.7% | 3,610 |
| 80 | Brooklyn Center | 32,479 | 29,673 | 9.5% | 2,806 |
| 81 | Little Falls | 9,121 | 8,350 | 9.2% | 771 |
| 82 | St. Paul | 307,284 | 282,079 | 8.9% | 25,205 |
| 83 | West St. Paul | 21,382 | 19,640 | 8.9% | 1,742 |
| 84 | Little Canada | 10,514 | 9,668 | 8.8% | 846 |
| 85 | Stillwater | 19,355 | 17,804 | 8.7% | 1,551 |
| 86 | St. Cloud | 70,629 | 65,163 | 8.4% | 5,466 |
| 87 | North Mankato | 14,211 | 13,147 | 8.1% | 1,064 |
| 88 | Hopkins | 18,819 | 17,420 | 8.0% | 1,399 |
| 89 | Austin | 26,358 | 24,439 | 7.9% | 1,919 |
| 90 | Spring Lake Park | 7,032 | 6,531 | 7.7% | 501 |
| 91 | East Grand Forks | 9,028 | 8,386 | 7.7% | 642 |
| 92 | Inver Grove Heights | 35,906 | 33,353 | 7.7% | 2,553 |
| 93 | Roseville | 35,802 | 33,261 | 7.6% | 2,541 |
| 94 | Golden Valley | 21,725 | 20,184 | 7.6% | 1,541 |
| 95 | Bloomington | 88,665 | 82,621 | 7.3% | 6,044 |
| 96 | Shoreview | 26,714 | 24,901 | 7.3% | 1,813 |
| 97 | Minnetonka | 53,064 | 49,567 | 7.1% | 3,497 |
| 98 | Faribault | 24,631 | 23,034 | 6.9% | 1,597 |
| 99 | Northfield | 20,742 | 19,414 | 6.8% | 1,328 |
| 100 | La Crescent | 5,251 | 4,918 | 6.8% | 333 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS, 2010-current. 151 Minnesota cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Minnesota, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Minnesota are led by Dayton which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Minnesota are Dayton, Carver, Rogers, Otsego, Lake Elmo, Victoria, Medina, Isanti, Minnetrista, and Byron.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know! Not sold on Minnesota? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Fastest Growing Cities In Minnesota FAQs
What is the fastest-growing city in Minnesota?
Dayton is the fastest-growing city in Minnesota for 2026, based on population change since 2010. Carver and Rogers are growing nearly as fast.
What are the top 10 fastest-growing cities in Minnesota?
The fastest-growing cities in Minnesota are Dayton, Carver, Rogers, Otsego, Lake Elmo, Victoria, Medina, Isanti, Minnetrista, and Byron. We ranked all 151 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
How do you measure growth?
Growth is the percent change in population from the 2010 Census to the latest American Community Survey estimates. No projections, no vibes — just how many more people actually live there now.
What is the slowest-growing city on the list?
International Falls posts the smallest population change of the 151 Minnesota cities we ranked. Slow growth is not automatically bad news, but the momentum is clearly elsewhere.
Do small towns count in this ranking?
Only places with more than 5,000 residents qualify, which keeps one new subdivision from turning a tiny town into a statistical rocket. 151 Minnesota cities cleared that bar this year.
