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MNMinnesota rankings

Towns where housing hasn't kept up with growth in Minnesota

Ranked by how many new residents each town gained for every new home it permitted between the 2010 and 2020 censuses. 147 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

Brooklyn Center 1 Brooklyn Center 136.2 per home Residents gained 3,678 Map of Little Canada 2 Little Canada 15.2 per home Residents gained 1,046 Bloomington 3 Bloomington 14.2 per home Residents gained 7,094
#TownNew residents per new homeResidents gainedHomes permitted
1 Brooklyn Center Brooklyn Center32,479 people 136.2 per home 3,678 27
2 Map of Little Canada Little Canada10,514 people 15.2 per home 1,046 69
3 Bloomington Bloomington88,665 people 14.2 per home 7,094 501
4 South St. Paul South St. Paul20,611 people 11.8 per home 599 51
5 Map of Waite Park Waite Park8,399 people 10.0 per home 1,626 162
6 Brooklyn Park Brooklyn Park83,876 people 9.4 per home 10,697 1,134
7 Map of Fridley Fridley30,241 people 9.1 per home 2,382 262
8 Maplewood Maplewood40,695 people 9.1 per home 4,070 449
9 New Hope New Hope21,181 people 8.9 per home 1,647 185
10 Lake Elmo Lake Elmo13,140 people 8.7 per home 3,266 376
11 Robbinsdale Robbinsdale14,234 people 6.7 per home 693 103
12 New Brighton New Brighton22,710 people 6.3 per home 1,998 318
13 Austin Austin26,358 people 6.2 per home 1,456 234
14 Rogers13,685 people 6.0 per home 4,698 787
15 Little Falls Little Falls9,121 people 5.6 per home 797 142
16 Columbia Heights Columbia Heights22,155 people 5.6 per home 2,477 444
17 Albertville Albertville8,207 people 5.5 per home 852 155
18 Map of La Crescent La Crescent5,251 people 5.3 per home 446 84
19 Worthington13,780 people 5.1 per home 1,183 230
20 Brainerd Brainerd14,468 people 5.1 per home 805 157
21 Eagan Eagan68,000 people 4.9 per home 4,649 945
22 Map of Crystal Crystal22,476 people 4.8 per home 1,179 248
23 Montrose Montrose3,888 people 4.7 per home 928 197
24 West St. Paul West St. Paul21,382 people 4.7 per home 1,075 231
25 Map of Hopkins Hopkins18,819 people 4.6 per home 1,488 324
26 Jordan Jordan6,771 people 4.5 per home 1,186 263
27 St. Paul St. Paul307,284 people 4.5 per home 26,459 5,878
28 Shoreview Shoreview26,714 people 4.5 per home 1,878 421
29 Map of Coon Rapids Coon Rapids63,468 people 4.4 per home 2,123 481
30 Map of Lonsdale Lonsdale4,896 people 4.4 per home 1,012 231
31 Map of St. Paul Park St. Paul Park5,457 people 4.3 per home 265 61
32 Map of Oakdale Oakdale28,585 people 4.3 per home 925 216
33 Monticello Monticello14,858 people 4.3 per home 1,696 398
34 Belle Plaine Belle Plaine7,423 people 4.2 per home 734 173
35 Burnsville Burnsville64,463 people 4.2 per home 4,011 950
36 Arden Hills Arden Hills9,658 people 4.1 per home 387 94
37 North St. Paul North St. Paul12,570 people 4.0 per home 904 225
38 Map of St. Anthony St. Anthony9,671 people 4.0 per home 1,031 257
39 Anoka Anoka17,970 people 4.0 per home 779 195
40 Richfield Richfield36,642 people 3.9 per home 1,766 453
41 Golden Valley Golden Valley21,725 people 3.9 per home 2,181 560
42 Willmar Willmar21,378 people 3.9 per home 1,405 361
43 East Grand Forks East Grand Forks9,028 people 3.9 per home 575 149
44 Montgomery Montgomery3,434 people 3.9 per home 293 76
45 Blaine Blaine72,488 people 3.8 per home 13,036 3,441
46 Elko New Market Elko New Market5,002 people 3.7 per home 736 198
47 Spring Lake Park Spring Lake Park7,032 people 3.7 per home 776 209
48 Faribault Faribault24,631 people 3.7 per home 1,101 298
49 Isanti Isanti7,210 people 3.7 per home 1,553 426
50 Carver Carver6,239 people 3.7 per home 2,105 576
51 Map of Big Lake Big Lake12,367 people 3.6 per home 1,626 453
52 Mayer Mayer2,518 people 3.5 per home 704 202
53 Map of Farmington Farmington23,902 people 3.5 per home 2,546 731
54 Map of Waconia Waconia13,434 people 3.5 per home 2,336 672
55 Elk River Elk River26,793 people 3.5 per home 2,861 828
56 Roseville Roseville35,802 people 3.4 per home 2,594 758
57 Map of Zimmerman Zimmerman6,546 people 3.4 per home 961 283
58 Map of Pine Island Pine Island3,580 people 3.4 per home 506 149
59 Map of Mounds View Mounds View12,926 people 3.4 per home 1,094 325
60 Mendota Heights Mendota Heights11,612 people 3.4 per home 673 201
61 Map of Otsego Otsego22,245 people 3.3 per home 6,395 1,929
62 Hanover Hanover3,626 people 3.3 per home 610 185
63 Alexandria Alexandria14,735 people 3.3 per home 3,265 1,003
64 Map of St. Francis St. Francis8,372 people 3.2 per home 924 285
65 Cottage Grove Cottage Grove40,992 people 3.2 per home 4,250 1,324
66 Becker BeckerSherburne County · 5,601 people 3.2 per home 654 204
67 Map of White Bear Lake White Bear Lake23,908 people 3.2 per home 1,086 339
68 Fergus Falls Fergus Falls14,181 people 3.2 per home 981 309
69 Shakopee Shakopee46,012 people 3.2 per home 6,622 2,096
70 Sartell Sartell19,758 people 3.2 per home 3,475 1,103
71 Map of Kasson Kasson7,050 people 3.1 per home 920 297
72 Delano Delano6,942 people 3.1 per home 1,020 334
73 Map of Hugo Hugo16,340 people 3.0 per home 2,434 800
74 Thomson ThomsonCarlton County · 5,534 people 3.0 per home 462 152
75 Apple Valley Apple Valley55,679 people 3.0 per home 7,290 2,475
76 Map of Medina Medina6,968 people 2.9 per home 1,945 662
77 Map of Bayport Bayport3,905 people 2.9 per home 553 188
78 Prior Lake Prior Lake28,016 people 2.9 per home 4,821 1,661
79 Map of Plymouth Plymouth79,220 people 2.9 per home 10,450 3,632
80 Chaska Chaska28,706 people 2.9 per home 4,040 1,404
81 Detroit Lakes Detroit Lakes10,025 people 2.9 per home 1,300 452
82 St. Michael20,010 people 2.8 per home 1,836 658
83 North Oaks North Oaks5,179 people 2.8 per home 803 288
84 Woodbury Woodbury78,305 people 2.8 per home 13,141 4,743
85 Lakeville Lakeville74,354 people 2.8 per home 13,536 4,891
86 Map of Independence Independence3,694 people 2.8 per home 251 91
87 Map of Norwood Young America Norwood Young America3,849 people 2.8 per home 314 114
88 Victoria Victoria11,295 people 2.7 per home 3,201 1,170
89 St. Charles St. Charles4,037 people 2.7 per home 255 93
90 Map of Dayton Dayton9,095 people 2.7 per home 2,591 950
91 Map of Zumbrota Zumbrota3,914 people 2.7 per home 474 175
92 Edina Edina53,262 people 2.7 per home 5,553 2,054
93 Savage Savage32,889 people 2.7 per home 5,554 2,062
94 Oak Grove Oak Grove9,130 people 2.6 per home 898 342
95 Rosemount Rosemount27,562 people 2.6 per home 3,776 1,450
96 St. Louis Park St. Louis Park49,594 people 2.6 per home 4,760 1,848
97 Cambridge Cambridge10,307 people 2.6 per home 1,500 581
98 Map of Eagle Lake Eagle Lake3,281 people 2.6 per home 856 332
99 Becker Becker5,034 people 2.6 per home 339 133
100 Map of Minnetrista Minnetrista8,708 people 2.5 per home 1,878 744
101 Ramsey Ramsey28,421 people 2.4 per home 3,978 1,641
102 Watertown Watertown4,790 people 2.4 per home 454 188
103 Eden Prairie Eden Prairie63,051 people 2.4 per home 3,401 1,419
104 Dilworth4,713 people 2.4 per home 588 249
105 Map of Inver Grove Heights Inver Grove Heights35,906 people 2.3 per home 1,921 822
106 Map of Andover Andover33,035 people 2.3 per home 2,003 876
107 Map of Deephaven Deephaven3,793 people 2.3 per home 257 112
108 Stillwater Stillwater19,355 people 2.3 per home 1,169 513
109 Map of New Prague New Prague8,237 people 2.3 per home 841 370
110 Map of Baxter Baxter8,966 people 2.3 per home 1,002 445
111 Ham Lake Ham Lake16,702 people 2.2 per home 1,168 532
112 Map of Hermantown Hermantown10,218 people 2.2 per home 807 366
113 Moorhead Moorhead45,036 people 2.2 per home 6,440 2,976
114 Map of Mound Mound9,107 people 2.2 per home 346 160
115 Map of Maple Grove Maple Grove71,173 people 2.1 per home 8,686 4,056
116 Orono Orono8,195 people 2.1 per home 878 414
117 Chanhassen Chanhassen26,006 people 2.1 per home 2,995 1,433
118 Map of Cloquet Cloquet12,537 people 2.1 per home 444 213
119 North Mankato14,211 people 2.1 per home 881 425
120 Map of Albert Lea Albert Lea18,330 people 2.0 per home 476 242
121 Map of Corcoran Corcoran7,302 people 2.0 per home 806 414
122 Park Rapids Park Rapids4,270 people 2.0 per home 433 222
123 Map of North Branch North Branch11,565 people 1.9 per home 662 347
124 St. Cloud St. Cloud70,629 people 1.9 per home 3,039 1,608
125 Minneapolis Minneapolis427,246 people 1.9 per home 47,376 25,167
126 Mahtomedi Mahtomedi8,133 people 1.9 per home 462 246
127 Rochester Rochester122,330 people 1.9 per home 14,626 7,880
128 Osseo Osseo2,584 people 1.8 per home 258 141
129 Forest Lake Forest Lake20,729 people 1.8 per home 2,236 1,233
130 Lino Lakes Lino Lakes22,113 people 1.7 per home 1,183 707
131 New Ulm New Ulm14,056 people 1.6 per home 598 369
132 Minnetonka Minnetonka53,064 people 1.6 per home 4,047 2,524
133 Map of Shorewood Shorewood7,647 people 1.6 per home 476 304
134 Vadnais Heights Vadnais Heights12,838 people 1.6 per home 610 391
135 Perham Perham3,627 people 1.5 per home 527 342
136 Bemidji Bemidji15,569 people 1.5 per home 1,143 763
137 Owatonna Owatonna26,498 people 1.5 per home 821 552
138 Hutchinson Hutchinson14,680 people 1.4 per home 421 293
139 Oak Park Heights Oak Park Heights4,756 people 1.4 per home 510 355
140 Buffalo16,499 people 1.4 per home 715 523
141 Champlin Champlin23,294 people 1.3 per home 830 649
142 Wayzata Wayzata4,354 people 1.3 per home 746 584
143 Sauk Rapids Sauk Rapids13,852 people 1.2 per home 1,089 881
144 Map of Newport Newport4,754 people 1.1 per home 362 321
145 Grand Rapids Grand Rapids11,207 people 0.7 per home 257 388
146 Map of Crosslake Crosslake2,521 people 0.7 per home 253 390
147 Duluth Duluth87,093 people 0.2 per home 432 1,926

How this ranking works

We take each town’s population change between the 2010 and 2020 censuses and divide it by the new homes its building permits authorized over 2010–2019. The result is how many new residents arrived for every new home. A high number means people came faster than homes were built, so existing homes filled up: larger households, fewer vacancies and tighter supply. The highest ratio ranks #1. Across Minnesota it’s 2.2 per home.

Only towns that gained at least 250 residents and permitted at least 10 homes are ranked, because a ratio built on a handful of either is noise. College towns, where 20% or more of residents are enrolled in college, are left out: a growing college adds dorm students as residents, but dorms never show up as permitted homes.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey. Residents: 2010 and 2020 decennial censuses. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

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