
From Wright County Communications
Last week, the United States Census Bureau released updated population estimates and Wright County continues to grow faster than any other county in the state – No. 1 by a significant margin in percentage (6.5 percent) and No. 2 in total increase at 9,267 people – behind only Washington County (11,379), which is almost twice the size of Wright County (278,936).
Wright County is the only county in Minnesota that has grown by more than 5 percent in the last three years and one of only five counties have grown by more than 4 percent – Wright County 6.5 percent (a 9,267 increase in population); Sherburne County 4.9 percent (5,017); Isanti County 4.7 percent (2,047); Pine County 4.3 percent (1,308); and Washington County 4.1 percent (11,379).
Of the 10 most populous counties in Minnesota, the two largest – Hennepin and Ramsey – have experienced a combined population decrease of more than 39,000. Since the 2020 census, these are the changes that have taken place in each county – Hennepin County 1,258,713 (-22,858); Ramsey County 536,075 (-16,280); Dakota County 447,400 (+7,562); Anoka County 372,441 (+8,537); Washington County 278,936 (+11,379); St. Louis County 200,514 (+281); Olmsted County 164,784 (+1,934); Stearns County 160,977 (+2,681); Scott County 155,814 (+4,898); Wright County 151,150 (+9,267).
Wright County’s growth alone represents 29.8 percent of the growth for the entire state since 2020. Minnesota has 5,737,915 million residents. That number represents a total increase of 31,111 people since the 2020 Census – a growth rate of .005 percent.
If the current growth of the 10 largest Minnesota counties remains at the same percentage as it has for each since the 2020 Census, the populations in 2030 for counties Nos. 7-10 in population will be as follows: 7. Wright County 172,733; 8. Olmsted County 169,297; 9. Scott County 167,243; 10. Stearns County 167,233.
For more information visit www.census.gov