Census Data Shows Population Drops In Minneapolis, St. Paul For 2020-2021

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - New figures from the U.S. Census show people leaving Minnesota's largest cities in the first year of the pandemic.

The census estimates show both Minneapolis and St. Paul losing more than 3,500 residents from July 2020 to July 2021 - which is roughly a 1% dip for both cities.

But data from the Metropolitan Council released earlier this month showed quite the opposite. It shows Minneapolis gaining more than 4,000 residents and St. Paul gaining about 500.

Web Extra: Click here to see more information about the Met Council estimates

Compared to the rest of the country Minnesota is one of the states that saw the least change in population from 2020 to 2021, according to the census. New York lost 1.6% of its population, while Idaho saw a 2.9% increase.

Of the top 15 most populous Minnesota cities, Rochester, Woodbury, Lakeville, Blaine, Maple Grove, and St. Cloud saw increases of a few hundred residents in the first year of the pandemic.

According to census data, the southern and western regions of the U.S. saw the most growth in its cities between July 2020 and July 2021. More than half of the country's largest cities experienced decreases in their population.