Met Council Says St. Paul Is Growing Its Fastest In Nearly 50 Years

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- New numbers show St. Paul is a busier city than it has been in almost 50 years.

The Metropolitan Council's latest look at population growth shows St. Paul is back to around 300,000 people. It hasn't been this full since 1970. The Met Council also found Minneapolis has grown as well as the entire seven county Metro area.

Officials say the growth comes from the oldest and youngest age groups.

"Now when we say Twin Cities I do think we have a more balanced equation," St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said.

While St. Paul is still smaller than Minneapolis, a surge in the last five years puts the population back at 300,000.

"It's not sleepy at all and if it has been it's coming back to life," Amy Hyatt, a St. Paul fan, said.

The mayor credits more businesses and transportation options, plus fun events.

"It's just paying off and we are on the right track," Coleman said.

The Metropolitan Council found more condominiums and apartments popping up, which means more people moving in.

"Young professionals just coming out of college and grad school who want a place where they can walk to. We are also seeing empty-nesters who are coming back," Coleman said.

It's also cheaper to live in St. Paul over Minneapolis in many cases. A quick search of apartment-hunting web sites shows the top three most expensive neighborhoods in both cities. Take the averages and there's a $500 difference.

But for Lindsey Anderson, who works in St. Paul but lives in Minneapolis, the bigger part of the Twin Cities still has more to offer.

"Because of the availability of you know, grocery stores, gas stations, everything seems closer in Minneapolis than St. Paul," Anderson said.

The entire Twin Cities metro area is projected to keep growing, but the Met Council says by 2040, one-third of all metro area households will consist of people living alone. That's partly because the number of people 65 and older will more than double.

At its peak in 1960, St. Paul's population was at 313,000. Mayor Coleman said he's confident St. Paul can get back to that point eventually.