Census: Twin Cities Sets Record, Surpasses 3 Million Residents

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Twin Cities metro region has set a record for population with more than three million residents, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The census released its population estimates for 2015 on Thursday, and it showed an increase in population by more than 162,000 people for the seven-county Twin Cities metro region since 2010. That region includes Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington Counties.

As of July 1, 2015, the estimated population for the region is at 3,012,117, which is a 5.7 percent increase from five years ago.

The census data also shows that the population in the Twin Cities metro region accounts for 55 percent of Minnesota's population. It also accounts for 88 percent of the state's net population growth since 2010.

Among the counties, Hennepin County had the largest population at more than 1.2 million residents, up more than 70,000 from 2010. Scott County had the highest increase in population with a nine percent growth rate.