We've Come a Long Way, Baby!

A wise man once said that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. When it comes to the state of Minnesota (the whole), though, we’re not so sure about that—we think our cities (the parts) are pretty darn great. 

So in the spirit of celebrating both, here are some fun facts and bite-size knowledge about Minnesota and our cities from over the last 100 years. ...

Trivia

Q: What was the League of Minnesota Cities originally called?
A: The League of Minnesota Municipalities. (Doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it?)

Q: What is the oldest city in Minnesota?
A:  It’s a tie! Stillwater and St. Paul were both the first cities to be incorporated in Minnesota Territory on March 4, 1854.

Q: What is the newest city in Minnesota?
A: Nowthen, incorporated in early 2008. Speaking of now and then...

Then & Now

How many cities were in Minnesota then? How many cities are in Minnesota now?
There were 635 cities in Minnesota in 1913, and there are 853 ci  ties in Minnesota today.

What was the most-populated city then, and what is it now?

Minneapolis had a population of 301,408 in 1910, and today the city still houses the most residents with a population of 387,873 (2011).

What was the least-populated city then, and what is the least-populated city now?

The smallest municipality in 1910 was Benton with just 42 citizens, and today Funkley is the tiniest with a population of five people (2011).

What was Minnesota’s population then? And what is Minnesota's population now?

Our state's population was 2,075,708 in 1910, and it has since more than doubled to 5,332,246 in 2011.

Did You Know…

We are a state of small cities! Seventy-four percent of Minnesota cities today have populations of 2,500 or less.