The St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget, consists of two counties in central Minnesota, anchored by the city of St. Cloud. As of the 2020 census, the MSA had a population of 199,671, increasing to an estimated 205,854 in 2025.
The St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area is part of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN-WI Combined Statistical Area.
Counties CountySeat2025 Estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensityStearnsSt. Cloud BentonFoley Total
Communities The following are cities, towns, and villages in the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area categorized based on United States Census Bureau 2025 population estimates. No population estimates are released for census-designated places (CDPs), which are marked with an asterisk (*). They are categorized based on their 2020 Census population.
Principal city St. Cloud (partial) (72,647)
Places with 5,000 to 20,000 inhabitants Sartell (19,918) Sauk Rapids (13,768) Waite Park (8,450) St. Joseph (6,846)
Places with 1,000 to 5,000 inhabitants
Sauk Centre (4,663) Cold Spring (4,329) Melrose (3,888) St. Augusta (3,799) Albany (2,873) Foley (2,650) Paynesville (2,591) Rockville (2,492) Clearwater (partial) (2,225) Rice (2,212) Avon (1,777) St. John's University* (1,585) Richmond (1,515) Royalton (partial) (1,274) Eden Valley (partial) (1,062)
Places with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants
Kimball (924) St. Stephen (827) Holdingford (745) Belgrade (737) Freeport (678) Brooten (partial) (650) Fairhaven* (392) New Munich (363) St. Martin (313) Gilman (255) Elrosa (218) Greenwald (207) Meire Grove (185) Roscoe (133) St. Anthony (92) Lake Henry (76) Ronneby* (71) Spring Hill (70) St. Rosa (58)
Unincorporated places
Brennyville Duelm Fruitville Glendorado Granite Ledge Jakeville Mayhew North Benton Oak Park Opole Parent Popple Creek Rum River Silver Corners Watab
Townships
Benton County Alberta Township Gilmanton Township Glendorado Township Graham Township Granite Ledge Township Langola TownshipMayhew Lake Township Maywood Township Minden Township Sauk Rapids Township St. George Township Watab Township
Stearns County Albany Township Ashley Township Avon Township Brockway Township Collegeville Township Crow Lake Township Crow River Township Eden Lake Township Fair Haven Township Farming Township Getty Township Grove Township Holding Township Krain Township Lake George Township Lake Henry Township Le Sauk TownshipLuxemburg Township Lynden Township Maine Prairie Township Melrose Township Millwood Township Munson Township North Fork Township Oak Township Paynesville Township Raymond Township Sauk Centre Township Spring Hill Township St. Joseph Township St. Martin Township St. Wendel Township Wakefield Township Zion Township
Demographics
At the 2000 census, there were 167,392 people, 60,669 households and 40,650 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 96.04% White, 0.82% African American, 0.31% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.27% of the population.
The median household income was $42,197 and the median family income was $51,415. Males had a median income of $33,741 compared with $23,065 for females. The per capita income was $19,110.
See also Minnesota census statistical areas
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