Burnsville's boom years may be receding into the rearview, but the city is still growing, at least from a statistical standpoint.
According to the latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, Burnsville grew 1.4 percent from 2010 to 2012, giving it a rank of number 481 of the top 700 fastest growing cities over 50,000 in the U.S. Burnsville was not the only fully built-out city on the list. Its northern neighbor, Bloomington, grew 3.8 percent over two years. Bloomington ranked 130 on the list, which was released last week.
The statistics hint at a second wind for older suburbs like Burnsville. The Star Tribune, citing city officials and experts, listed four factors behind suburban growth, particularly in the inner-ring, described by the new Census figures:
- The aging of [so-called "fully developed"] cities, which emptied them out as kids grew up and moved away, is about over in its population impact.
- A sharp spike in affordability is drawing in younger families, and in some places the larger families associated with immigrants.
- High and volatile gas prices are creating a competitive advantage for cities closer to people’s jobs, many of them in the suburbs. Vacancies are declining as the market strengthens.
- There’s a new magnet in the form of a growing system of rail transitways, which draws interest from developers.
- Maple Grove, 4.6 percent (Nationwide rank: 73)
- Woodbury, 4.1 percent (108)
- Blaine, 3.9 percent (123)
- Bloomington, 3.8 percent (130)
- Plymouth, 3.3 percent (173)
- Minnetonka, 2.8 percent (259)
- Minneapolis, 2.7 percent (276)
- Brooklyn Park, 2.6 percent (289)
- Lakeville, 2.5 percent (305)
- Eden Prairie, 2.4 percent (315)
- Rochester, 2.1 percent (359)
- St. Paul, 2 percent (379)
- Burnsville, 1.4 percent (481)
- Eagan, 1 percent (539)
- Coon Rapids, .7 percent (582)
Here's a list of south metro communities, ranked by growth rates alone:
- Jordan, 6.6 percent
- Shakopee, 4.5 percent
- Prior Lake, 4.2 percent
- Savage, 3.9 percent tied with Chanhassen, 3.9 percent
- Rosemount tied with Northfield and Lakeville, all grew 2.5 percent
- Eden Prairie, 2.4 percent
- Apple Valley, 1.8 percent
- Burnsville, 1.4 percent tied with New Prague, 1.4 percent
- Chaska, 1.3 percent
- South St. Paul, 1.2 percent
- Eagan, 1 percent
- Inver Grove, .9 percent tied with West St. Paul, .9 percent
- Hastings, .7 percent
- Mendota Heights, .6 percent
- U.S. Census: Cumulative Estimates of Resident Population Change for Incorporated Places Over 50,000, Ranked by Percent Change: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012 - United States -- Places Over 50,000 Population
2012 Population Estimates - Star Tribune: Census: Bloomington leading boom in inner-ring suburbs
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