A new forecast has found that the population of the Twin Cities is expected to grow substantially over the next 25 years, most notably in outer-ring suburbs.
The report comes from the Metropolitan Council, which projects that by 2050, some cities will see their population grow rapidly, like the suburb of Carver, which is expected to triple.
Other cities forecasted by Met Council to see substantial growth by 2050 include Dayton (+131%), Corcoran (+123%), Victoria (+96%), Rogers (+90%), Waconia (+73%), Rosemount (+51.3%), Hugo (+49.1%), and Lake Elmo (+66.7%).
Cities that already have massive populations, like Lakeville, Maple Grove, Blaine, Eden Prairie, and more, are forecasted to gain around 20,000 new residents by 2050.
As for the cities that give the Twin Cities their name, the report forecasts that Minneapolis’s population will eclipse half a million people by 2050, as it currently sits at around 433,000.
St. Paul is also expected to continue to grow, though the report says it will occur at a more modest rate compared to its larger twin across the river.
The Met Council, which is responsible for coordinating plans to ensure cities have enough parks, transportation, and housing, will begin preparing for the population boom.
“Now that we have this regional forecast, how are we going to accommodate that [growth]?” LisaBeth Barajas, the Met Council’s executive director of community planning, said while speaking with Axios.
Next month, the Met Council is expected to vote on long-range plans that would push for more housing density in communities that are considered to be on the “suburban edge.”
However, not all seem as receptive to the proposed plans as others, with the Star Tribune reporting that some communities, like Lino Lakes and Forest Lake, have questioned how realistic the housing targets are.
The Met Council is expected to vote on its “Imagine 2050” regional plan on Feb. 12.