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" width="300" height="200" /> photo by Andy Brownell[/caption]Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The latest numbers from the U.S. Census show the population of Olmsted County grew 1.2 percent last year.

The Census Bureau put the county’s estimated population at 153,102 people as of July 1st 2016, which is a little over 1,850 above the population estimate from July 2015. Since the last Census in 2010, Olmsted County’s population has grown by over 8,800 people, or a little over 6-percent.

The report shows Olmsted County’s population remained the 8th largest in the state, while the growth rate last year was the 7th highest. The fasting growth rates continue to be found in the outer ring suburbs of the Twin Cities, where Sherburne County topped the list with a growth rate of 2.1-percent. The most populated county in Minnesota saw the largest population growth in terms of the number of new residents. The Census report shows Hennepin County added over 12,000 residents for a total population estimated at over 1.232 million people.

The Census has also released population estimates for larger metropolitan areas. The data shows the Rochester Metropolitan area, which includes portions of surrounding counties, grew by 2177 people last year to an estimated total of just under 215,900. Despite the growth, the metropolitan area’s national ranking by population slid one position to 206th. When compared to the 2010 census, the metro area has added about 9000 residents.

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