Duluth, MN-WI Metro Area
The Duluth, MN-WI metro area is made up of 3 counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin: St. Louis, Douglas, and Carlton, largest first. About 281,219 people lived there on July 1, 2025 (Census estimate), 0.2% more than in April 2020.
- Population, July 2025
- 281,219 0.2% more than in April 2020
- Type
- Metropolitan statistical area
- Counties
- 3: 2 central, 1 outlying
- Land area
- 8,414 sq mi (21,791 km²)
- Time zone
- Central TimeUTC-06:00 in January; UTC-05:00 in July
- Combined statistical area
- Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI
- CBSA code
- 20260
Counties in the Duluth, MN-WI metro area, largest first
| County | Role | Population, July 2025 | Share of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis CountyMinnesota | Central | 200,518 | 71.3% |
| Douglas CountyWisconsin | Central | 43,990 | 15.6% |
| Carlton CountyMinnesota | Outlying | 36,711 | 13.1% |
A central county holds the area’s core, an urban area of at least 50,000 people. An outlying county is in the area because of commuting: at least a quarter of its workers have jobs in the central counties, or at least a quarter of the people working there live in them. A county belongs to one metro or micro area at most, and it counts whole, countryside included.
Principal city
- Duluth87,093 people
OMB names the area after its largest principal cities. A principal city is the area’s largest city, plus any other city that is very large or a big job center, and smaller ones with at least as many jobs as working residents (2020 Census and commuting figures). People counts are American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Part of the Duluth-Grand Rapids, MN-WI combined statistical area
OMB joins neighboring metro and micro areas into a combined statistical area when enough people commute between them. The other area in this one is
- Grand Rapids, MN Micro Area45,404 people
Bordering metro and micro areas, nearest first
Areas with a county on this area’s edge. Distances are straight lines between the areas’ largest cities.
- Grand Rapids, MN Micro Area73 mi northwest
Before using this answer on a form
A metro or micro area is a statistical area that OMB draws for federal statistics. It is not a city, a local government or a mailing address, and it is not a measure of urban and rural: whole counties count, rural parts included. Programs that use metro areas, such as housing income limits or wage rates, can use their own version of these lists; check the program’s own list for an address.
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