St. Cloud, Minnesota, is a vibrant city that has seen its population steadily grow over the years. As of 2023, the city's population stands at 71,013 residents, marking it as the 535th largest city in the United States. This growth reflects an increase from previous years—69,991 in 2022 and 68,818 in 2021—indicating a consistent upward trend.
Nestled within Benton County, Sherburne County, and Stearns County, St. Cloud covers an area of approximately 40 square miles. It’s fascinating to note that this area ranks as the eighth largest by size among cities in Minnesota.
The demographic makeup reveals much about life here; around 77% of residents identify as White while Black or African American individuals make up about 14%. The community also includes diverse groups with Asian populations at roughly 3%, alongside those identifying with two or more races and other ethnicities.
Interestingly enough for such a growing city is its youthfulness—the voting age population comprises over half (52%) male citizens aged eighteen and older who are actively participating in civic duties.
Yet like many places across America today, St. Cloud faces challenges too; nearly one-quarter (22.5%) live below the poverty line—a stark reminder that economic disparities exist even amidst growth stories.
In terms of education levels among adults aged twenty-five and above: an impressive majority have completed high school (90%), but only about one-third hold bachelor’s degrees—a reflection perhaps on both local opportunities available post-graduation as well as broader national trends regarding higher education access.
With regards to employment statistics reflecting labor force participation rates hovering around seventy percent shows resilience amongst workers despite fluctuations caused by external factors such as economic downturns or pandemics affecting job markets nationwide.