urbanMSP

It appears that the "Metro" just added 3 counties bringing the total to 16. Le Sueur, Sibley and Mille Lacs are the new metro counties.

http://www.bringmethenews.com/2013/04/0 ... ies-added/

This seems to be getting out of hand. I thought there were only 7 metro counties.

I just saw that right now as well and was about to post the article on here . The MSP urban area is the main developed/built-up core region in the 7 main counties all in MN, while the MSP Metropolitan Area has been 13 counties in MN and Western WI for awhile until now. Urban and Metropolitan areas have different meanings with the US Census Bureau. Urban Areas count the actual urbanized (urban/suburban) area (while surrounded by urban clusters such as Stillwater), while the Metropolitan area is basically showing the overall extent of the commuter shed of the urban area. There is also the Combined Statistical Area which combines large and smaller neighboring commuter sheds like the Minneapolis-St.Cloud CSA.

I think it's a stupid idea though, even if they're eligible. The land in Le Sueur and Sibley is still mostly farms and small towns unlike what Le Sueur's development director says. Mille Lacs is forested and is more suited staying with being associated with cabins and small rural towns, instead of becoming an exurban county like it's neighbor Sherburne.