CLOUD METRO AREA
City Offices
400 Second Street South
St. Cloud 320-255-7200
www.ci.stcloud.mn.us
Chamber of Commerce
1411 West St. Germain
St. Cloud 320-251-2940
www.stcloudareachamber.com
Serving as the seat of government for Stearns County, the St. Cloud metropolitan region also extends into Benton and Sherburne counties. Located 65 miles from the Twin Cities, St. Cloud is central to tourism and commerce. Other communities that are encompassed within this area include Waite Park, Sartell, St. Joseph, Sauk Rapids, and St. Augusta. St. Cloud has experienced rapid growth and development since the 1970s, placing it in the top tier of major Minnesota metropolitan areas. Newcomers are drawn to the growing economy, the friendly atmosphere, and four distinct and beautiful seasons.
Businesses both large and small have found an efficient and comfortable home in St. Cloud, joining the traditional industries of granite, printing, and lens manufacturing. Newcomers to St. Cloud will discover a high quality of life that does not come with the price tag of a high cost of living. In fact, the city offers a cost of living index that is consistently lower than cities of comparable size across the upper Midwest. Real estate prices average 20 percent lower than the national average.
Services
The St. Cloud area is well-served by a cluster of public and private colleges and a major healthcare center with a national reputation for excellence. Sophisticated medical care is a hallmark of the region, anchored by St. Cloud Hospital. Residents are served by an entire network of family practice and specialty clinics, walk-in care centers, emergency care centers, rehabilitation and therapeutic treatment centers, and long-term care facilities. St. Cloud Hospital has developed from a community hospital into a regional referral center that serves a 12-county region with state-of-the-art healthcare services. The campus encompasses the Central Minnesota Heart Center, named a “Top 100” heart hospital. HealthPartners Central Minnesota Clinics provides a regional center for family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics, and weekend urgent care. Known for the 10,000 step program of exercise, proper nutrition, medical attention, and physical and emotional health, HealthPartners maintains strong patient relationships. St. Cloud Veterans Medical Center serves a four-state region in the Upper Midwest, delivering comprehensive care and anchoring community-based clinics. Sartell adds the Abbott Northwestern’s Specialty Care Center for sports medicine, orthopedics, and related specialties.
The St. Cloud metro area offers outstanding educational opportunities in public and private institutions on every academic level. The opportunities for higher education close to home include the College of Saint Benedict, a private, liberal arts institution for women. Saint Benedict is part of a unique partnership with its counterpart college for men, St. John’s University, aligning the two campuses in a close collaboration. These colleges rank as two of the nation’s top three Catholic colleges. The College of St. Scholastica based in Duluth provides degree opportunities in St. Cloud and also accelerated evening programs. Rasmussen College brings a sharp career focus to higher education with certificates and two-year degree programs. Minnesota’s oldest liberal arts college, St. John’s School of Theology & Seminary, is also the site of the world-famous Abbey Church. State-supported institutions include St. Cloud State University, with a national reputation for excellence, and St. Cloud Technical College. In conjunction with St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud Hospital School of Medical Technology now offers a four-year degree program. Regardless of your educational goals, the St. Cloud metro area has the right resources close to home.
Lifestyle
The St. Cloud area offers a blend of the qualities that make a Minnesota lifestyle so appealing to newcomers. Residents enjoy easy access to a wealth of cultural and shopping attractions, both locally and within surrounding communities. At the same time, they are close to pristine rivers and lakes for outdoor adventure and recreation. Celebrated performance groups, collegiate arts, gallery openings, and summer concerts in the park are just a few of the cultural advantages. The Paramount Theatre & Visual Arts Center serves as a cultural jewel, drawing audiences to an elegantly restored venue and a world of artistic encouragement, display, and instruction. Colorful celebrations and festivals keep the calendar filled with exciting events, bringing friends and neighbors together for arts and crafts, great food, music and entertainment, games and competitions, carnivals, and parades.
The housing selection is attractive and diverse, blending single-family residences along tree-shaded streets with townhomes and condominiums in a pleasing variety of architectural styles. Well-kept older homes graced by meticulous landscaping contrast with new subdivisions and exclusive enclaves for a full range of lifestyle options. Regional attractions include the Munsinger and Clemens Gardens, Charles Lindbergh State Park, Stearns History Museum, and the undeniable charm of Courthouse Square. The Fifth Avenue atmosphere of an urban warehouse district is another major attraction, brimming over with unique shops, coffee houses, and a lively nightlife. The St. Cloud area features exceptionally beautiful woods, lakes, and rivers for superb recreational sites. The city itself provides well-managed and diverse sports and recreational facilities, including lush parks. Proud of its status as the “Granite City,” St. Cloud points to a proud past while it works diligently to ensure a bright and prosperous future.
Benton County (Foley, Rice, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Watab)
County Offices
320-968-5000
www.co.benton.mn.us
Foley Offices
320-968-7260
https://ci.foley.mn.us/
Rice Offices
320-393-2280
www.cityofrice.com
Sartell Offices
320-253-2171
www.sartellmn.com
Sauk Rapids Offices
320-258-5300
www.ci.sauk-rapids.mn.us
Watab Town Offices
320-255-8916
www.watabtownship.com
Chamber of Commerce
320-251-2940
www.stcloudareachamber.com
St. Cloud and its rapidly growing suburb of Sartell both stretch from Stearns County into rural Benton County. Sartell offers a welcoming community nestled along the Mississippi River banks, home to lovely neighborhoods and significant economic growth including technology ventures. The largest city wholly within Benton County borders is Sauk Rapids. With a prime location just one mile from St. Cloud, the city has also been experiencing a boom of expansion residentially and economically. Graced on its eastern border by Little Rock Lake for excellent camping, swimming, fishing, and outdoor relaxation, the smaller city of Rice supports a surprisingly strong and diverse local economic base with employment levels at 1.5 times the population. The county seat of Foley is a thriving rural community just 14 miles from St. Cloud. Recreational facilities are very well developed and annual events draw enthusiastic crowds, particularly the “biggest little parade in Minnesota” during Foley Fun Days. Watab is distinguished as the least rural and most urbanized of Benton County’s townships, with residential communities springing up in response to St. Cloud urban sprawl.
Morrison County (Little Falls)
County Offices
320-632-2941
www.co.morrison.mn.us
Little Falls Offices
320-616-5500
www.cityoflittlefalls.com
Chamber of Commerce
320-632-5155
www.littlefallsmnchamber.com
Established in the 1800s along the Mississippi River banks, the Morrison County seat of Little Falls is one of the state’s oldest cities. Today, Little Falls welcomes visitors to celebrated historic sites that include the restored 1906 boyhood home of Charles A. Lindberg, Jr. The house and interpretive center are surrounded by the 600-acre Charles A. Lindberg State Park. The Charles A. Weyerhaeuser Museum is nearby, preserving the area’s early history. Other highlights are the excellent educational facilities including private schools, a growing economy, attractive and affordable homes, the Little Falls Raceway, and outstanding recreational opportunities. Lush parks, scenic vistas, and the charm of an historic downtown district add to the appeal of Little Falls and Morrison County as a rural home in close proximity to urban amenities.
Stearns County (Cold Spring, St. Joseph, Richmond, Waite Park)
County Offices
320-656-3600
https://co.stearns.mn.us/
Cold Spring Offices
320-685-3653
https://coldspring.govoffice.com/
Richmond Offices
320-597-2075
www.ci.richmond.mn.us
St. Joseph Offices
320-363-7201
www.cityofstjoseph.com
Waite Park Offices
320-252-6822
www.ci.waitepark.mn.us
Chamber of Commerce
320-251-2940
www.stcloudareachamber.com
Cold Spring and Richmond serve as gateways to the vacation paradise of the Horseshoe Chain of Lakes. The entire area enjoys a premier reputation for fishing, swimming, water skiing, boating, canoeing, golfing, camping, horseback riding, tennis, skating, and snowmobiling. This area is welcoming growth in a controlled manner to protect an enviable quality of life and friendly spirit. Like many recreational and tourism centers, Cold Spring and Richmond offer well-developed amenities including resorts, cafes, small shops, and convenient services. Calling itself “the city with a smile,” Waite Park offers a small-town atmosphere at the edge of St. Cloud’s urban amenities. The small but growing city of St. Joseph is home to the campus for the College of St. Benedict, one of the nation’s top Catholic liberal arts institutions. Regional growth has softened the dividing line between St. Cloud and nearby communities like Cold Spring, Waite Park, and St. Augusta Township.
Todd County (Long Prairie)
County Offices
320-732-6447
www.co.todd.mn.us
Long Prairie Offices
320-732-2167
www.longprairie.net
Chamber of Commerce
320-732-2514
www.longprairie.org
“Where the forest meets the prairie” is the slogan of Todd County, anchored by the county seat and largest city of Long Prairie. Bordered on the south by beautiful Lake Charlotte, Long Prairie is located at the junction of US Highway 71 and state highways 27 and 287 for good commutes to regional destinations. The city provides urban amenities and convenient services to the surrounding rural population, drawing newcomers to local shopping, excellent schools, and recreational and leisure activities. Todd County is also home to one of Minnesota’s finest fishing and vacation attractions, Lake Osakis. World-class fishing is available along the 11-mile shoreline. The city of Osakis nestles along the shoreline, welcoming visitors to a medley of interesting shops, good restaurants, and family oriented attractions. This area hosts many special events through out the year, with the weekend-long Osakis Festival being one of the most popular.
