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Mississippi

Quick Facts

  • Population of St. Cloud: 68,881 in the 2020 census making it the 12th largest city in MN. 
  • In total, the area that the St. Cloud Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau represents is over 189,093 people strong
  • Located at a drive time of 1:06 from Minneapolis, 2:22 from Duluth, 2:42 from Fargo, 2:14 from Mankato, 2:26 from Rochester, and 23:55 from St. Cloud, Florida
  • St. Cloud is the capital of Stearns County, Minnesota
  • St. Cloud is located along the banks of the Mississippi River, with two dams in the region as well as numerous ways to enjoy the flowing body of water from shore or watercraft

History

  • Organized by French settlers, the town is named after the city of Saint Cloud, France, where Napoleon supposedly had his favorite palace
  • Granite quarries have operated in the area since the 1880s, giving St. Cloud its nickname, “The Granite City.”
  • Formerly made up of three towns, first known as Upper, Middle, and Lower towns, The trio, arranged around two deep ravines that joined the Mississippi River, were united as the city of St. Cloud in 1856.
  • The arrival of the railroad and the founding of the first granite quarry in 1868 attracted new settlers and brought more economic progress
  • The MN Correctional Facility located in St. Cloud is home to a 22 foot high, 1.5 mile long granite wall surrounding the facilities. It is the world’s second longest stone wall ever built by prisoners. The granite quarry used to gather the granite for the wall and most of the prison structures is still inside the premises, and is the oldest granite quarry in MN.
  • Today, St. Cloud is home to almost 6,000 historic structures built before or in 1955

Industry

  • Top three largest employers are CentraCare Health Systems, State of MN (SCSU, SCCTC, MN Dept. of Corrections, etc.), and the St. Cloud VA Health Care System
  • #1 performing city in MN based on job growth, wages, and the amount of high-tech industries (Milken Institute)
  • Largest industries are healthcare, manufacturing, business/financial services, and retail trade
  • It is home to three colleges/universities in town, with two more in the surrounding area
  • St. Cloud has a regional airport with seasonal flights offered through Allegiant Airlines

Weather

  • Average annual rainfall: 27.72″
  • Average annual snowfall: 47″
  • Average July high temperature: 82°F
  • Average January low Temperature: 2°F

Tourism/Meeting Planning

  • 1,800 hotel rooms in area inventory
  • 45 bars and restaurants within walking distance of downtown alone – 100+ outside of that range
  • 95+ parks in St. Cloud alone with a total of over 1603 acres combined
  • River’s Edge Convention Center is located downtown St. Cloud on the banks of the Mississippi River, with two premium attached hotel properties and within walking distance of all of the downtown amenities
© St. Cloud Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.