Regional Overview

Introducing the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Region

Metro MSP takes its name from the symbol for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, MSP. The 11-county region is anchored by three thriving urban centers – Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Bloomington – known collectively as the Twin Cities.

As the 16th largest metro area in the United States, the region is one of the most economically diverse and culturally vital in the country. It is home to more than 3 million people, 19 Fortune 500 companies and thousands of pristine lakes. Its reputation for innovation is legendary. Its workforce is one of the best educated in the country. 

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Top-Ranking Business Climate

Despite its reputation for cold winters, the Metro MSP region boasts one of the hottest business climates in the country.

• MarketWatch named it “the best metro area for business” in America in both 2007 and 2008.

• American City Business Journals listed it among the “top ten metro areas for small business” for two years straight in 2007.

• Site Selection singled out the region’s business climate as one of the top five in the country in 2007.

• The state won similar kudos from the Corporation for Enterprise Development in 2006. It gave Minnesota straight A’s for vitality – one of only two states to earn a perfect score.

• MarketWatch recognized its phenomenal concentration of corporate giants – including 34 Fortune 1000 companies and 15 S&P 500 firms in 2008. Those numbers are the second highest in the country.  

To see how Metro MSP stacks up against other regions, go to National Rankings or 2010 MSP Business Vitality Index on Business Climate. 

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Rare Combination of Business Advantages

What makes Metro MSP so attractive to new and expanding businesses? A combination of factors as unique as the companies based here. Here are the Top Ten Reasons that site selectors and companies choose Metro MSP:

1. Robust, diverse economy

2. Highly educated, productive workforce

3. History of innovation

4. Growing population & labor force

5. Easy access to Midwest, national and global markets

6. Competitively priced land and buildings

7. Reliable, affordable utilities

8. Progressive, pro-business leadership

9. Exceptional quality of life

10. Consistently high business rankings

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