Economic Development

Downtown

LATEST NEWS (3/18/20) - The City of St. Cloud Economic Development Dept. is monitoring business needs, sharing available business resources, and responding to emails and phone calls.   

Cathy Mehelich can be reached at here or 320.493.0114.

Tammy Campion can be reached at here.

COVID 19 Business Resources are available here.

All City of St. Cloud service announcements and COVID updates are available on www.ci.stcloud.mn.us.

Be Part of Something Greater in St. Cloud, MN


Not only does St. Cloud attract innovation, employment opportunities, and shoppers from throughout the region, it’s also a place people genuinely enjoy quality Midwestern living. From jumping feet first into the quarry pond in the summer to living year-round in one of the many reimagined historic downtown sites, St. Cloud becomes even greater every year.
us_map richard
But more than just anecdotes and our latest developments in the works, the numbers reflect why St. Cloud is greater:

  • Fastest growing labor force in Minnesota (MN Dept. of Employment and Economic Development)
  • #1 Top Performing City in Minnesota based on job growth, wages, and the amount of high-tech industries (Milken Institute)
  • Top Performing U.S. City based on job growth, wages, and the amount of high-tech industries    (Milken Institute - #26 of 179 U.S. cities)
  • Best Place for Business and Careers based on low cost of living, job growth, and competitive business costs (Forbes - #24 of 184 U.S. cities)

Our 5 Key Advantages – Why St. Cloud?


1.  State's fastest growing labor force

  • 111,086 people in the surrounding MSA with continued expansion year after year
  • 23,000+ college and technical training students are currently enrolled locally
  • Low housing costs and high quality of life continue to attract employees to St. Cloud

2.  High-tech and advanced manufacturing

  • St. Cloud is considered one of the nation's most-wired markets
  • Local universities, high schools, and training programs offer specialized curricula for advanced manufacturing
  • Shovel-ready sites are widely available

3.  Central location and access to major Midwest markets

  • 32,866 commuters come into St. Cloud from the region to work every day
  • Minneapolis, Fargo, and Chicago are all less than 500 miles away
  • St. Cloud has an airport, rail lines, and highways connect us to the region, country, and beyond

4.  Sectors of Strength - Health Care, Manufacturing, Retail Trade, and Business/Financial Services

5.  Regional hub for education and health services

  • 3 high achieving, award winning school districts with 16,000 K-12 students
  • 23,000+ enrolled students across a multitude of higher education institutions
  • CentraCare Health Systems recognized nationally:
    • 9 times as a Truven 100 Top Hospital
    • U.S. News and World Report "America's Best Hospital" for orthopedics and gastroenterology

Most Notable Awards

  • “Most Liveable City in the World” ( 75,000 - 150,000 population) - 2019 LiveCom
  • “Top City for Working Parents” - SmartAsset.com
  • “ 12th Healthiest City in Nation” - 24/7 Wall Street
  • “ Best Place for Teachers to Live and Work” - Goodcall.com
  • “ Top 20 Most Vibrant Arts Community in America” - National Center for Arts Research
  • “ America’s Best 2018 Hockey Town” - SmartAsset.com

Click here to see the 40+ awards the City has received in recent years.