Minnesota Has Been ‘Invaded’ By South Dakota

Did you hear the news? Minnesota has been "invaded" by a neighboring state.

Specifically, one particular metropolitan area in South Dakota has "encroached" into the Land of 10,000 Lakes in a new assessment according to the federal government.

Well, sort of. It isn't like Pierre suddenly has governing power in this "new territory", but a piece of Minnesota is now being lumped in with a South Dakota city and having some influence.

How does that work?

As the federal government continues to digest data from the 2020 Census, the US Office of Management and Budget has redefined the Sioux Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, (MSA) to expand beyond the previous four-county area statistical area that was all in South Dakota.

Now, the Sioux Falls MSA includes Rock County in Southwestern Minnesota along with four South Dakota counties.

While Sioux Falls and other South Dakota governing bodies have no direct control over Rock County or any of the nearby cities and towns (like Luverne or Adrian), these areas are pretty heavily influenced by nearby Sioux Falls.

What is an MSA?

As the US Census Bureau explains, Metropolitan Statistical Areas are "a county or counties (or equivalent entities) associated with at least one urban area of at least 10,000 but less than 50,000 population, plus adjacent counties having a high degree of social and economic integration with the core as measured through commuting ties."

READ MORE: Minnesota counties that are bigger than entire states in the US

In short, it is the greater area tied to a central city. The largest example of this in Minnesota is the Twin Cities area, which expands well beyond the borders of just Minneapolis and/or St. Paul but is heavily impacted socially and economically by those central cities.

How does this expansion impact nearby Minnesota communities?

According to a Sioux Falls business publication, one of the biggest impacts means that statistical data for things like labor market information (unemployment, etc.) in Rock County in Minnesota is now tied in with the Sioux Falls MSA.

Other government programs can also be influenced by MSA data, which means people in Rock County could benefit or see program funding and other impacts based on the needs of the Sioux Falls MSA.

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In that same publication, local leaders admit there are long-standing ties to Sioux Falls as a regional hub for shopping and other elements of commerce, including people who may live in places like Luverne and travel across the border to work in Sioux Falls.

So, while Sioux Falls doesn't have any direct control over Rock County from a government perspective, decisions and economic trends in Sioux Falls are felt across the border in Minnesota's Rock County - which is why it is now considered part of the Sioux Falls MSA.

Are there other cross-border Minnesota MSAs?

Absolutely. The Duluth-Superior (Twin Ports) MSA is another example. While Duluth is a larger city, this MSA does enjoy a more equally-shared billing with neighboring Superior as the "Duluth-Superior" or "Twin Ports" MSA.

Others include the Fargo MSA, which includes neighboring Moorhead across the border in Minnesota, the La Crosse MSA which expands into Houston County in Minnesota, and the Grand Forks MSA, which expands into Minnesota to include Polk County and nearby East Grand Forks.