Coon Rapids, Minnesota
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Coon Rapids is a northern suburb of Minneapolis, and the second-largest city by population in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The population was 63,599 at the 2020 census,<ref name="2020 Census (City)">Template:Cite web</ref> making it Minnesota's 15th-largest city and the seventh-largest Twin Cities suburb.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">Template:Cite web</ref> Recreational lakes in the city include Cenaiko Lake and Crooked Lake, two-thirds of which is in Coon Rapids. The other third is in the city of Andover, immediately to the north.
History
In 1835, the Red River Ox Cart Trail was laid to establish military and trade connections between Minneapolis and Anoka. The first industries of Coon Rapids sprung up around the road, including the prominent Anoka Pressed Brick and Terra Cotta Company, founded by D. C. Dunham in 1881. The clay excavation site—known locally as the "Clay Hole"—is one of the lasting reminders of Coon Rapids's industrial history. Today, the vital Red River Ox Cart Trail is known as Coon Rapids Boulevard and remains an important commercial corridor for the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 1912, construction began on the Coon Rapids Dam and the influx of laborers and engineers increased the city's population to over 1,000 for the first time. Completed in 1914, the dam functioned as a regional power source for the Northern States Power Company until it was sold to the Hennepin County Park Board in 1969 and incorporated into the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
When the dam was built, Anoka Township renamed itself Coon Creek Rapids, later shortened to Coon Rapids. In 1959, the Village of Coon Rapids voted to incorporate as a city and the City of Coon Rapids was born. The city's population increased from 14,000 in 1959 to more than 62,785 in 2022, making it the 15th-largest city in Minnesota.
Transportation
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While commercial traffic on the Mississippi River once passed through Coon Rapids—steamboats could reach as far north as St. Cloud under certain conditions<ref name="MVT1001">Template:Cite web</ref>—the completion of the Coon Rapids Dam in 1914 established the city as the Mississippi River's northernmost navigable point.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
U.S. Highway 10, Minnesota State Highway 47, and Minnesota State Highway 610 are three of the main routes in the city.
Coon Rapids Riverdale Station is served by the Northstar Commuter Rail line connecting the northwest suburbs and downtown Minneapolis; the line opened in 2009.<ref name="ST121107">Template:Cite web</ref>
The Burlington Northern/Santa Fe mainline railroad from Seattle to Chicago travels directly through Coon Rapids, and the commuter rail runs on these tracks.
Economy
Coon Rapids is home to the headquarters of medical device manufacturer RMS Company; healthcare and housing provider Mary T, Inc.; furniture retailer HOM Furniture; and printers/publishers John Roberts Company and ECM Publishers.
Largest employers
According to the City's 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> the city's largest employers are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercy Health (Allina Health System) | 1,860 |
| 2 | Independent School District #11 | 1,238 |
| 3 | Mary T, Inc. | 1,120 |
| 4 | RMS Company | 672 |
| 5 | Honeywell Aerospace | 600 |
| 6 | Anoka-Ramsey Community College | 403 |
| 7 | HOM Furniture | 300 |
| 8 | Target | 300 |
| 9 | City of Coon Rapids | 285 |
| 10 | Menards | 220 |
| 11 | Walmart | 200 |
Government
Coon Rapids is a charter city with a council-manager form of government. The city council has seven members: the mayor and a member at-large, both elected by the entire city, and one member for each of the city's five wards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
State level
As of the 2025 special election,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Coon Rapids is represented in the Minnesota State House via the following districts:
- District 34B (Xp Lee, DFL)
- District 35A (Zack Stephenson, DFL)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- District 35B (Kari Rehrauer, DFL)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
State Senate:
- District 34 (John Hoffman, DFL) <ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- District 35 (Jim Abeler, Republican)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Congress
Coon Rapids is in Minnesota's 3rd congressional district, represented by Democrat Kelly Morrison.
Mayors and local government
Since its incorporation as a city in 1952, Coon Rapids has had 15 mayors:
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The next mayoral election is in 2026.
As of 2025, the members of the Coon Rapids City Council are:
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| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2020 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|45.1% 16,154 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|52.2% 18,707 | 2.7% 980 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2016 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|47.0% 15,427 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|43.4% 14,237 | 9.6% 3,137 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2012 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|46.5% 16,064 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|51.0% 17,617 | 2.5% 852 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2008 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|47.4% 16,317 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|50.5% 17,399 | 2.1% 736 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|2004 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|50.8% 17,365 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|48.0% 16,414 | 1.2% 391 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|2000 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|46.4% 13,262 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|48.4% 13,817 | 5.2% 1,500 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|1996 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|34.5% 9,195 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|53.0% 14,146 | 12.5% 3,347 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|1992 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|31.6% 9,105 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|41.7% 12,022 | 26.7% 7,724 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|1988 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|45.7% 10,111 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|54.3% 11,994 | 0.0% 0 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|1984 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|48.5% 9,326 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|51.5% 9,895 | 0.0% 0 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|1980 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|37.7% 5,761 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|52.2% 7,978 | 10.1% 1,548 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|1976 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|36.7% 5,134 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|61.1% 8,533 | 2.2% 306 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|1972 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|50.9% 5,351 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|46.0% 4,839 | 3.1% 322 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|1968 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|32.0% 2,795 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|61.8% 5,400 | 6.2% 537 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|1964 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|28.4% 2,205 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|71.5% 5,558 | 0.1% 12 |
| style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|1960 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Republican|39.5% 2,314 | style="text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Democratic|60.3% 3,538 | 0.2% 12 |
Education
The city is home to Anoka-Ramsey Community College, which offers a wide variety of 2- and 4-year programs. The college awarded 754 Associate degrees in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Coon Rapids is served by the Anoka-Hennepin Public School District 11.
High schools
Coon Rapids High School is the city's largest public school, with about 1,935 students in four grades, 9–12, as of 2025–26 projections.<ref name="ISD11Proj">Template:Cite web</ref>
Paladin Career & Technical High School, a charter school, has also been in Coon Rapids since 2022. As of 2023-24 it had 299 students in grades 9–12.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Northwest Passage High School is a charter school specializing in inquiry-driven project based learning, interdisciplinary seminars, and expeditions.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Enrollment was 149 students across grades 9 to 12 as of the 2023–24 annual report.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Middle schools
Coon Rapids Middle School has a projected enrollment of 1,298 for 2025–26<ref name="ISD11Proj"/> for grades 6 to 8.
Northdale Middle School has a projected enrollment of 1,192 for 2025–26 for grades 6 to 8.<ref name="ISD11Proj"/>
The Catholic Church of the Epiphany has a private school for grades Pre-K to 8.
Cross of Christ Lutheran School is a Pre-K–8 grade school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Coon Rapids.
Elementary schools
Adams Elementary School has a projected enrollment of 456 students from K to 5.<ref name="ISD11Proj"/>
Eisenhower Elementary School has a projected enrollment of 475 students from K to 5.<ref name="ISD11Proj"/>
Hamilton Elementary School has a projected enrollment of 364 students from K to 5.<ref name="ISD11Proj"/>
Hoover Elementary School has a projected enrollment of 459 students from K to 5.<ref name="ISD11Proj"/>
Mississippi Elementary School has a projected enrollment of 436 students from K to 5.<ref name="ISD11Proj"/>
Morris Bye Elementary School has a projected enrollment of 442 students from K to 5.<ref name="ISD11Proj"/>
Sand Creek Elementary School has a projected enrollment of 559 students from K to 5.<ref name="ISD11Proj"/>
Historical
In the 1980s the Minnesota Japanese School, a weekend supplementary school for Japanese people, held classes at the Coon Rapids campus, using 11 of its classrooms.<ref name=Johnsonsat>Template:Cite news - Clipping of first and of second page from Newspapers.com.</ref>
Recreation
Coon Rapids contains several Anoka County parks, such as Coon Rapids Dam and Bunker Hills Regional Park, including Bunker Beach water park.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 61,476 people, 23,532 households, and 16,323 families living in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 24,462 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 86.0% White, 5.5% African American, 0.7% Native American, 3.5% Asian, 1.2% from other races, and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.2% of the population.
There were 23,532 households, of which 34.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples living together, 13.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 30.6% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.08.
The median age in the city was 36.9 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.5% were from 25 to 44; 27.8% were from 45 to 64; and 11.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 61,627 people, 22,578 households, and 16,572 families living in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 22,828 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the city was 93.22% White, 2.18% African American, 0.67% Native American, 1.60% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.59% from other races, and 1.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.51% of the population.
There were 22,578 households, out of which 39.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 12.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 20.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.15.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.7% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 33.3% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,550, and the median income for a family was $62,260. Males had a median income of $41,195 versus $30,277 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,915. About 3.6% of families and 4.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.
Notable people
- Claire Butorac - forward for the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women's Hockey League; former captain of Minnesota State Mavericks women's ice hockey; Walter Cup champion with Minnesota.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
References
External links
Template:Anoka County, Minnesota Template:US state navigation box