Coon Rapids, Minnesota Facts for Kids

Coon Rapids is a northern suburb of Minneapolis, and is the largest city in Anoka County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 61,476 at the 2010 census, making it the thirteenth largest city in Minnesota and the seventh largest Twin Cities suburb.

Geography
History
Transportation
Demographics
- 2010 census
Economy
- Largest employers
Education
See also

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.34 square miles (60.45 km²), of which, 22.61 square miles (58.56 km²) is land and 0.73 square miles (1.89 km²) is water. 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 Dr. D.C. Dunham in 1881. The clay excavation site – known locally as the clay hole – is one of the lasting reminders of Coon Rapids’ 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.

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.

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. Since 1959, the city’s population exploded from 14,000 to over 62,000 in 2015, making it the 13th largest city in Minnesota.

Transportation

Coon Rapids Dam

While commercial traffic on the Mississippi River once passed through Coon Rapids - steamboats could reach as far north as St. Cloud under certain conditions - the construction of the Coon Rapids Dam marked the city as the northern terminus of the navigable portion of the river.

U.S. Highway 10 and Minnesota State Highways 47 and 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 November 2009. The Burlington Northern/Santa Fe mainline railroad from Seattle to Chicago travels directly through Coon Rapids, and the commuter rail runs on these tracks.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1860	602	—
1870	1,498	148.8%
1880	261	−82.6%
1890	360	37.9%
1900	382	6.1%
1910	422	10.5%
1920	548	29.9%
1930	670	22.3%
1940	1,018	51.9%
1950	2,563	151.8%
1960	14,931	482.6%
1970	30,505	104.3%
1980	35,826	17.4%
1990	52,978	47.9%
2000	61,627	16.3%
2010	61,476	−0.2%
2019 (est.)	62,998	2.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 2018 Estimate

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 2,719.0 inhabitants per square mile (1,049.8/km²). There were 24,462 housing units at an average density of 1,081.9 per square mile (417.7/km²). 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.

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, 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

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.

Coon Rapids is served by the Anoka-Hennepin Public School District 11. Coon Rapids High School is the largest school in the city, with enrollment of approximately 2800. Coon Rapids Middle School is also located in the city, sharing a parking lot with the high school. The private Catholic school, Epiphany, is another school that is within the city.

Cross of Christ Lutheran School is a Pre-K-8 grade school of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Coon Rapids. Northwest Passage High School is a highly rated charter school specializing in inquiry-driven project based learning, interdisciplinary seminars and expeditions.

In the 1980s the Minnesota Japanese School, a weekend supplementary school for Japanese people, formerly held its classes at the Coon Rapids campus, using eleven of its classrooms.

Coon Rapids, Minnesota facts for kids

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