Duluth, Minnesota

Duluth, Minnesota
Official seal of Duluth, Minnesota
Nickname: 
Zenith city of unsalted seas
Location of Duluth in St. Louis County, Minnesota
Location of Duluth in St. Louis County, Minnesota
Duluth is located in Minnesota
Duluth
Duluth
Location within Duluth
Duluth is located in the United States
Duluth
Duluth
Location within the United States
Coordinates: 46°46′59.78″N 92°06′23.68″W / 46.7832722°N 92.1065778°W / 46.7832722; -92.1065778
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountySt. Louis County
MetroTwin Ports
First Settled1850-51
Platted1856
Incorporated (town)May 19, 1857
Incorporated (city)March 5, 1870
Incorporated (city charter)March 2, 1887
Named forDaniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut
Government
 • TypeMayor–council[1]
 • BodyDuluth City Council
 • MayorRoger Reinert (DFL)
 • City managerDave Montgomery
Area
 • City
80.168 sq mi (207.634 km2)
 • Land71.658 sq mi (185.593 km2)
 • Water8.510 sq mi (22.041 km2)  22.46%
 • Urban
66.87 sq mi (173.20 km2)
 • Metro
8,413.17 sq mi (21,790.01 km2)
Elevation705 ft (215 m)
Population
 • City
86,697
 • Estimate 
(2023)[6]
87,680
 • RankUS: 398th
MN: 4th
 • Density1,223.51/sq mi (472.39/km2)
 • Urban
119,411[3] (US: 281st)
 • Urban density1,785.8/sq mi (689.5/km2)
 • Metro
281,603 (US: 177th)
 • Metro density33.46/sq mi (12.92/km2)
 • Combined
326,968 (US: 112nd)
 • Combined density29.50/sq mi (11.39/km2)
DemonymDuluthian
GDP
 • Metro$16.822 billion (2022)
Time zoneUTC–6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC–5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
55801–55808, 55810–55812, 55814–55816
Area code218
FIPS code27-17000
GNIS feature ID661145[4]
Sales tax8.875%[8]
Websiteduluthmn.gov

Duluth (/dəˈlθ/ də-LOOTH) is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of St. Louis County. Located on Lake Superior in Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, the city is a hub for cargo shipping. The population was 86,697 at the 2020 census,[5] making it Minnesota's fifth-largest city. Duluth forms a metropolitan area with neighboring Superior, Wisconsin, called the Twin Ports. It is south of the Iron Range and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It is named after Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut, the area's first known European explorer.

Duluth is on the north shore of Lake Superior at the westernmost point of the Great Lakes. It is the largest metropolitan area, the second-largest city, and the largest U.S. city on the lake. Duluth is accessible to the Atlantic Ocean, 2,300 miles (3,700 km) away, via the Great Lakes Waterway and St. Lawrence Seaway.[9] The Port of Duluth is the world's farthest inland port accessible to oceangoing ships[10] and is the largest and busiest port on the Great Lakes.[11] It is also among the top 20 U.S. ports by tonnage. Common items shipped from Duluth include coal, iron ore, grain, limestone, cement, salt, wood pulp, steel coil, and wind turbine parts.

Duluth is a popular Midwest tourist destination. The city is home to the Great Lakes Aquarium, a freshwater aquarium. The Aerial Lift Bridge, next to Canal Park, crosses the Duluth Ship Canal into the Duluth–Superior harbor. Minnesota Point, known locally as Park Point, is the world's longest freshwater baymouth bar, stretching 6 miles (10 km).[12] The city is also the starting point for road trips along the North Shore of Lake Superior to Thunder Bay, Ontario.

  1. ^ Duluth Charter, Chapter II §2
  2. ^ "2024 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  3. ^ "2020 Census Qualifying Urban Areas and Final Criteria Clarifications". Federal Register. United States Census Bureau. December 29, 2022.
  4. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Duluth, Minnesota
  5. ^ a b "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference USCensusEst2023 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Total Gross Domestic Product for Duluth, MN-WI (MSA)". Federal Reserve Economic Data. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
  8. ^ "Duluth (MN) sales tax rate". Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  9. ^ "Duluth Seaway Port Authority". Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  10. ^ Circle, Twelve Mile (March 20, 2014). "Farthest Inland Port". Twelve Mile Circle. Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  11. ^ "Duluth Seaway Port Authority". www.duluthport.com. Archived from the original on November 23, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  12. ^ "Scientific and Natural Areas: Minnesota Point Pine Forest: Minnesota DNR". Dnr.minnesota.gov. Archived from the original on March 28, 2012. Retrieved August 12, 2011.