Shakopee was the Twin Cities seven-county metropolitan area’s growth leader in population gain between 2000 and 2006, according to a report released today.

Shakopee added 10,403 residents in the first six years of the decade, according to the Metropolitan Council report.

Blaine (9,913) and Lakeville (9,195) were second and third. Also making the top-10 list were Prior Lake, seventh in growth with 5,625, and Chaska, eighth, with 5,613.

The population of the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area has continued to grow at a steady rate, reported the Met Council. It estimates that 2.82 million people lived in the Twin Cities area as of April 1, 2006. Population growth since 2000 totaled 180,000 people, or 6.8 percent.

Economic stability continues to be a factor in attracting new residents. The Twin Cities ranks in the top 10 among major metro areas in per capita income, work force participation, and housing affordability.

 The region remains on course to add nearly 1 million people between 2000 and 2030.

Meanwhile, the number of households in the region grew 8.6 percent between 2000 and 2006, higher than the population growth.

“The two-point difference between household and population growth is a demographic effect,” said Research Manager Todd Graham.  “Longer life expectancies and the aging of baby-boomers are leading to smaller household sizes and a larger empty-nest population.”

“The demographics are prompting the housing market to offer a mix of housing costs and types,” said Peter Bell, council chair. “We’re seeing that reflected in planning by the central cities and first-ring suburbs.”

Still, nine of the 10 cities experiencing the most growth between 2000 and 2006 are developing suburbs.

 “Developing suburbs have relatively large blocks of available land, and they’ve been able to provide infrastructure and services that enable growth,” said Graham.