Becker, Minnesota facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Becker
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Flags for sale in Becker
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Location of the city of Becker
within Sherburne County, Minnesota |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Sherburne |
| Settled | 1855 |
| Organized | 1871 |
| Platted | December 5, 1870 |
| Incorporated | November 22, 1904 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 12.26 sq mi (31.75 km2) |
| • Land | 11.67 sq mi (30.22 km2) |
| • Water | 0.59 sq mi (1.54 km2) |
| Elevation | 965 ft (294 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,877 |
| • Estimate
(2022)
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4,997 |
| • Density | 417.98/sq mi (161.39/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code |
55308
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| Area code(s) | 763 |
| FIPS code | 27-04618 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2394103 |
| Sales tax | 7.375% |
Becker is a city in Sherburne County, Minnesota. It is located between the Mississippi and Elk Rivers. In 2020, about 4,877 people lived there.
Becker is about 46 miles northwest of Minneapolis. It is also 19 miles southeast of St. Cloud. U.S. Highway 10 is a major road that goes through Becker.
The city is home to the Sherburne County Generating Station, also called Sherco. This power plant helps the city by paying a lot in taxes. This means that people who own homes in Becker often pay less in property taxes than those in nearby towns.
Contents
History of Becker
Becker was first mapped out in 1867. It was named after George Loomis Becker, who was a state lawmaker. A post office opened in Becker in 1870.
Where is Becker?
Becker is a city with a total area of about 9.1 square miles (23.6 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, and a small part is water.
Businesses and Economy
Sherburne County Generating Station
Xcel Energy runs the Sherburne County Generating Station (Sherco) in Becker. This plant is the largest coal-fired power plant in Minnesota. Because the power plant pays a lot in property taxes, people living in Becker pay lower property taxes. About two-thirds of the city's taxes come from this plant.
The power plant is planned to close by the end of the decade. The city has been making plans for this change. In 2023, Becker asked the Minnesota government for help to prepare for less tax money.
New Data Centers
Google had once planned to build a large data center in Becker. However, Google decided not to build it in late 2022. Instead, in February 2024, Microsoft bought 300 acres of land in the same area. Microsoft plans to build a data center there.
Northern Metals Recycling Fire
In early 2020, firefighters responded to a large fire at Northern Metals Recycling in Becker. This company had moved to Becker the year before. The fire started under a pile of cars and lasted for several days. Schools in the area had to close for air quality tests. Many fire departments helped fight the fire. Officials decided to let the fire burn out because water was running low.
People in Becker
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 210 | — | |
| 1920 | 210 | 0.0% | |
| 1930 | 214 | 1.9% | |
| 1940 | 239 | 11.7% | |
| 1950 | 264 | 10.5% | |
| 1960 | 279 | 5.7% | |
| 1970 | 365 | 30.8% | |
| 1980 | 601 | 64.7% | |
| 1990 | 902 | 50.1% | |
| 2000 | 2,673 | 196.3% | |
| 2010 | 4,538 | 69.8% | |
| 2020 | 4,877 | 7.5% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 4,997 | 10.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census |
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What the 2010 Census Showed
In 2010, there were 4,538 people living in Becker. There were 1,526 households, and 1,164 of these were families. The city had about 430 people per square mile.
Most of the people in Becker were White (96.6%). About 1.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Many households (50.6%) had children under 18 living with them. Most households (59.7%) were married couples. The average household had 2.93 people.
The average age in Becker was 30.7 years old. About 34.1% of residents were under 18. About 9.3% were 65 years or older.
Fun Things to Do
Parks in Becker
Becker has nine city parks. The largest is Becker City Park, which is over 100 acres. A dog park was added to City Park in 2020.
Other parks include:
- Becker Athletic Complex (BAC)
- Becker Community Center
- Carl E. Johnson Park
- Kolbinger Park
- Pleasant Valley Park
- River's Edge Park
- Snuffy's Landing
- Tot Lot
Golf Course
Pebble Creek Golf Course is in Becker. It has 27 holes and is open to everyone.
Public Library
The Becker Public Library is part of the Great River Regional Library system. You can find the library inside the community center on County Road 23.
Getting Around Becker
U.S. Highway 10 is the main highway through Becker. Many businesses in Becker are located along this highway. County Road 23 also starts in Becker.
The Empire Builder train, run by Amtrak, goes through Becker. This train travels between Seattle/Portland and Chicago. However, it does not stop in Becker. The closest train station is in St. Cloud, about 20 miles away.
There are plans to extend the Northstar Commuter Rail to St. Cloud, which might include a stop in Becker. Currently, a bus service called Northstar Link Commuter Bus connects Becker to Big Lake and St. Cloud.
News and Media
Becker has its own newspaper called the Patriot. It used to be called the Citizen-Tribune. The Patriot provides news to readers in Central Minnesota. People in Becker also read the Saint Cloud Times and the Star Tribune newspapers.
Schools in Becker
Becker is served by Independent School District 726. About 2,697 students attend the four schools in the district:
- Becker Primary School (Kindergarten to 2nd grade)
- Becker Intermediate School (3rd to 5th grade)
- Becker Middle School (6th to 8th grade)
- Becker High School (9th to 12th grade)
Sports and Activities
Football
The Becker High School Football program started in 1970. Coach Dwight Lundeen has been the only head coach since then. The team won state championships in 2005 (Class AAA), and in 2014 and 2015 (Class AAAA). They have won 19 conference championships and 14 section championships. Becker Football is one of Minnesota's most successful football programs.
Robotics
Becker is home to FRC 4607 Coalition of Independent Students (CIS). This team competes in the FIRST Robotics Competition. The robotics team started in 2012. It was founded by Alex Jurek, a Technology Education teacher, and Mark Kolbinger, an English teacher.
Images for kids
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A robot, like those built by the Becker High School robotics team.
