# Farmington, Minnesota *City in Dakota County, Minnesota, in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area* Farmington is a city in Dakota County, [[Minnesota]], within the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area. The 2020 census counted 23,632 residents.[^1] A village charter granted in 1872 makes it the second-oldest community in the county, after the county seat, [[Hastings]].[^2] Two items in the project's at-issue catalogue name Farmington, and both concern systems run by the [[Metropolitan Council (Minnesota)|Metropolitan Council]]. In the first, a HomeLine analysis of council data records that the city added 25 new units against a 492-unit housing allocation. The catalogue places those additions in the three years before the review.[^3][^4] In the second, the catalogue lists Farmington among six communities whose wastewater runs to the council's [[Empire Wastewater Treatment Plant]].[^5] The catalogue pairs each item with a 2025 White House presidential action.[^6][^7] This article states the documented counts. The record here does not establish what either program was designed to produce, and it supports no conclusion about any local official.[^4][^5] ## History The first settlers reached [[Empire Township]], the township from which Farmington developed, in the early 1850s. A village called Dakota City formed where the Minnesota Central, Hastings, and Dakota railroads met near the Vermillion River.[^2] Its railroad stop was named Farmington Station. Outsiders came to use the station's name for the town, and the change was made permanent; the name refers to the many farms around the original site.[^2] The 1872 village charter followed.[^2] The Dakota County Fair moved to Farmington in 1869. On November 22, 1879, a fire began when a firework cart overturned in a buggy accident, and it burned houses, stores, a hotel, and a grain elevator in what is now downtown.[^2] Farmington High School's first class graduated in 1884. In 1897 the town was among the earliest in the country to provide rural free mail delivery, and it marked its centennial in 1972.[^2] Three Farmington properties are on the National Register of Historic Places: the Daniel F. Akin House, the Church of the Advent, and the Exchange Bank Building.[^2] ### Data center lawsuit The Wikipedia article records that residents formed the Coalition for Responsible Data Center Development during 2025–2026 and sued to stop a construction project.[^2] The pack carries no docket, court, or filing date for the suit, and this article does not characterize its merits. ## Geography Census Bureau figures cited by Wikipedia give the city 14.94 square miles in total area. Of that, 14.69 square miles is land and 0.25 square miles is water.[^8] [[Lakeville]] lies to the west and Empire Township to the east. The townships of Castle Rock and Eureka lie to the south.[^8] The principal roads are County Road 31 (Pilot Knob), County Road 50, and Minnesota Highways 50 and 3.[^8] ## Economy The Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZMP) is located in the city, as is a Marigold Kemps packing plant.[^8] ## Community The Dakota County Fairgrounds occupy 360 acres in Farmington, and the county fair averages 125,000 visitors a year.[^8] Most of the city is residential. County Highway 50 divides the more recently developed north from the downtown area to the south, and a trail along the Vermillion River links downtown, uptown, and the Empire Township neighborhoods.[^8] ## Demographics The 2020 census recorded 23,632 residents with a median age of 35.3 years. It counted 7,906 households, 44.9 percent of them with children under 18.[^9] The city had 8,065 housing units, 2.0 percent of them vacant; the rental vacancy rate was 5.0 percent.[^9] The 2010 census had counted 21,086 residents in 7,066 households.[^9] ## Education Independent School District 192 runs the city's public schools, with enrollment of about 6,900. Its boundaries also take in eastern Lakeville and the townships of Castle Rock, Empire, and Eureka.[^10] ## Politics The city lies in Minnesota's 2nd congressional district, whose representative is [[Angie Craig]].[^1] In the Legislature it falls in Senate District 58, held by [[Zach Duckworth]] in the [[Minnesota Senate]], and House District 58B, held by [[Drew Roach]] in the [[Minnesota House of Representatives]].[^1] Mayor Joshua Hoyt resigned on February 5, 2026, after a city council meeting. On March 2, 2026, Nick Lien was appointed acting mayor.[^1] ## Where - A city in Dakota County in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metropolitan area, bordered by Lakeville, Empire Township, and the townships of Castle Rock and Eureka.[^1][^8] - According to the catalogue, the Empire plant serves [[Apple Valley]], [[Elko New Market]], Empire Township, Farmington, [[Rosemount]], and part of Lakeville. The catalogue gives its source as Metropolitan Council material.[^5] ## How many - Residents: 21,086 (2010 census); 23,632 (2020 census).[^9] - Households: 7,906; housing units: 8,065 (2020 census).[^9] - School district enrollment: about 6,900.[^10] - New housing units: 25, against a 492-unit allocation, per the HomeLine analysis and the catalogue.[^3][^4] - Empire plant capacity: 24 million gallons a day, per the catalogue. The catalogue says the plant was built in 1979 and has since doubled. The pack gives no figure for Farmington's share.[^5] ## In the at-issue record **Housing allocation (AI-Dakota-063).** The HomeLine study *A Vision for the Next Decade* analyzes Metropolitan Council data and sets Farmington's 492-unit allocation against 25 new units.[^3] The same study records other cities against their own goals. Apple Valley completed 20.8 percent of a 2010 goal of 5,046 units. Lakeville completed 29.1 percent of a 5,227-unit goal. HomeLine calls Lakeville's figure "the highest need number of all suburbs in the region."[^3] Burnsville completed 92.5 percent of a 917-unit goal.[^3] The catalogue dates Farmington's 25 units to the three years before the review. Its anchor for this item is the January 2025 order *Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity*.[^4][^6] [[Burnsville]] completed the highest share; it also had the smallest of these goals.[^3] **Wastewater (AI-Dakota-070).** The catalogue records that the Empire plant belongs to the Metropolitan Council, which it describes as an appointed regional body. Farmington is one of the communities the plant serves.[^5] The catalogue's anchor for this item is the March 2025 order *Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos*.[^5][^7] The catalogue's only cited source for the plant figures is self-published council material, and the pack carries no URL for it.[^5] **Regional governance.** The [[Metropolitan Governance Task Force]], a legislative commission, issued its *Final Report* on February 1, 2024. The pack lists it as a legislative commission finding but carries none of its findings on Farmington.[^11] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia contributors, *Farmington, Minnesota* (revision 1378708773, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — lead and Politics sections: location, 2020 population, legislative and congressional districts, February 5, 2026 resignation and March 2, 2026 acting-mayor appointment. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmington,_Minnesota [^2]: Wikipedia contributors, *Farmington, Minnesota* (revision 1378708773, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — History section: settlement, naming, 1872 charter, 1869 fair, 1879 fire, 1884 and 1897 milestones, National Register properties, data center lawsuit. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmington,_Minnesota [^3]: HomeLine, *A Vision for the Next Decade* (analysis of Metropolitan Council LCA data) — Farmington 492-unit allocation against 25 new units; Apple Valley 20.8 percent of 5,046; Lakeville 29.1 percent of 5,227; Burnsville 92.5 percent of 917. https://homelinemn.org/wp-content/uploads/A-Vision-for-the-Next-Decade-Final-Version.pdf [^4]: Project catalogue, *Dakota Claims Exposure Matrix* (Sept. 2, 2026), at-issue item AI-Dakota-063 — Farmington's 25 units in the three years before the review; sources homelinemn.org and metrocouncil.org. Pack row only; no URL in the pack. [^5]: Project catalogue, *Dakota Claims Exposure Matrix* (Sept. 2, 2026), at-issue item AI-Dakota-070 — Empire plant built 1979 and since doubled, 24 million gallons a day, service area; source metrocouncil.org (self-published). Pack row only; no URL in the pack. [^6]: The White House, *Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity* (Jan. 2025) — the presidential action the catalogue pairs with item AI-Dakota-063. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/ [^7]: The White House, *Stopping Waste, Fraud, and Abuse by Eliminating Information Silos* (Mar. 2025) — the presidential action the catalogue pairs with item AI-Dakota-070. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/stopping-waste-fraud-and-abuse-by-eliminating-information-silos/ [^8]: Wikipedia contributors, *Farmington, Minnesota* (revision 1378708773, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — Geography, Economy and Community sections: area, borders, routes, ZMP, Kemps plant, fairgrounds and attendance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmington,_Minnesota [^9]: Wikipedia contributors, *Farmington, Minnesota* (revision 1378708773, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — Demographics section: 2020 and 2010 census population, households, housing units, vacancy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmington,_Minnesota [^10]: Wikipedia contributors, *Farmington, Minnesota* (revision 1378708773, retrieved Oct. 27, 2026) — Education section: ISD 192, enrollment about 6,900, district boundaries. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmington,_Minnesota [^11]: Legislative Coordinating Commission, *Metropolitan Governance Task Force Final Report* (Feb. 1, 2024) — date and status of the legislative commission's final report on Metropolitan Council governance. https://www.lcc.mn.gov/mgtf/report/Final-MGTF-Report