The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul and the surrounding area is the most highly populated area in Minnesota and the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the United States as of the 2000 census. Both built along the Mississippi River, Minneapolis is the largest city in the state, and St. Paul is the second largest and also the capital of Minnesota. There are other places around the world that are considered twin cities, but Minneapolis-St. Paul is one of the best known. Some consider Minneapolis to be the first city of the West, and Saint Paul to be the last old city of the East.  Often, the area is referred to "The Cities", both within Minnesota and even in the bordering states of Iowa, Wisconsin, and the Dakotas (many people in the area are drawn from these states by the perpetually healthy economy and flourishing cultural scene).

Areas of Minnesota outside of the Twin Cities are collectively referred to as "Greater Minnesota" or "Outstate" by people from the Twin Cities metro area. Today, the two cities directly border each other and their downtown districts are about 10 miles (16 km) apart. The Twin Cities are generally said to be in "east central" Minnesota.