The pandemic transformed the suburbs. Return-to-office mandates could reshape them again.

""In 2020, we saw the temporary end of urbanization in Minnesota," said Megan Dayton, a senior demographer at the Minnesota State Demographic Center, adding that "I think what ends up happening over the next five to ten years, we start to see a slow trickle back to that urbanization.""

""I'm not going to uproot my kids just because my work life changed," Rademacher said. "I know quite a few of my coworkers have stated that if this is the long-term plan, that they're not going to continue commuting," she added. "People are looking for different jobs.""

Employers across Minnesota, including Cargill, Target, Medtronic and General Mills, are calling workers back to offices multiple days per week to revive office culture. Many suburban residents face longer commutes and reduced flexibility, prompting some to consider quitting or changing jobs rather than relocating. The 2020 pause in urbanization may reverse gradually, with demographers predicting a slow trickle back to cities over five to ten years. Retail and spending impacts remain uncertain; suburban consumer patterns could persist if large numbers of workers decide to stay put. The demographic shift is expected to be gradual rather than sudden.

Read at Startribune