The population of Minnesota's largest city has surpassed 400,000 for the first time since the 1970s, according to a preliminary estimate from the Metropolitan Council.

Minneapolis grew by almost 9,000 residents last year, Met Council researchers said in a draft report sent to the Hennepin County Board this month. That 2 percent annual growth rate is the fastest the city's seen since the 1930s.

The population of Minneapolis peaked in the 1950s, when it was well over 500,000. The number declined significantly after that and bottomed out at around 370,000 in the 1980s. The population has crept back slowly since then.

Mayor Betsy Hodges has said she'd like to see the city add 100,000 residents but she hasn't given a timeframe. If the Met Council's preliminary estimate holds up, and if the city can sustain that growth, Minneapolis would hit the mayor's goal in just over a decade.

The Council will finalize its population estimates in July after getting feedback from local governments.