Hennepin County, Minnesota facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hennepin County
County
The Hennepin County Government Center, located in the county seat of Minneapolis. Its stylized letter "H" shape serves as the logo for Hennepin County.
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Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota
Minnesota's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
Founded	March 6, 1852
Named for	Louis Hennepin
Seat	Minneapolis
Largest city	Minneapolis
Area
• Total	607 sq mi (1,570 km2)
• Land	554 sq mi (1,430 km2)
• Water	53 sq mi (140 km2)  8.7%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,281,565
• Estimate  (2023)	1,258,713
• Density	2,111.3/sq mi (815.2/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code	612, 763, 952
Congressional districts	3rd, 5th

Hennepin County (/ˈhɛnəpɪn/ hen-Ə-pin) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its county seat is Minneapolis, the state's most populous city. The county is named for the 17th-century explorer Louis Hennepin. It extends from Minneapolis to the suburbs and outlying cities in the western part of the county. Its natural areas are covered by extensive woods, hills, and lakes. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,281,565. It is Minnesota's most populous county and the 34th-most populous county in the U.S.; more than one in five Minnesotans live in Hennepin County. It is included in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul–Bloomington Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

The Territorial Legislature of Minnesota established Hennepin County on March 6, 1852, and two years later Minneapolis was named the county seat. Louis Hennepin's name was chosen because he originally named Saint Anthony Falls and recorded some of the earliest accounts of the area for the Western world. In January 1855, the first bridge over the Mississippi River was built over St. Anthony Falls.

Water power built the city of Minneapolis and Hennepin County. The water of streams and rivers provided power to grist mills and sawmills throughout the county. By the late 1860s, more than a dozen mills were churning out lumber near St. Anthony Falls and the county's population had surpassed 12,000.

In many ways, the falls' power was the vital link between the central city and the farmsteads throughout the county. Farms produced vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy products for city dwellers, while Minneapolis industries produced lumber, furniture, farm implements and clothing.

By 1883, railroads united Minneapolis with both the East and West coasts, and technical developments, especially in flour milling, brought rapid progress to the area. The major Minneapolis millers were Washburn, Pillsbury, Bell, Dunwoody and Crosby. For a decade, the "Mill City" was the flour-milling capital of the world and one of the largest lumber producers. Minneapolis, with a population of 165,000 by 1890, had become a major American city, and by 1900, was firmly established as the hub of the Upper Midwest's industry and commerce.

Hennepin County's farm economy was also substantial. In 1910, farmland in the county totaled 284,000 acres, about 72% of its area. The principal crops were wheat, corn, garden vegetables, and apples. The number of acres in production remained high for the next 30 years. By 1950, the amount of land devoted to agriculture had declined to 132,000 acres as development progressed in the suburbs.

During the 1950s and 1960s, many suburbs grew rapidly as housing developments, shopping centers, large school systems and growing industrialization replaced much of the open farmland. By 1970, Hennepin County's suburban population outnumbered the city's for the first time. Minneapolis's population declined by 10 percent from 1960 to 1970, while the suburban population grew by nearly 50 percent.

Another wave of immigration—which began after the Vietnam War in the mid-1970s—marked a major change in the county's ethnic makeup. This wave peaked in the 1980s when hundreds of refugees from Southeast Asia, often aided by local churches, resettled in Hennepin County. Its population surpassed one million in 1989.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has an area of 607 square miles (1,570 km²), of which 554 square miles (1,430 km²) is land and 53 square miles (140 km²) (8.7%) is water. Hennepin is one of 17 Minnesota counties with more savanna soils than either prairie or forest soils, and one of two Minnesota counties with more than 75% of its area in savanna soils (the other is Wright County).

The highest waterfall on the Mississippi River, Saint Anthony Falls (discovered by Louis Hennepin), is in Hennepin County next to downtown Minneapolis, but in the 19th century, the falls were converted to a series of dams. Barges and boats now pass through locks to move between the parts of the river above and below the dams.

Part of central and eastern Hennepin County on July 1, 2022, taken from the International Space Station. North is oriented mostly towards the right and somewhat up. The border between Anoka and Hennepin counties is visible along and near the Mississippi River.

Adjacent counties

• Anoka County (northeast)
• Ramsey County (east)
• Dakota County (southeast)
• Scott County (south)
• Carver County (southwest)
• Wright County (northwest)
• Sherburne County (north)

National protected areas

• Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (part)

Demographics

Race and ethnicity

Hennepin County's racial and ethnic composition has evolved significantly over time. Initially, the region was inhabited by Native American tribes, primarily the Dakota Sioux. Beginning in the early 19th century, European settlement brought a demographic shift, with a predominantly white population of Northern European descent. The county witnessed further diversification throughout the 20th century with the arrival of African Americans during the Great Migration, as well as Latino, Asian, and other immigrant groups in the latter half of the century.

Ancestry

The most common ancestries in Hennepin County are German, Irish, English, Norwegian and Swedish.

2020

2022 US Census population pyramid for Hennepin County, from ACS 5-year estimates

As of the 2020 census, there were 1,281,565 people and 529,029 households living in the county, with 2.35 persons per household. The racial makeup was 65.61% White, 13.23% Black or African American, 7.67% Hispanic or Latino of any race, 0.63% Native American, 7.6% Asian, 0.51% from other races, and 4.76% from two or more races. 18% of persons aged 5 years or older spoke a language other than English at home.

2010

As of the 2010 census, there were 1,152,425 people, 475,913 households, and 272,885 families living in the county. The racial makeup of the county was 74.4% White, 11.8% Black or African American, 0.9% Native American, 6.2% Asian, 3.4% from other races, and 3.2% from two or more races. 6.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the 2010–2015 American Community Survey, the largest ancestry groups were German (26.3%), Norwegian (12.6%), Irish (10.8%), and Swedish (8.3%).

2000

At the 2000 census, there were 1,116,200 people, 456,129 households, and 267,291 families living in the county. The population density was 774/km² (2,000/sq mi). There were 468,824 housing units at an average density of 325/km² (840/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 80.53% White, 8.95% Black or African American, 1.00% Native American, 4.80% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.06% from other races, and 2.60% from two or more races. 4.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 456,129 households, out of which 28.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.30% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.40% were non-families. 31.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the county, 24.00% of the population was under the age of 18, 9.70% was between 18 and 24, 33.70% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $51,711, and the median income for a family was $65,985 (these figures had risen to $60,115 and $79,970 respectively as of a 2007 estimate). Accounting for inflation, these figures rise again to $76,202.87 for individuals, and $92,353.46 for households, adjusted for 2014 dollars. Males had a median income of $42,466 versus $32,400 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,789. About 5.00% of families and 8.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.50% of those under age 18 and 5.90% of those age 65 or over.

Hennepin County is the wealthiest county in Minnesota and one of the 100 highest-income counties in the United States.

Besides English, languages with significant numbers of speakers in Hennepin County include Arabic, Hmong, Khmer, Lao, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Religious statistics

In 2010, Hennepin County's largest religious group was the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, with 215,205 Catholics worshipping at 73 parishes, followed by 124,732 ELCA Lutherans with 106 congregations, 59,811 non-denominational adherents with 103 congregations, 20,286 UMC Methodists with 42 congregations, 18,836 Missouri Synod Lutherans with 34 congregations, 16,941 PC-USA Presbyterians with 21 congregations, 16,230 Converge Baptists with 26 congregations, 16,128 AoG Pentecostals with 32 congregations, 12,307 UCC Christians with 20 congregations, and 8,608 Reform Jews with 3 congregations. Altogether, religious congregations claimed 54.3% of the population as members, though members of historically African-American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information. In 2014, Hennepin County had 708 religious organizations, the 16th-most of all U.S. counties.

Transportation

Transit

• Maple Grove Transit
• Metro Transit
• Minnesota Valley Transit Authority
• Plymouth Metrolink
• Southwest Transit
• Hawthorne Transportation Center
  • Flixbus
  • Greyhound Lines
  • Jefferson Lines

Major highways

Airports

• Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) serves the Twin Cities area. It is the 17th-busiest airport in the United States by passenger traffic and serves as a hub for Delta Air Lines.
• Crystal Airport (MIC) is a public airport in Crystal.
• Flying Cloud Airport (FCM) is a public airport in Eden Prairie.

Economy

Major companies and employers

As the economic center of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, Hennepin County is home to many major companies in a diverse section of industries. As of the 2018 estimate, there are twelve Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Hennepin County, five of which are located in Minneapolis.

Tree Map of Employment by Industries in Hennepin County (2015)

Hennepin County is also home to several major private companies such as Carlson and Cargill, both located in Minnetonka, the latter of which is the largest privately owned company in the United States.

Along with these major companies, Hennepin County also contains several large employers, as listed below. According to the 2016 American Community Survey, the largest overall industries in Hennepin County are healthcare and social assistance (96,511 workers), manufacturing (80,324), and retail trade (75,861).

Economic indicators

According to the 2016 American Community Survey, the average household income in Hennepin County is $71,200. The GINI Index for 2016 was 0.461, lower than the national average of 0.485. As of 2016, nearly 132,000 residents of Hennepin County were living under the poverty line, 10.9% of the county population. This figure is lower than the national average of 14%.

Education

Tertiary education

Colleges and universities in the county include:

• Augsburg University in Minneapolis
• Dunwoody College of Technology in downtown Minneapolis
• Hamline University – Minneapolis campus in St. Louis Park
• Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie
• Metropolitan State University in downtown Minneapolis and Brooklyn Park
• Minneapolis College of Art and Design in Minneapolis
• Minneapolis Community and Technical College in downtown Minneapolis
• Minnesota State University, Mankato – Twin Cities campus in Edina
• Normandale Community College in Bloomington
• North Central University in downtown Minneapolis
• North Hennepin Community College in Brooklyn Park
• Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington
• St. Cloud State University – Twin Cities campus in Plymouth
• Saint Mary's University of Minnesota – Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis
• University of Minnesota – Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis
• University of St. Thomas – Minneapolis campus in downtown Minneapolis

K–12 education

School districts include:

Public libraries

Hennepin County Library (which Minneapolis Public Library merged into)

Recreation

Minnehaha Falls is the main attraction and namesake of Minnehaha Park.

Parks

Hennepin County, and particularly Minneapolis, is renowned for its expansive and high-quality park system. The Minneapolis park system has been called the best-designed, best-financed, and best-maintained in America and is run by the independently elected Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. It has been named the top park system in the country by the Trust for Public Land for five consecutive years as of 2017. Many of Minneapolis's parks are linked by the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, a series of interconnected parks and paths that extends for 51 miles. The byway is divided into seven districts: Downtown Riverfront, Mississippi River, Minnehaha, Chain of Lakes, Theodore Wirth, Victory Memorial, and Northeast. The byway includes many major destinations in Minneapolis, including Nicollet Island, St. Anthony Falls, Stone Arch Bridge, Mill Ruins Park, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, Minnehaha Creek, Minnehaha Park, Lake Hiawatha, Lake Nokomis, Lake Harriet, Bde Maka Ska, Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake, and Theodore Wirth Park.

Outside Minneapolis, Hennepin County is part of the Three Rivers Park District, a park system containing 20 parks and 10 trails spanning the Twin Cities metro area.

Culture

Numerous art institutions in Minneapolis make Hennepin County a national center for the arts. It contains some of the country's largest and best-known centers for art, including the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Walker Art Center, Weisman Art Museum, and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Major art centers include Northeast Minneapolis and the Minneapolis neighborhood of North Loop. Minneapolis is home to many important artist organizations, such as the Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art, the Handicraft Guild, and the Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association.

Hennepin County is also home to a thriving theater scene, highlighted by the Guthrie Theater in downtown Minneapolis. It is home to many theater companies, such as Mixed Blood, Skewed Visions, Brave New Workshop, and Children's Theatre Company. Other notable theaters include the Orpheum Theatre, the State Theatre, and the Pantages Theatre. Additionally, many other cities in the county are home to local community theaters, such as Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Orono, Osseo, and Plymouth.

U.S. Bank Stadium, home of the Minnesota Vikings, was constructed in 2016, and was the site of Super Bowl LII.

Sports

Of the "Big Four" sports leagues in the US, three are located in Minneapolis: the Minnesota Twins play in Target Field, the Minnesota Timberwolves play in Target Center, and the Minnesota Vikings play in U.S. Bank Stadium. Additionally, among major sports leagues, the Minnesota Lynx also play in Target Center.

Cities

Unorganized territory

• Fort Snelling

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Hennepin para niños