Hennepin County, Minnesota

County in Minnesota, United States

Coordinates: 44°58′33″N 93°16′00″W﻿ / ﻿44.97583°N 93.26667°W﻿ / 44.97583; -93.26667

County in Minnesota

Hennepin County

County

County of Hennepin
The Hennepin County Government Center, located in the county seat of Minneapolis. Its stylized letter "H" shape serves as the logo for Hennepin 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.

Flag of Hennepin County

Flag

Official logo of Hennepin County

Logo

Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota

Location within the U.S. state of Minnesota

Minnesota's location within the U.S.

Minnesota's location within the U.S.

Country|  United States
State| File:Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota
Founded| March 6, 1852[1]
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
• Density| 2,313/sq mi (893/km2)
Time zone| UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−5 (CDT)
Area code| 612, 763, 952
Congressional districts| 3rd, 5th
Website| www.hennepin.us

Hennepin County (/ˈhɛnəpɪn/ HEN-ə-pin) is a county in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Its county seat is Minneapolis,[2] the state's most populous city. The county is named in honor of the 17th-century explorer Father Louis Hennepin.[3] The county extends from Minneapolis [4] to the suburbs and outlying cities in the western part of the county. The county’s natural areas are covered with extensive woods, hills, and lakes.[5][6]

As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,281,565.[7] It is the most populous county in Minnesota, and the 34th-most populous county in the United States; more than one in five Minnesotans live in Hennepin County. Hennepin County is included in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington Metropolitan Statistical Area.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Geography
* 2.1 Adjacent counties
* 2.2 National protected areas
* 3 Demographics
* 3.1 2020 census
* 3.2 2010
* 3.3 2000
* 3.4 Religious statistics
* 4 Law and government
* 4.1 Commissioners
* 4.2 Key staff
* 4.3 Politics
* 5 Transportation
* 5.1 Major highways
* 5.2 Airports
* 6 Economy
* 6.1 Major companies and employers
* 6.2 Economic indicators
* 7 Education
* 7.1 Tertiary education
* 7.2 K-12 education
* 7.3 Public libraries
* 8 Recreation
* 8.1 Parks
* 8.2 Culture
* 8.3 Sports
* 9 Cities
* 9.1 Unorganized territory
* 10 See also
* 11 References
* 12 External links

## History[edit | edit source]

The Territorial Legislature of Minnesota established Hennepin County on March 6, 1852, and two years later Minneapolis was named the county seat. Father 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 of 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 saw mills throughout the county. By the late 1860s, more than a dozen mills were churning out lumber near St. Anthony Falls and the population of the county had surpassed 12,000.

In many ways, the power of the falls served as the vital link between the central city and the farmsteads scattered throughout the county. Farms produced vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy products for city dwellers, while Minneapolis industries, in turn, 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 for the Upper Midwest’s industry and commerce.

Hennepin’s farm economy also was substantial. In 1910, farmland in Hennepin County totaled 284,000 acres, or about 72 percent of the county’s total area. The principle crops were wheat, corn, garden vegetables and apples. The number of acres in production remained at a high level for the next 30 years. However, by 1950, the amount of land devoted to agriculture had been reduced 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 had replaced much of the open farm land. By 1970, the suburban population of Hennepin County outnumbered that of the city for the first time. The population of Minneapolis actually 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 ethnic makeup of the county’s immigrant populations. This wave peaked in the 1980s when hundreds of refugees from Southeast Asia, often aided by local churches, resettled in Hennepin. The population of Hennepin County surpassed the one-million mark in 1989.[8]

## Geography[edit | edit source]

File:Hennepin Co Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf

Soils of Hennepin County[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total 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.[10] Hennepin is one of 17 Minnesota counties with more savanna soils than either prairie or forest soils, and is one of only 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, the 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.

File:ISS067-E-170220 Minneapolis and St. Paul.jpg

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[edit | edit source]

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

### National protected areas[edit | edit source]

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

## Demographics[edit | edit source]

Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1860| 12,849| | —
1870| 31,566| | 145.7%
1880| 67,013| | 112.3%
1890| 185,294| | 176.5%
1900| 228,340| | 23.2%
1910| 333,480| | 46.0%
1920| 415,419| | 24.6%
1930| 517,785| | 24.6%
1940| 568,899| | 9.9%
1950| 676,579| | 18.9%
1960| 842,854| | 24.6%
1970| 960,080| | 13.9%
1980| 941,411| | −1.9%
1990| 1,032,431| | 9.7%
2000| 1,116,200| | 8.1%
2010| 1,152,425| | 3.2%
2020| 1,281,565| | 11.2%
2021 (est.)| 1,267,416| [11]| −1.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790-1960[13] 1900-1990[14]
1990-2000[15] 2010-2020[16]

File:USA Hennepin County, Minnesota age pyramid.svg

Age pyramid of county residents based on 2000 U.S. census data

File:Hennepin County jail.JPG

Located across the street from the Government Center, the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility serves as the county jail

### 2020 census[edit | edit source]

Hennepin County, Minnesota - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)  Race / Ethnicity  | Pop 2010[17] | Pop 2020[18] | % 2010  | % 2020

|
|
|
|

White alone (NH)  | 826,670  | 840,845  | 71.73%  | 65.61%
Black or African American alone (NH)  | 134,240  | 169,603  | 11.65%  | 13.23%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)  | 8,848  | 8,016  | 0.77%  | 0.63%
Asian alone (NH)  | 71,535  | 97,348  | 6.21%  | 7.60%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)  | 431  | 388  | 0.04%  | 0.03%
Some Other Race alone (NH)  | 2,321  | 6,127  | 0.20%  | 0.48%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH)  | 30,704  | 60,988  | 2.66%  | 4.76%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)  | 77,676  | 98,250  | 6.74%  | 7.67%
Total | 1,152,425 | 1,281,565 | 100.00% | 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

### 2010[edit | edit source]

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%).[19]

### 2000[edit | edit source]

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 (2,005/mi2). There were 468,824 housing units at an average density of 325/km2 (842/mi2). 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.[20] 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.[21]

### Religious statistics[edit | edit source]

In 2010 statistics, the largest religious group in Hennepin County 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, 54.3% of the population was claimed as members by religious congregations, although members of historically African-American denominations were underrepresented due to incomplete information.[22] In 2014, Hennepin County had 708 religious organizations, the 16th most out of all US counties.[23]

## Law and government[edit | edit source]

### Commissioners[edit | edit source]

Like all counties in Minnesota, Hennepin is governed by an elected and nonpartisan board of commissioners. In Minnesota, county commissions usually have five members, but Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Anoka and St Louis counties have seven members. Each commissioner represents a district of approximately equal population. In Hennepin the county commission appoints the medical examiner, county auditor-treasurer and county recorder. The sheriff and county attorney are also elected on a nonpartisan ticket. The county government's headquarters are in downtown Minneapolis in the Hennepin County Government Center. The county oversees the Hennepin County Library system (which merged with the Minneapolis Public Library system in 2008), and Hennepin County Medical Center. The county commission also elects a chair who presides at meetings.

District  | Commissioner  | In office
since  | Current term
expires in January

|
|
|

1st | Jeff Lunde (Republican)[24] | 2021 | 2025[25]
2nd | Irene Fernando (DFL)[26] | 2019 | 2023
3rd | Marion Greene (DFL)[27] (chair)[28] | 2014 | 2023
4th | Angela Conley (DFL)[27] | 2019 | 2023
5th | Debbie Goettel (DFL)[29] | 2017 | 2025[25]
6th | Chris LaTondresse (DFL)[29] | 2021 | 2025[25]
7th | Kevin Anderson (DFL)[29] | 2021 | 2025[25]

### Key staff[edit | edit source]

Hennepin County's normal operations are coordinated by the County Administrator David Hough, Assistant County Administrator for Human Services Jodi Wentland, Assistant County Administrator for Operations Dan Rogan, Assistant County Administrator for Public Works Lisa Cerney, Assistant County Administrator for Disparity Reduction Chela Guzman-Wiegert, and Assistant County Administrator for Public Safety Mark Thompson.[30]

### Politics[edit | edit source]

Like most urban counties nationwide, Hennepin County is a Democratic stronghold. It has voted Democratic in every election since 1964, except for 1972 when Richard Nixon won the county as part of a national landslide. In 2020, Joe Biden won 70% of the vote in the county, the largest percentage for any candidate since 1904.

United States presidential election results for Hennepin County, Minnesota[31] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2020 | 205,973  | 27.25%  | 532,623  | 70.46% | 17,373  | 2.30%
2016 | 191,770  | 28.20%  | 429,288  | 63.13% | 58,919  | 8.66%
2012 | 240,073  | 35.30%  | 423,982  | 62.34% | 16,010  | 2.35%
2008 | 231,054  | 34.81%  | 420,958  | 63.42% | 11,768  | 1.77%
2004 | 255,133  | 39.43%  | 383,841  | 59.33% | 8,007  | 1.24%
2000 | 225,657  | 39.32%  | 307,599  | 53.60% | 40,590  | 7.07%
1996 | 173,887  | 33.17%  | 285,126  | 54.38% | 65,293  | 12.45%
1992 | 179,581  | 30.61%  | 278,648  | 47.50% | 128,390  | 21.89%
1988 | 240,209  | 44.60%  | 292,909  | 54.39% | 5,444  | 1.01%
1984 | 253,921  | 47.98%  | 272,401  | 51.47% | 2,912  | 0.55%
1980 | 194,898  | 38.57%  | 239,592  | 47.41% | 70,882  | 14.03%
1976 | 211,892  | 43.84%  | 257,380  | 53.25% | 14,106  | 2.92%
1972 | 228,951  | 51.64% | 205,943  | 46.45%  | 8,464  | 1.91%
1968 | 170,002  | 41.77%  | 220,078  | 54.07% | 16,944  | 4.16%
1964 | 154,736  | 39.00%  | 241,020  | 60.75% | 971  | 0.24%
1960 | 198,992  | 51.26% | 188,250  | 48.50%  | 939  | 0.24%
1956 | 183,248  | 55.01% | 149,341  | 44.83%  | 523  | 0.16%
1952 | 180,338  | 53.49% | 155,388  | 46.09%  | 1,415  | 0.42%
1948 | 121,169  | 42.93%  | 151,920  | 53.83% | 9,145  | 3.24%
1944 | 116,781  | 43.69%  | 148,792  | 55.66% | 1,747  | 0.65%
1940 | 122,960  | 45.48%  | 145,168  | 53.69% | 2,230  | 0.82%
1936 | 81,206  | 33.08%  | 144,289  | 58.78% | 19,985  | 8.14%
1932 | 91,087  | 41.87%  | 119,234  | 54.80% | 7,245  | 3.33%
1928 | 125,472  | 60.19% | 80,851  | 38.79%  | 2,124  | 1.02%
1924 | 101,120  | 59.02% | 10,806  | 6.31%  | 59,401  | 34.67%
1920 | 90,517  | 64.58% | 28,911  | 20.63%  | 20,741  | 14.80%
1916 | 27,957  | 40.78%  | 36,395  | 53.09% | 4,204  | 6.13%
1912 | 14,379  | 29.64%  | 15,530  | 32.02%  | 18,596  | 38.34%
1908 | 27,787  | 58.73% | 16,169  | 34.17%  | 3,357  | 7.10%
1904 | 31,437  | 73.71% | 5,708  | 13.38%  | 5,503  | 12.90%
1900 | 26,902  | 62.42% | 14,498  | 33.64%  | 1,695  | 3.93%
1896 | 26,786  | 55.47% | 20,515  | 42.48%  | 987  | 2.04%
1892 | 20,603  | 49.93% | 16,448  | 39.86%  | 4,209  | 10.20%

## Transportation[edit | edit source]

### Major highways[edit | edit source]

* File:I-35W.svg Interstate 35W
* File:I-94.svg Interstate 94
* File:I-394.svg Interstate 394
* File:I-494.svg Interstate 494
* File:I-694.svg Interstate 694
* File:US 12.svg US Highway 12
* File:US 52.svg US Highway 52
* File:US 169 (MN).svg US Highway 169
* File:US 212 (MN).svg US Highway 212
* File:MN-5.svg Minnesota State Highway 5
* File:MN-7.svg Minnesota State Highway 7
* File:MN-41.svg Minnesota State Highway 41
* File:MN-47.svg Minnesota State Highway 47
* File:MN-55.svg Minnesota State Highway 55
* File:MN-62.svg Minnesota State Highway 62
* File:MN-65.svg Minnesota State Highway 65
* File:MN-77.svg Minnesota State Highway 77
* File:MN-100.svg Minnesota State Highway 100
* File:MN-101.svg Minnesota State Highway 101
* File:MN-121.svg Minnesota State Highway 121
* File:MN-252.svg Minnesota State Highway 252
* File:MN-610.svg Minnesota State Highway 610
* File:Hennepin County Route 17.svg Hennepin County Road 17 (France Avenue)
* File:Hennepin County 61.svg Hennepin County Road 61
* File:Hennepin County 81.svg Hennepin County Road 81
* File:Hennepin County 122.svg Hennepin County Road 122
* Other county roads

### Airports[edit | edit source]

* 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[edit | edit source]

See also: Economy of Minnesota

### Major companies and employers[edit | edit source]

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.

Fortune 500 Companies in Hennepin County[32] Company Name  | National Rank  | Revenue ($millions),

2018 Estimate

| Headquarters City  | Industry

|
|
|
|

UnitedHealth Group | 5  | 201,159  | Minnetonka | Managed Healthcare
Target | 39  | 71,879  | Minneapolis | General Retailing
Best Buy | 72  | 42,151  | Richfield | Electronics Retailing
U.S. Bancorp | 122  | 23,996  | Minneapolis | Banking and Finance
SuperValu | 180  | 16,009  | Eden Prairie | Food Distribution and Retailing
General Mills | 182  | 15,619.8  | Golden Valley | Food Processing
C.H. Robinson | 193  | 14,869.4  | Eden Prairie | Transportation
Ameriprise Financial | 252  | 12,075  | Minneapolis | Financial Services
Xcel Energy | 266  | 11,404  | Minneapolis | Electricity and Natural Gas Utility
Thrivent Financial | 343  | 8,527.9  | Minneapolis | Financial Services
Mosaic | 382  | 7,409.4  | Plymouth | Fertilizer Manufacturing
Polaris | 496  | 5,504.8  | Medina | Snowmobile Manufacturing

File:Tree Map of Employment by Industries in Hennepin County, Mn (2015).svg

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.[33]

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).[34]

Largest employers in Hennepin County[35] Employer  | Number of Employees  | Industry

|
|

University of Minnesota | 18000  | Education
Target Stores Inc | 10000  | Retail
Pharmacy at Park Nicollet | 9000  | Healthcare
Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital  | 8200  | Healthcare
Park Nicollet Clinic  | 8000  | Healthcare
M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center | 8000  | Healthcare
M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital | 7658  | Healthcare
Ameriprise Financial Inc | 7000  | Financial Services
Park Nicollet Urgent Care  | 7000  | Healthcare
Best Buy Inc | 6000  | Electronics Retail

### Economic indicators[edit | edit source]

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.[34] As of 2016, nearly 132,000 residents of Hennepin County were living under the poverty line, a full 10.9% of the county.[34] This figure is lower than the national average of 14%.

## Education[edit | edit source]

### Tertiary education[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

School districts include:[36]

* Anoka-Hennepin Public School District
* Bloomington Public School District
* Brooklyn Center School District
* Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose Public Schools
* Delano Public School District
* Edina Public School District
* Elk River School District
* Eden Prairie Public School District
* Hopkins Public School District
* Minneapolis Public School District
* Minnetonka Public School District
* Orono Public School District
* Osseo Public School District
* Richfield Public School District
* Robbinsdale Public School District
* Rockford Public School District
* St. Anthony-New Brighton Schools
* St. Louis Park Public School District
* Waconia Public School District
* Watertown-Mayer Public School District
* Wayzata Public School District
* Westonka Public School District

### Public libraries[edit | edit source]

Hennepin County Library (which Minneapolis Public Library merged into)

## Recreation[edit | edit source]

File:Minnehaha Falls, Minneapolis.jpg

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

### Parks[edit | edit source]

Hennepin County, and in particular the city of Minneapolis, is renowned for its expansive and high-quality park system. The Minneapolis park system has been called[37] the best-designed, best-financed, and best-maintained in America.[38] The Minneapolis park system has been named the top park system in the country by the Trust for Public Land for five consecutive years as of 2017.[39] Many of the Minneapolis' numerous parks are linked by the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, a series of interconnected parks and paths in the city 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.[40] 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 of 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[edit | edit source]

See also: Arts in Minneapolis

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Numerous art institutions in Minneapolis make Hennepin County a national center for the arts. It contains some of the largest and most well-known centers for art in the country, 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, located 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 Hennepin County are home to local community theaters, such as Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Orono, Osseo, and Plymouth.

File:US Bank Stadium - West Facade.jpg

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

### Sports[edit | edit source]

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.[41]

## Cities[edit | edit source]

* Bloomington
* Brooklyn Center
* Brooklyn Park
* Champlin
* Chanhassen (partial)
* Corcoran
* Crystal
* Dayton (partial)
* Deephaven
* Eden Prairie
* Edina
* Excelsior
* Golden Valley
* Greenfield
* Greenwood
* Hanover (partial)
* Hopkins
* Independence
* Long Lake
* Loretto
* Maple Grove
* Maple Plain
* Medicine Lake
* Medina
* Minneapolis (county seat and largest municipality)
* Minnetonka
* Minnetonka Beach
* Minnetrista
* Mound
* New Hope
* Orono
* Osseo
* Plymouth
* Richfield
* Robbinsdale
* Rockford (partial)
* Rogers
* Shorewood
* Spring Park
* St. Anthony (partial)
* St. Bonifacius
* St. Louis Park
* Tonka Bay
* Wayzata
* Woodland

### Unorganized territory[edit | edit source]

* Fort Snelling

## See also[edit | edit source]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Hennepin County, Minnesota

## References[edit | edit source]

1. ^ "Minnesota Place Names". Minnesota Historical Society. Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved March 18, 2014.
2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
3. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 155.
4. ^ "Key Industries". www.greatermsp.org. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
5. ^ "Managing rural and agricultural land". Hennepin County, Minnesota. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
6. ^ "Natural Resources Map | Hennepin County". gis.hennepin.us. Retrieved November 8, 2021.
7. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Hennepin County, Minnesota". www.census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 30, 2022.
8. ^ Administration. "Overview of Hennepin County". Hennepin County, Minnesota. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
9. ^ Nelson, Steven (2011). Savanna Soils of Minnesota. Minnesota: Self. pp. 49-52. ISBN 978-0-615-50320-2.
10. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
11. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2021". Retrieved March 29, 2022.
12. ^ "United States Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
13. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
14. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
15. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
16. ^ "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
17. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Hennepin County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau.
18. ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Hennepin County, Minnesota". United States Census Bureau.
19. ^ "2015 American Community Survey". Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
20. ^ "Inflation Calculator". www.dollartimes.com.
21. ^ "Welcome Languages Archived July 8, 2010, at the Wayback Machine." Hennepin County Public Library. Retrieved on July 8, 2010.
22. ^ "County Membership Report Hennepin County (Minnesota)". The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
23. ^ "Social Capital Variables Spreadsheet for 2014". PennState College of Agricultural Sciences, Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development. December 8, 2017. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
24. ^ "Brooklyn Park mayor defies conservative conventions, aims for state Senate". Star Tribune.
25. ^ a b c d https://www.sos.state.mn.us/media/4582/2021-redistricting-guide.pdf[bare URL PDF]
26. ^ "Fernando and Yang vying for Hennepin County Commissioner in District 2". Star Tribune.
27. ^ a b "Elections 101: Hennepin County Races". August 30, 2018.
28. ^ "Marion Greene, District 3". Hennepin.us. Retrieved March 7, 2019.
29. ^ a b c "Fresh faces on Hennepin County Board look to challenges ahead".
30. ^ "Office of the county administrator".
31. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org.
32. ^ "Fortune 500 Companies 2018: Who Made the List". Fortune. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
33. ^ "America's Largest Private Companies". Forbes. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
34. ^ a b c "Hennepin County, MN". Data USA. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
35. ^ Team, XPAND Corporation: America's Career InfoNet Development. "America's Career InfoNet: Largest Employers". www.careerinfonet.org. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
36. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Hennepin County, MN" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
37. ^ “Great City Parks.” Great City Parks, by Alan Tate, Spon Press, 2004, pp. 187–192.
38. ^ Cameron, Mark (December 1996). "Reviews : The American City: What Works, What Doesn't Alexander Garvin McGraw-Hill. New York, New York 1995. 475 pages. $59.95". Journal of Planning Education and Research. 16 (2): 148–149. doi:10.1177/0739456x9601600210. ISSN 0739-456X. S2CID 144995220.
39. ^ "Minneapolis parks garner top honor five years running". Southwest Journal. May 26, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
40. ^ "Grand Rounds Scenic Byway System". www.minneapolisparks.org. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
41. ^ "Sports Teams : Explore Minnesota". www.exploreminnesota.com. Retrieved December 10, 2018.

## External links[edit | edit source]

* Hennepin County Government website
* Hennepin County Library website
* Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau
* Minneapolis Northwest Convention & Visitors Bureau

Places adjacent to Hennepin County, Minnesota

| Wright County | Sherburne County | Anoka County

|
|

| North |

Hennepin County, MinnesotaEast

| Ramsey County
| South |
Carver County | Scott County | Dakota County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States

County seat: Minneapolis

Cities|

* Bloomington
* Brooklyn Center
* Brooklyn Park
* Champlin
* Chanhassen‡
* Corcoran
* Crystal
* Dayton‡
* Deephaven
* Eden Prairie
* Edina
* Excelsior
* Golden Valley
* Greenfield
* Greenwood
* Hanover‡
* Hopkins
* Independence
* Long Lake
* Loretto
* Maple Grove
* Maple Plain
* Medicine Lake
* Medina
* Minneapolis
* Minnetonka
* Minnetonka Beach
* Minnetrista
* Mound
* New Hope
* Orono
* Osseo
* Plymouth
* Richfield
* Robbinsdale
* Rockford‡
* Rogers
* Shorewood
* Spring Park
* St. Anthony‡
* St. Bonifacius
* St. Louis Park
* Tonka Bay
* Wayzata
* Woodland

Map of Minnesota highlighting Hennepin County

Unincorporated
area|

* Fort Snelling unorganized territory

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Minnesota

Saint Paul (capital)

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Largest cities
pop. over 25,000|

* Andover
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Counties|

* Aitkin
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* Wright
* Yellow Medicine

Attractions|

| Festivals|

* State Fair

|

Other|

* Mall of America

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