Anoka County vs Dakota County
Anoka County, Minnesota versus Dakota County, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Anoka County and Dakota County score about the same overall (43 vs 42 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Anoka County | Dakota County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $96k | $101k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $54k |
| Home Value | $302k | $341k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $108k | $129k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.97% | 1.01% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.88% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.62% | 15.92% |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 16°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.0 in | 33.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 46.9 in | 45.5 in |
| Sunny Days | 182 days | 182 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 88.0 | 89.5 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.8 | 64.3 |
| Violent Crime | 389/100k | 559/100k |
| Property Crime | 1382/100k | 1681/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 363,985 | 439,179 |
| Median Age | 38.8 | 38.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.36 | 0.38 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+14 |
| White (%) | 77.6% | 75.4% |
| Black (%) | 7.8% | 7.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.1% | 7.7% |
| Asian (%) | 5.2% | 5.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 8.8/20 | 9.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 24 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.8% | 93.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 5.74 | 0.23 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Anoka County or Dakota County more affordable?
- Anoka County has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Anoka County's $53k and Dakota County's $54k. Median rent is $1k in Anoka County versus $1k in Dakota County.
- Is Anoka County or Dakota County safer?
- Anoka County has the lower violent crime rate. Anoka County reports 389/100k and Dakota County reports 559/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Anoka County or Dakota County?
- The median home value is $302k in Anoka County and $341k in Dakota County, so homes are more affordable in Anoka County.