Anoka County vs Washington County
Anoka County, Minnesota versus Washington County, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Washington County edges out Anoka County on overall objective livability (47 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Anoka County | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $96k | $111k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $59k |
| Home Value | $302k | $379k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.97% | 1.00% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.71% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.62% | 15.80% |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 3.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 16°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.0 in | 32.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 46.9 in | 45.1 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 | 83.9 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 57.8 | 60.4 |
| Violent Crime | 389/100k | 306/100k |
| Property Crime | 1382/100k | 1161/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 363,985 | 268,651 |
| Median Age | 38.8 | 39.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.36 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.02 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 77.6% | 79.8% |
| Black (%) | 7.8% | 4.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.1% | 4.6% |
| Asian (%) | 5.2% | 6.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 3.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 26 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 8.8/20 | 8.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 24 mi | 19 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.8% | 93.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 5.74 | 6.22 |
| 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 Washington County more affordable?
- Anoka County has the lower cost of living: its index is $53k, compared with Anoka County's $53k and Washington County's $59k. Median rent is $1k in Anoka County versus $2k in Washington County.
- Is Anoka County or Washington County safer?
- Washington County has the lower violent crime rate. Anoka County reports 389/100k and Washington County reports 306/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Anoka County or Washington County?
- The median home value is $302k in Anoka County and $379k in Washington County, so homes are more affordable in Anoka County.