Hennepin County vs Washington County
Hennepin 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 Hennepin County on overall objective livability (47 vs 38 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hennepin County | Washington County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $93k | $111k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $59k |
| Home Value | $358k | $379k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $333k | $82k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.16% | 1.00% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.71% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 17.03% | 15.80% |
| Unemployment | 4.3% | 3.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 16°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 32.9 in | 32.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 53.0 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 | 98.3 | 83.9 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 77.6 | 60.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1422/100k | 306/100k |
| Property Crime | 3297/100k | 1161/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 1,270,787 | 268,651 |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 39.8 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.33 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | D+44 | Even |
| White (%) | 66.9% | 79.8% |
| Black (%) | 13.2% | 4.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.1% | 4.6% |
| Asian (%) | 7.1% | 6.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.8% | 3.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 12.2/20 | 8.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 15 mi | 19 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.5% | 93.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 1.75 | 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 Hennepin County or Washington County more affordable?
- Hennepin County has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Hennepin County's $52k and Washington County's $59k. Median rent is $1k in Hennepin County versus $2k in Washington County.
- Is Hennepin County or Washington County safer?
- Washington County has the lower violent crime rate. Hennepin County reports 1422/100k and Washington County reports 306/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hennepin County or Washington County?
- The median home value is $358k in Hennepin County and $379k in Washington County, so homes are more affordable in Hennepin County.