Pennington County, Minnesota
Among the top 25% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade C, better than 26% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 48% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 62% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 75% of US counties
- top 1% for park & nature access
- top 1% for commute time
- bottom 6% for income tax
Pennington County is a county in Minnesota with about 14,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for weather. Standout strengths include park & nature access, commute time, and unemployment. It rates lower on estimated total tax burden and income tax.
Official websiteco.pennington.mn.us (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Harsh winters · Dry · Heavy snow
frigid
freez.
v.cold
cold
comfortable
warm
comf.
cold
v.cold
freez.
75%49%clearovercast
Precipitation 3.7 in0.7 in
humid 17%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 64% of US counties
Home Value$174k58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$935better than 30% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 39% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.25%better than 24% of US counties
Income Tax9.90%better than 6% of US counties
Sales Tax8.04%better than 38% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden15.58%better than 7% of US counties
Unemployment1.9%better than 94% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)5°F0th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F4th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation24.6 in19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall49.9 inbetter than 11% of US counties
Sunny Days230 daysbetter than 41% of US counties
Summer Humidity58°Fbetter than 83% of US counties
Comfortable Days71 daysbetter than 29% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk47.0better than 52% of US counties
School Quality56.9better than 54% of US counties
Violent Crime476/100kbetter than 72% of US counties
Property Crime1744/100kbetter than 19% of US counties
Community
Population13,99531st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age39.834th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.1629th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0159th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2838th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)89.0%68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)1.2%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)4.5%48th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.3%74th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.0%64th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time14 minbetter than 99% of US counties
Walkability6.5/20better than 64% of US counties
Airport Distance257 mibetter than 8% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access89.1%better than 84% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.00better than 12% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 99% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Pennington County an affordable place to live?
- Pennington County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 64% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Pennington County?
- The median home value in Pennington County is $174k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Pennington County?
- Median household income in Pennington County is $72k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Pennington County?
- Median gross rent in Pennington County is $935 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Pennington County safe?
- Pennington County is safer than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 476/100k (better than 72%). Property crime is 1744/100k.
- What is the weather like in Pennington County?
- Pennington County averages 67°F in July and 5°F in January, with 24.6 in of annual precipitation and about 230 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Pennington County?
- Public-school quality in Pennington County is about average, scoring better than 54% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Pennington County?
- The average one-way commute in Pennington County is 14 min.
Other counties in Minnesota
Explore Minnesota
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)