The story
History
19th century
The Territorial Legislature of Minnesota established Hennepin County on March 6, 1852, and two years later Minneapolis was named the county seat. 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 1855, the first bridge over the Mississippi River was built over St. Anthony Falls.
Waterpower built the city of Minneapolis and Hennepin County. The water of streams and rivers provided power to grist mills and sawmills throughout the county. By the late 1860s, more than a dozen mills were churning out lumber near St. Anthony Falls and the county's population had surpassed 12,000.
The falls' power was the vital link between the central city and the farmsteads throughout the county. Farms produced vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy products for city dwellers, while Minneapolis industries 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.
20th century
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 U.S. city, and by 1900, was firmly established as the hub of the Upper Midwest's industry and commerce.
In March 1915, Minnesota counties were given the right to choose whether to allow alcohol sales. Votes in Hennepin County were cast in October, and the county became a wet county by a margin of 9,000 votes. Temperance activists, including the Anti-Saloon League, alleged electoral fraud.
Hennepin County's farm economy was also substantial. In 1910, farmland in the county totaled 284,000 acres, about 72% of its area. The principal crops were wheat, corn, garden vegetables, and apples. The number of acres in production remained high for the next 30 years. By 1950, the amount of land devoted to agriculture had declined 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 replaced much of the open farmland. By 1970, Hennepin County's suburban population outnumbered the cities for the first time. Minneapolis's population declined by 10 percent from 1960 to 1970, while the suburban population grew by nearly 50 percent.
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Another wave of immigration—which began after the Vietnam War in the mid-1970s—marked a major change in the county's ethnic makeup. This wave peaked in the 1980s when hundreds of refugees from Southeast Asia, often aided by local churches, resettled in Hennepin County. Its population surpassed one million in 1989.
2023 estimate
As of the 2023 estimate, there were 1,258,713 people and 534,573 households residing in the county. There were 579,806 housing units. The racial makeup of the county was 72.9% White (66.5% NH White), 14.7% African American, 1.2% Native American, 7.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 3.6% from two or more races (% NH Multiracial). Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.9% of the population.
In the 2021 estimate, Hennepin County is the 2nd wealthiest county in Minnesota and 65th wealthiest county of the 100 highest-income counties in the United States. $50,478 for per capita income in 2021.
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 1,281,565. The median age was 36.5 years. 21.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 14.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.7 males age 18 and over.
The racial makeup of the county was 66.7% White, 13.4% Black or African American, 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.6% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.2% from some other race, and 7.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 7.7% of the population.
97.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 2.4% lived in rural areas.
There were 528,547 households in the county, of which 26.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 42.4% were married-couple households, 21.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 555,779 housing units, of which 4.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 60.1% were owner-occupied and 39.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.5%.
2010 census
As of the 2010 census, there were 1,152,425 people, 475,913 households, and 272,885 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,081.7 inhabitants per square mile (803.7/km2). There were 509,458 housing units at an average density of 920.3 per square mile (355.3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 74.35% White, 11.82% African American, 0.92% Native American, 6.24% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.37% from some other races and 3.25% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 6.74% of the population.
2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 1,116,200 people, 456,129 households, and 267,291 families residing in the county. The population density was 774.0 inhabitants per square mile (298.8/km2). There were 468,824 housing units at an average density of 325.0 per square mile (125.5/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 80.53% White, 8.95% African American, 1.00% Native American, 4.80% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 2.06% from some other races and 2.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 4.07% of the population.
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 the population was spread out with 24.00% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 33.70% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.00% who 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. 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.
Besides English, languages with significant numbers of speakers in Hennepin County include Arabic, Hmong, Khmer, Lao, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Recreation
Parks
Hennepin County, and particularly Minneapolis, is renowned for its expansive and high-quality park system. The Minneapolis park system has been called the best-designed, best-financed, and best-maintained in America, and is run by the independently elected Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. It has been named the top park system in the country by the Trust for Public Land for five consecutive years as of 2017. Many of Minneapolis's parks are linked by the Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, a series of interconnected parks and paths 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. 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 Minneapolis, Hennepin County is also served by the Three Rivers Park District, a park system containing 20 parks and 10 trails spanning the Twin Cities metro area. Three Rivers is overseen by seven commissioners, five of whom are elected by residents and two of whom are appointed by Hennepin County commissioners.
Culture
Numerous art institutions in Minneapolis make Hennepin County a national center for the arts. It contains some of the country's largest and best-known centers for art, 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 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. Many other cities in the county are home to local community theaters, such as Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Orono, Osseo, and Plymouth.
Sports
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.
From Wikipedia’s article on Hennepin County, Minnesota, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4