Hennepin County, Minnesota
County Distress Index score and five-domain breakdown for Hennepin County. Population: 1,258,713 (metro).
Data: Census, BLS, Urban Institute, HUD, US Courts | Scores as of 2026-03-17
Hennepin County, MN ranks among the least distressed counties in the country at 31.6 — 2823rd nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within Minnesota, it ranks 63rd of 87 counties. Among its 7 neighboring counties, 5 show less distress.
Five-Domain Breakdown
How Hennepin County compares to all U.S. counties across five dimensions of financial distress. Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.
Housing Cost Burden
Primary DriverEmployment & Wages
Debt & Delinquency
Income & Poverty
Community Vulnerability
How Hennepin County Compares
Neighboring Counties
| County | Score | Zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hennepin County, MN | 31.6 | Healthy | — |
| Ramsey County, MN | 44.8 | Normal | +13.2 |
| Anoka County, MN | 32.5 | Healthy | +0.9 |
| Sherburne County, MN | 31.1 | Healthy | -0.5 |
| Dakota County, MN | 30.5 | Healthy | -1.1 |
| Wright County, MN | 29.7 | Healthy | -1.9 |
Population Peers
Counties with similar population (metro) and closest distress scores nationally.
| County | Score | Zone | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| King County, WA | 31.8 | Healthy | +0.2 |
| Middlesex County, MA | 33.3 | Healthy | +1.7 |
| Wake County, NC | 33.6 | Healthy | +2.0 |
| Nassau County, NY | 29.3 | Healthy | -2.3 |
| Oakland County, MI | 28.5 | Healthy | -3.1 |
Download Data
Export all distress indicators for Hennepin County as a CSV file.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the distress score for Hennepin County, Minnesota?
Hennepin County has a County Distress Index score of 31.6 out of 100, placing it in the Healthy zone. It ranks 2,823rd nationally out of 3,144 counties and 63rd in Minnesota out of 87 counties.
What drives financial distress in Hennepin County?
The primary driver of distress in Hennepin County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 76.0 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).
How does Hennepin County compare to neighboring counties?
Hennepin County (31.6) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Ramsey County, MN (44.8); Anoka County, MN (32.5); Sherburne County, MN (31.1).
How is the County Distress Index calculated?
The County Distress Index uses percentile-rank averaging across five domains: Debt & Delinquency, Income & Poverty, Housing Cost Burden, Employment & Wages, and Community Vulnerability. Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.
What is the population of Hennepin County?
Hennepin County, Minnesota has a population of approximately 1,258,713 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a metro county.