Is Golden Valley, MN a Good Place to Live?
Golden Valley is a small city of 22,142 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $110,026 and a 3.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.
Strengths: Golden Valley stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Golden Valley is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Golden Valley city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 104.5Golden Valley's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Golden Valley costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.
| Metric | Golden Valley, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $381,400 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,589 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.5% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $110,026 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeGolden Valley's violent crime rate is 67.3 per 100,000 residents — 82% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Golden Valley is served primarily by ROBBINSDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.8:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Golden Valley, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | ROBBINSDALE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 12 | — |
| Middle Schools | 4 | — |
| High Schools | 10 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 15.8:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.9% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 96.0% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Golden Valley sees average highs of 23.6°F in January and 82.3°F in July, with 32.7 inches of annual precipitation and 54.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Golden Valley, MN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 23.6°F |
| Average High — July | 82.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 32.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 54.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | Golden Valley, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,142 | — |
| Median Age | 45.8 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 20.2 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 82.7% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 5.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.8% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 2.6% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 22.0% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Golden Valley
Golden Valley, MN is covered by 2 ZIP codes: