Median Income
$76,332
household / year
Median Home Value
$328,700
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,267
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Minneapolis, MN a Good Place to Live?

Minneapolis is a large city of 426,877 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $76,332 and a 5.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Minneapolis stands out for solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Minneapolis is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Minneapolis 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: 104.5

Minneapolis's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Minneapolis costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Minneapolis, MN National Avg
Median Home Value $328,700 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,267 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 48.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $76,332 $74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Minneapolis's violent crime rate is 1160.2 per 100,000 residents — 205% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
1160.2 /100k
Property Crime
5142.9 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Minneapolis is served primarily by Minneapolis Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Minneapolis, MN National Avg
School District Minneapolis Public School District —
Elementary Schools 43 —
Middle Schools 8 —
High Schools 36 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 11.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 53.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 90.8% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Minneapolis sees average highs of 21.7°F in January and 83.1°F in July, with 33.3 inches of annual precipitation and 40.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricMinneapolis, MN
Average High — January21.7°F
Average High — July83.1°F
Annual Precipitation33.3"
Annual Snowfall40.4"

Demographics

MetricMinneapolis, MNNational Avg
Population426,877—
Median Age32.838.9
Unemployment Rate5.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time22.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)62.7%59.3%
Black or African American18.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino7.3%18.9%
Asian5.2%6.3%
Under 1819.1%22.2%
65 and over10.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Lauderdale, MN 4 mi Golden Valley, MN 5 mi St. Louis Park, MN 5 mi Falcon Heights, MN 5 mi Robbinsdale, MN 5 mi

ZIP Codes in Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN is covered by 21 ZIP codes:

55418 55406 55419 55417 55407 55411 55412 55413 55414 55405 55408 55410 55404 55403 55409 55401 55454 55455 55415 55402 55450

Minneapolis vs Other Cities

Minneapolis, MN vs Lauderdale, MN Minneapolis, MN vs Golden Valley, MN Minneapolis, MN vs St. Louis Park, MN Minneapolis, MN vs Falcon Heights, MN Minneapolis, MN vs Robbinsdale, MN

Frequently Asked Questions

Minneapolis's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Minneapolis roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $328,700 and median rent is $1,267/month.
Minneapolis's violent crime rate is 1160.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 5142.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Minneapolis are operated by Minneapolis Public School District. The district has 43 elementary, 8 middle, and 36 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.9:1. 53.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Minneapolis, MN has a population of 426,877, a median household income of $76,332, and an unemployment rate of 5.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Minneapolis averages 21.7°F in January and 83.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 33.3 inches with about 40.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Minneapolis, MN is covered by 21 ZIP codes: 55418, 55406, 55419, 55417, 55407, 55411, 55412, 55413, 55414, 55405, 55408, 55410, 55404, 55403, 55409, 55401, 55454, 55455, 55415, 55402, 55450.
The population of Minneapolis, Minnesota is 426,877 with a median age of 32.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Minneapolis: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $328,700, median household income $76,332, crime index 281 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Minneapolis side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.