Hennepin County, Minnesota Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Hennepin County is located in Minnesota with a total population of 1,268,903. It is the 1st most populous county out of 87 in Minnesota. The county encompasses 40 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Hennepin County is 37.4 years. This is 3% lower than the state median of 38.6 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Hennepin County is $96,339. This is 10% higher than the state median of $87,556. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 23% higher. The poverty rate stands at 10.0%. This is 9% higher than the state poverty rate of 9.2%. The unemployment rate is 4.3%. This is 10% higher than the state rate of 3.9%. The median home value is $376,500. Housing costs are 23% higher than the state median of $305,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.9x. 62.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 13% lower than the state average of 72.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Hennepin County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 66.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 13.2%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (13.2% vs 6.7%).

Education

53.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Hennepin County in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 37% higher than the state rate of 38.8%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.0%. Notably, 20.0% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.