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Community Profile of Hennepin County Location & Access The largest Minnesota county in population, Hennepin County covers 611 square miles and includes 46 communities, including Minneapolis. Three rivers – the Mississippi, Minnesota and Crow – create natural boundaries to the east, south and north. The county’s urban, suburban, and rural environments each support a unique business mix. Hennepin County is served by an extensive transportation network including bus and light rail transit; federal, state and county highways; and three airports. With more than 1.1 million residents, Hennepin County represents almost half the metropolitan population and more than 21% of the state population.
Major Industries & Employers Hennepin County is a major economic driver for the Metro MSP region and the state. The University of Minnesota is its largest employer with a workforce of 25,000. The county has a remarkably diverse economic base represented by sizable sectors in healthcare, government, professional services, retail and wholesale trade, manufacturing, financial services and entertainment. It has seen recent employment booms in two important sub-sectors: the management of companies and enterprises, and miscellaneous manufacturing. The relative resurgence of manufacturing signals a positive trend for the entire Twin Cities region. Eleven Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in Hennepin County. The 2007 list includes:
Hennepin County’s business roster also includes eight of Forbes’ largest private companies. Cargill tops the list as the second largest private firm in the U.S. Other Forbes powerhouses include Carlson Companies, Life Touch, Genmar Holdings, Holiday Companies, Michael Foods, Petters Group Worldwide and M.A. Mortenson.
Population & Workforce Hennepin County is the largest of Minnesota's 87 counties – in budget, estimated market value and population. With more than 1.1 million residents, it supports almost a quarter of the state's population. Minneapolis, the county seat, is the largest of its 41 cities. Hennepin County outperforms the rest of the country by most measures of economic vitality. Income levels exceed the national average, with over a third of the wealthiest metro area zip codes falling within county limits. The tax base continues to grow at a healthy pace. Employment remains relatively stable. And unemployment is consistently below the state and U.S. averages. Labor Force Profile of Hennepin County
Transportation Businesses are well served by a network of interstates (35W, 94, 694 and 494) and more than 500 miles of county roads and highways. Minnesota’s first light rail transit connects travelers and commuters from the Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport to downtown Minneapolis. A new 40-mile commuter line linking downtown to Big Lake is scheduled to begin service in 2009.
Quality of Life The county shines in important lifestyle areas that help employers attract and retain talent. Four major sports teams draw Midwest fans and national media attention. The Minnesota Twins baseball, Vikings football, Timberwolves mens basketball and Lynx womens basketball all play in Hennepin County. The county also enjoys one of the most vibrant arts and cultural scenes in the nation. The Mall of America in Bloomington shares the retail limelight with downtown Minneapolis and dozens of thriving suburban and mainstreet shopping districts. Three Rivers Park District manages 27,000 acres of parkland and attracts more than three million visitors each year. Like Hennepin County itself, its the only one of its kind in Minnesota.
Demographics Demographic profile of Hennepin County
Consumer Spending Consumer Spending profile of Hennepin County
Colleges & Universities Art Institutes International Minnesota, MinneapolisBrown College, Brooklyn Center Campus Dunwoody College of Technology Hamline University, Minneapolis Campus Metropolitan State University, Minneapolis Campus Minneapolis College of Art and Design Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minnesota School of Business, Richfield, Plymouth & Brooklyn Center Campuses North Hennepin Community College Northwestern Health Services University Rasmussen College, Eden Prairie & Brooklyn Park Campuses Saint Mary’s University, Minneapolis Campus University of St. Thomas, Minneapolis Campus
Major Cities & Populations
2010 population estimates are provided by Applied Geographic Solutions.
Economic Development Contact Patrick Connoy, Economic Development Project Coordinator and County Works Division Manager
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