Hennepin County, Minnesota

County Distress Index: Normal · 37.5 | 1,258,713 people · 21st most distressed in Minnesota
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Minneapolis runs on a paradox. Strong safety net, Fortune 500 headquarters stacked along the skyline, median household income 1.3 times the state figure. Hennepin County scores 31.6, Healthy. Medical debt barely registers at 0.26%, one of the lowest figures in any major county nationally. The housing numbers complicate the picture. Housing Cost Burden scores at the 76th percentile. Forty-five percent of renters are cost-burdened. Bankruptcy filings run at 188 per 100,000. Those filings stand out against a backdrop of low debt delinquency and low poverty, suggesting the safety net catches most hardship before it reaches collections but not before it reaches the courthouse. The bankruptcy rate is doing the work that credit card delinquency does elsewhere. Across the river, Ramsey County (St. Paul) scores 44.8, Normal. Hennepin ranks 63rd of 87 Minnesota counties. The Twin Cities split is quiet but real. Minneapolis holds the corporate headquarters and the safety net infrastructure. The distress that does exist here runs through housing burden and legal filings rather than the debt metrics that flag most other counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Hennepin County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 79.0 — worse than roughly 79% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 79.0
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 79
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 74
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 80
Homeownership Rate 89
Legal Distress 71.9
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 72
Economic Vitality 35.7
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 28
Rent-to-Income Ratio 57
Business Formation Rate 10
House Price Change (YoY) 59
Consumer Credit Distress 19.2
Debt in Collections 14
Medical Debt 15
Auto Loan Delinquency 33
Credit Card Delinquency 18
Uninsured Rate 12
Subprime Credit Population 20
Structural Poverty 15.6
Unemployment Rate 49
Poverty Rate 21
Income vs. State Median 10
Child Poverty Rate 15
Disability Rate 6
Transfer Income Dependency 4

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Hennepin County
Hennepin County, MN 37.5 Normal —
Ramsey County, MN 47.6 Normal +10.2
Anoka County, MN 38.2 Normal +0.7
Dakota County, MN 36.1 Normal -1.4
Sherburne County, MN 32.9 Healthy -4.5
Wright County, MN 29.9 Healthy -7.5
Scott County, MN 29.2 Healthy -8.3
Carver County, MN 22.0 Healthy -15.5

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Hennepin County
Oakland County, MI 38.1 Normal +0.6
Nassau County, NY 36.0 Normal -1.4
Alameda County, CA 39.3 Normal +1.8
Montgomery County, MD 40.3 Normal +2.9
New York County, NY 40.4 Normal +2.9

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Hennepin County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Hennepin County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Hennepin County.

BUILD WEALTH MINNESOTA, INC
Minneapolis
612-877-4182
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
CAPI USA
Minneapolis
612-721-0122 Website
Financial CounselingFair HousingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
COMMUNITY ACTION PARTNERSHIP OF HENNEPIN COUNTY
Brooklyn Park
952-697-1303 Website
Pre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
ISUROON
Minneapolis
612-886-2731 Website
Financial CounselingFinancial CounselingFair HousingPre-Lease/Pre-Purchase
LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICE OF MINNESOTA
MINNEAPOLIS
888-577-2227 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingReverse Mortgage

See all counselors in Minnesota →

Find an Attorney

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

Minnesota State Bar Association Lawyer Referral 612-278-6333

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Hennepin County residents at no cost.

Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis 612-334-5970
Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid 612-332-1441
Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services 1-888-575-2954
Central Minnesota Legal Services, Inc. (612) 334-5970
Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota (800) 933-1112
Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota Corporation (800) 450-8585

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in Minnesota →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Hennepin County, Minnesota?

    Hennepin County has a County Distress Index score of 37.5 out of 100, placing it in the Normal zone. It ranks 2,345th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 21st 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 79.0 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 (37.5) can be compared to its 7 neighboring counties: Ramsey County, MN (47.6); Anoka County, MN (38.2); Dakota County, MN (36.1).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). 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.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Normal zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Hennepin County's score of 37.5 sits in the Normal zone (46–55).

  • What data sources power Hennepin County's CDI score?

    Hennepin County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • 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.