Minnetonka | |
|---|---|
 Minnetonka Community Center | |
 Location of Minnetonka withinHennepin County, Minnesota | |
| Coordinates:44°54′48″N93°30′12″W / 44.91333°N 93.50333°W /44.91333; -93.50333 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Minnesota |
| County | Hennepin |
| Founded | 1852 |
| Incorporated | 1956 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Brad Wiersum |
| Area | |
• City | 27.95 sq mi (72.39 km2) |
| • Land | 26.91 sq mi (69.71 km2) |
| • Water | 1.04 sq mi (2.69 km2) |
| Elevation | 889 ft (271 m) |
| Population | |
• City | 53,781 |
• Estimate (2022)[3] | 52,544 |
| • Rank | US: 761st MN:18th |
| • Density | 1,998.33/sq mi (771.55/km2) |
| • Metro | 3,693,729 (US:16th) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 55305, 55343, 55345, 55391 |
| Area code | 952 |
| FIPS code | 27-43252 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0647949[4] |
| Website | minnetonkamn.gov |
Minnetonka (/ˌmɪnəˈtɒŋkə/MIN-ə-TONG-kə) is a city inHennepin County, Minnesota, United States. A western suburb of theTwin Cities, Minnetonka is located about 10 miles (16 km) west ofMinneapolis. At the2020 census, the city's population was 53,781.[2]
Minnetonka is the home ofCargill, the country'slargest privately owned company, andUnitedHealth Group, the state's largest publicly owned company.I-494 runs through the city whileI-394/US 12 andUS 169 are situated along the suburb's northern and eastern boundaries respectively.
Since the mid-19th century, Minnetonka has evolved from heavily wooded wilderness through extensive farming and industrialization to its present primarily residential suburban character. The Minnetonka area was home to theDakota andOjibwe Native American tribes before Euro-Americans arrived in the 1800s. They believedLake Minnetonka (mni meaning water, andtanka meaning big, anglicized to Minnetonka) and the land around it to be sacred. The first recorded exploration of the area byEuro-Americans was in 1822, when a group from newly constructedFort Snelling made its way upMinnehaha Creek (then known as Brown's Creek or Falls Creek) to the lake. In 1851, the Dakota sold the area including Minnetonka to the United States with theTreaty of Traverse des Sioux. The first census, the Territorial Census of 1857, lists 41 households. Twenty-nine of the heads of households are listed as farmers. The occupations of the remaining twelve are associated with the operations of Minnetonka Mill and a nearby hotel.[5]
In 1852, a claim was staked on Minnehaha Creek near McGinty Road. Thesawmill that was constructed in the thick woods ofmaple,oak,elm,red cedar andbasswood was the first privately operated mill in Minnesota west of theMississippi River. Oak timbers from this mill were used to build the first suspension bridge across the Mississippi River atSaint Anthony Falls in 1853. The settlement of Minnetonka Mills that grew up around the mill was the first permanent European–American settlement west of Minneapolis in Hennepin County. In 1855, a two-story sawmill was constructed with a furniture factory on the second floor. A building forvarnishing furniture was built on the south side of the creek, at the present Bridge Street. Production consisted mainly of chairs andbedsteads.
In 1860, after only 8 years of operation, the sawmill closed. In 1869, aflour andgrist mill were constructed and operated until the late 1880s. In 1874, Charles H. Burwell came to manage the Minnetonka Mill Company, and he built aVictorian home on the north bank of Minnehaha Creek (Minnetonka Boulevard at McGinty Road East) for his family. TheCharles H. Burwell House is now on theNational Register of Historic Places and is owned by the city. There were two other mills in Minnetonka: the St. Alban's Mill, which was less than 1 mile (2 km) downstream from Minnetonka Mills on Minnehaha Creek, operated as a flour mill from 1874 to 1881. A grist mill built on Purgatory Creek was washed out in a flood shortly after construction. Minnetonka Mills, with its post office and port for Lake Minnetonka, was the principal business and trading center for a large area until the 1870s.
Between 1883 and 1956, the area within the original 36-square-mile (93 km2) township grew smaller asWayzata,Hopkins,Deephaven,Woodland andSaint Louis Park incorporated or annexed portions of then-Minnetonka Township.
Until as late as the 1960s, many portions of Minnetonka were still rural in character, with horse pasture and farms. Those final areas have since been developed with the city now a fully developed suburban community.[6]
The Minnetonka Town Hall, built in 1906, is on theNational Register of Historic Places.[7]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28.22 square miles (73.09 km2), of which 26.93 square miles (69.75 km2) is land and 1.29 square miles (3.34 km2) is water.[8] Part of the city includes the eastern tip ofLake Minnetonka, one of the largest lakes in Minnesota. The outlet of Lake Minnetonka isMinnehaha Creek, which winds through southMinneapolis and flows overMinnehaha Falls and into theMississippi River. Minnetonka is located 8 miles (13 km) west of Minneapolis, inHennepin County.
The headquarters ofCarlson is in Minnetonka.[9] The headquarters ofCargill are located in Minnetonka and are in theWayzata Post Office area.[10][11][12] Founded in 1865, Cargill is the largest privately held corporation in the U.S. in terms of revenue.[13] Other companies based in Minnetonka includeUnitedHealth Group,Digital River,Radisson Hotel Group, and the uniform companies AmeriPride Services andG&K Services.
According to the city's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[14] the top employers in the city are:
| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | UnitedHealth Group | 4,400 |
| 2 | Cargill | 3,400 |
| 3 | Minnetonka Public Schools | 1,883 |
| 4 | Rosemount Engineering (Emerson) | 1,600 |
| 5 | Starkey Laboratories | 1,300 |
| 6 | St. Jude Medical | 1,300 |
| 7 | Medica Health Plans | 1,300 |
| 8 | SuperValu | 1,265 |
| 9 | MTS | 800 |
The city of Minnetonka is covered by three independent school districts.[15] TheHopkins School District, which encompasses the central and eastern part of Minnetonka; the Minnetonka School District, in the western part of city; and theWayzata School District, which covers an area along the northern boundary of the city. Some students attend public schools in other school districts chosen by their families under Minnesota's open enrollment statute.[16]
| Public Schools in Minnetonka (Minnetonka School District) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Elementary School | Junior High School | Senior High School |
| Clear Springs Elementary | Minnetonka Middle School East | Minnetonka High School |
| Groveland Elementary | ||
| Scenic Heights Elementary | ||
The Minnetonka School District also includes four schools outside of the city of Minnetonka: Deephaven Elementary School (Deephaven), Excelsior Elementary School (Excelsior), Minnewashta Elementary School (Shorewood), and Minnetonka Middle School West (Chanhassen).
| Public Schools in Minnetonka (Hopkins School District) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Elementary Schools | Junior High School | Senior High School |
| Gatewood Elementary School | Hopkins West Junior High School | Hopkins High School |
| Glen Lake Elementary School | Hopkins North Junior High School | |
| L. H. Tanglen Elementary School | ||
The Hopkins School District comprises two-thirds of the city of Minnetonka, the entirety of Hopkins, and portions of the cities of Golden Valley, Edina, St. Louis Park, Wayzata, and Plymouth. In addition to schools located within Minnetonka, the Hopkins School District also includes four schools in the cities of Hopkins and Golden Valley: Eisenhower Elementary School/Xin Xing Academy (Hopkins), Alice Smith Elementary School (Hopkins), Meadowbrook Elementary School (Golden Valley), and Harley Hopkins Early Childhood/Family Center (Hopkins).
There are three private and parochial schools within Minnetonka's city limits:
TheHennepin County Library has its headquarters in the Ridgedale Library in Minnetonka.[17] The system also operates the Minnetonka Library.[18]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 203 | — | |
| 1870 | 552 | 171.9% | |
| 1880 | 1,069 | 93.7% | |
| 1890 | 1,441 | 34.8% | |
| 1900 | 1,083 | −24.8% | |
| 1910 | 1,538 | 42.0% | |
| 1920 | 2,298 | 49.4% | |
| 1930 | 4,601 | 100.2% | |
| 1940 | 6,466 | 40.5% | |
| 1950 | 11,896 | 84.0% | |
| 1960 | 25,037 | 110.5% | |
| 1970 | 35,776 | 42.9% | |
| 1980 | 38,683 | 8.1% | |
| 1990 | 48,370 | 25.0% | |
| 2000 | 51,301 | 6.1% | |
| 2010 | 49,734 | −3.1% | |
| 2020 | 53,781 | 8.1% | |
| 2022 (est.) | 52,544 | [3] | −2.3% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[19] 2020 Census[2] | |||
As of thecensus of 2010, there were 49,734 people, 21,901 households, and 13,619 families living in the city. The population density was 1,846.8 inhabitants per square mile (713.1/km2). There were 23,294 housing units at an average density of 865.0 per square mile (334.0/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 90.0%White, 3.7%African American, 0.3%Native American, 3.1%Asian, 0.7% fromother races, and 2.1% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 2.4% of the population.
There were 21,901 households, of which 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.1% were married couples living together, 7.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.8% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.8% were non-families. 31.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.85.
The median age in the city was 45 years. 20.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.2% were from 25 to 44; 33.3% were from 45 to 64; and 16.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.
As of thecensus of 2000, there were 51,301 people, 21,393 households, and 14,097 families living in the city. The population density was 1,893.0 persons per square mile (729.7/km2). There were 22,228 housing units at an average density of 818.9 per square mile (316.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 94.40%White, 1.50%African American, 0.20%Native American, 2.29%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 0.57% fromother races, and 1.03% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 1.28% of the population. 24.7% were of German, 13.8%Norwegian, 9.1% Irish, 8.2%Swedish and 6.7% English ancestry.
There were 21,393 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.6% were married couples living together, 6.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.1% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of single individuals and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.1% under the age of 18, 6.0% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 28.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males.
According to the 2000 census, the median income for a household in the city was $83,437.
The City Council of Minnetonka consists of the mayor and six council members. Of the six council members, two are elected at large and the remaining four are elected from wards. The council exercises thelegislative power of the city and determines all matters of policy. It has the responsibility of basic decisions for the community, including appointment of thecity manager. The city manager is responsible for putting council policies into effect and administering affairs of city government.[20]
TheUnited States Postal Service operates the Minnetonka Post Office and the Minnetonka Carrier Annex.[21][22] In addition, Minnetonka is served by four zip codes: one representing Minnetonka (55345), two representingHopkins and Minnetonka (55305, 55343) and one representingWayzata (55391).
Minnetonka is located inMinnesota's 3rd congressional district, represented by DemocratKelly Morrison.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 31.2%11,301 | 66.4%24,088 | 2.5%894 |
| 2020 | 31.7%11,851 | 66.3%24,804 | 2.0%752 |
| 2016 | 33.6%11,378 | 57.7%19,533 | 8.7%3,057 |
| 2012 | 43.2%14,819 | 55.1%18,874 | 1.7%579 |
| 2008 | 41.3%13,814 | 57.3%19,171 | 1.4%499 |
| 2004 | 45.9%15,347 | 53.5%17,790 | 0.6%294 |
| 2000 | 45.9%14,359 | 48.9%15,289 | 5.2%1,702 |
| 1996 | 42.0%11,861 | 48.7%13,740 | 9.3%2,612 |
| 1992 | 37.9%11,921 | 39.3%12,340 | 22.8%7,177 |
| 1988 | 57.7%15,468 | 42.3%11,332 | 0.0%0 |
| 1984 | 62.1%15,056 | 37.9%9,195 | 0.0%0 |
| 1980 | 51.6%11,209 | 34.0%7,379 | 14.4%3,082 |
| 1976 | 58.9%11,334 | 39.0%7,505 | 2.1%394 |
| 1972 | 65.0%10,902 | 33.6%5,631 | 1.4%235 |
| 1968 | 56.2%7,946 | 40.7%5,751 | 3.1%439 |
| 1964 | 52.6%6,805 | 47.1%6,082 | 0.3%40 |
| 1960 | 64.5%7,442 | 35.3%4,075 | 0.2%25 |
| 1956 | 64.4%4,835 | 35.5%2,665 | 0.1%7 |
The Minnetonka Dynamo, abandy club, becamenational champions of bandy in 1994, 1998 and 2000.
The Minnetonka Millers, a Class A baseball club, became state champions in 2015, 2016, and 2017.[24] The Millers play at Veterans Field, located on the campus ofMinnetonka High School.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
Municipalities and communities ofHennepin County, Minnesota,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |
|  |
| Unincorporated area | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
