Minneapolis is nicknamed “City of Lakes” for the 22 lakes that exist within the city limits.
City: Minneapolis
State: Minnesota
Best Cities Overall Rank: 18
About Minneapolis: Minneapolis is nicknamed “City of Lakes” for the 22 lakes that exist within the city limits.
Its famous skyway connects 52 blocks of downtown.
Minnesota inventions include PostIt Notes, Scotch tape, SPAM lunchmeat, and Bisquick.
It is the birthplace of Peanuts creator, Charles Schultz.
Minneapolis has three quality children’s hospitals, which earns it the place of 8 on our health rank.
County: Hennepin
Population: 382,605
Official website for city visitors’ bureau/city: Visitor’s bureau website
Newspaper with the largest circulation: Star Tribune
Minneapolis blogs:
Minneapolis‘s Facebook page: Follow Minneapolis on Facebook
Minneapolis‘s Twitter page: Follow Minneapolis on Twitter
Education rank: 19
High School graduation rate 2008: 76.4%
Blue Ribbon Schools, 2003-2009: 0
Blue Ribbon Schools per 100,000 people: 0
NEAYC-accredited preschools: 27
NAEYC schools per 100,000 people: 7.057
NAEP State proficiency reading, grade 8: 270
Pupil/Teacher Ratio: 16
Total Expenditures Per Student: $16,052
Health rank: 8
Quality children’s hospitals: 3
Hospitals per 100,000 people: 0.78
Quality Pediatricians: 1
Quality Pediatricians per 100,000: 0.26
Average number of Unhealthy Air Quality days between 2006-2008, by county: 0
Safety rank: 40
Violent Crimes, 2008: 4,779
Violent Crime Rate per 100,000: 1,249.07
Sex Offenders: 83
Sex Offenders per 100,000: 21.69
Economy rank: 58
Travel time to work, 2006-2008, in minutes: 21.89
Percent of labor force unemployed, January 2010: 7.7
Best Performing Cities Job Index: 1,085.59
Median Home Sale Price: $177,500
5-Year Home Value Index: -4.74%
Percent of homes sold for a loss: 26.30%
Recreation Rank: 42
Parkland acreage, 2008 (includes pools and playgrounds): 5,864
Parkland per 100,000: 1,532.65