IndependenceHennepin, 2007
Independence’s story
166 years in pictures
Census counts: 223 in 1860, 3,755 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2007 and 4 maps from 1909 on.
- 1860Independence is settled
Population
3,763
2025 Census estimate · +0.2% since 2020
Typical home
$811K
+3.9% in a year
Household income
$187K
median
Median age
44.7
years
Jobs based here
728
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#61 of 271 in MN
Is Independence a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Independence grades A overall, ranked 61st of 271 in Minnesota. The median household earns $187K. Its public schools beat 98% of Minnesota towns on state tests and graduation and CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 96% of the country. The trade-off is money: the typical home is worth about $811K, 8.1 years of the Minneapolis metro’s $100K median household income. 67% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Independence, above both Minnesota’s towns (33%) and U.S. towns (29%). On hazard risk, just 35 of Minnesota’s 575 towns do better. The biggest place to walk is Lake Rebecca Park Reserve, 985 acres with 5.1 miles of trail.
What makes Independence stand out
Where Independence beats most towns.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave Independence for work
Where Independence’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
728jobs based in Independence
4%of working residents work in town
16 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Independence grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Independence is from typical.
Jobs & incomeA+Open →SchoolsA+Open →HealthRidgeview Medical Center 12.5 miles awayA+Open →Cost of livingC−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 19% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.4 of 20; 5.6% of households have no car; 1.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors9 miles of trails; 2% conserved landB−Open →HistoryCOpen →Civic life3.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Independence: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Independence, and how to reach them.
PowerWright-Hennepin Coop Elec Assn15.0¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMaple Plain water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpEvery week, FriCurbside recyclingTown site
SchoolsDelano Public School DistrictOrono Public School District2 districts serve Independence; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereHennepin County Gov't CenterHennepin County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2021
ZIP codes55359, 55357, 55328, 5537355359 83% · 55357 10% · 55328 6% · 55373 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Independence.
Independence owes part of its health edge to its incomes and has household incomes well above the Minnesota norm, but it has homes that cost more against local pay than most of Minnesota.
HousingCost of living grade C−
For cost of living, Independence earns a C−
At 8.1 years of the Minneapolis metro’s $100K median household income, the typical home (about $811K) costs more against local pay than in 98% of Minnesota towns; that ratio is one input to its C− for cost of living. The median property tax bill is $6,406, against $3,357 across Minnesota, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
92% of households own their home in Independence. The typical Independence home is worth about $811,000, up 3.9% in a year, more than twice the Minnesota typical home.
$811KZillow home value
Typical home value
Independence$811K
Minnesota$349K
+3.9%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
HealthA+
For health, Independence earns an A+
Against the 1,209 U.S. towns with household incomes like Independence’s, it is healthier than 57%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
25% of Independence adults sleep under 7 hours. Independence beats the Minnesota average on 15 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2. 26% of Independence adults have obesity.
96%healthier than U.S. townsA+Health Grade
| Independence | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 30% | 36% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 35% | 35% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 23% | 25% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
15 better15 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Independence | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.5% | 11.4% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4% | 5.7% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.6% | 8.5% |
Ridgeview Medical Center
12.5 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
93rd
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Very low risk in Independence, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 81% of U.S. communities.
19risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
Independence stands out in Minnesota and nationally, with the median household income higher than most
36.1% of workers work from home, against 17.6% across Minnesota.
Only 5 of the 273 Minnesota towns we compare have a higher median household income than Independence. Jobs based in Independence grew to 728 in 2023, 90 more than in 2013. Among 273 Minnesota towns, just 7 have a lower share of residents below the poverty line than Independence.
4%work in town
| Independence | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $187,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 1.1% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.7% | 9.9% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Independence4%
Minneapolis13%
Plymouth8%
Eden Prairie6%
Minnetonka6%
16 mi
median commute distance
728
jobs based in Independence
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C
Walkability grade: more walkable than 32% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Independence, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Independence has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 5° and about 45 inches of snow falls in a winter.
45″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–26°
Spring34–55°
Summer59–80°
Fall38–57°
Oct 8
typical first frost
Apr 30
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
#177for trails in MN
| Independence | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.2% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
2.2%
conserved · 473 of 21,980 acres
9.1 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lake Rebecca Park Reserve | 5.1 mi | 985 |
| 2. Lake Sarah Park | — | 242 |
| 3. Robina Wildlife Management Area | — | 196 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 75 attractions →U.S. Bank Stadium and 67 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Independence. Close and well known come first.
Big draw23 mi Stadium & arenaU.S. Bank Stadium
22 mi Stadium & arenaTarget Field
10 mi LakeLake Minnetonka
24 mi Stadium & arenaHuntington Bank Stadium
20 mi Theme parkValleyfair
31 mi Stadium & arenaGrand Casino ArenaSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
U.S. Bank Stadium: Darb02, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Target Field: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Lake Minnetonka: Dan, CC BY 2.0 · Huntington Bank Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Valleyfair: https://www.flickr.com/photos/clumpinglitter/, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Grand Casino Arena: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Independence
18pages on Independence
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Independence
About 0 of every 100 Independence residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Independence
City in Minnesota, United States
Independence is a rural city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States. Most of the city is agricultural land with dense woods and numerous lakes. It is named after Lake Independence, a large lake on the community's eastern boundary. The population was 3,755 at the 2020 census. U.S. Highway 12 serves as a main route in the community.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 35 sq mi
- Elevation
- 978 ft
- Area code
- 763
Independence’s neighbors
5 towns share a border with Independence.
Maple PlainFranklin TownshipMinnetristaGreenfieldMedinaIndependence
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence | #61 | A | C− | — | A+ | A+ |
| Maple Plain | — | — | B− | — | A+ | A+ |
| Franklin Township | #130 | A− | D | — | A+ | A |
| Minnetrista | #35 | A+ | D | A | A | A+ |
| Greenfield | #142 | A− | C− | — | B+ | A |
| Medina | #11 | A+ | C | A | A+ | A+ |
Maple Plain has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Independence, Maple Plain, Franklin Township and Greenfield report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Independence with a neighbor →
Questions about Independence
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Independence, MN a good place to live?
For most people who can afford it, yes. Independence grades A overall, better than 92% of U.S. towns and #61 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades A+ for health and A+ for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Independence, MN expensive?
Yes. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.