You’re probably never going to make enough money to live in the richest counties in Minnesota.
The median household income in Carver County, the richest county in Minnesota is $116,308, significantly higher than the US median of $74,580, which means based purely on math most people never make enough to live there.
And that’s okay because it’s still fun to look at the people living in the lap of luxury.
So we used Saturday Night Science and the most recent Census to rank home prices and incomes for all 87 counties in the North Star State. Let’s star gaze together.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | Summary
The 10 Richest Counties In Minnesota For 2024
What is the richest county in Minnesota? The richest county in Minnesota is Carver County. In contrast, the poorest county in state is Mahnomen County, according to the Census data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Minnesota. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Minnesota and the cheapest places to live in Minnesota.
The Richest Counties In Minnesota For 2024
1. Carver County
Biggest Place: Chaska
Population: 107,216
Median Income: $116,308 (2nd highest)
Median Home Price: $451,226 (highest)
More on Carver County: Data
2. Scott County
Biggest Place: Shakopee
Population: 151,347
Median Income: $118,268 (highest)
Median Home Price: $419,309 (3rd highest)
More on Scott County: Data
3. Washington County
Biggest Place: Woodbury
Population: 268,651
Median Income: $110,828 (3rd highest)
Median Home Price: $419,331 (2nd highest)
More on Washington County: Data
4. Dakota County
Biggest Place: Lakeville
Population: 439,179
Median Income: $101,360 (5th highest)
Median Home Price: $374,459 (5th highest)
More on Dakota County: Data
5. Wright County
Biggest Place: Otsego
Population: 142,543
Median Income: $102,980 (4th highest)
Median Home Price: $364,095 (8th highest)
More on Wright County: Data
6. Sherburne County
Biggest Place: St. Cloud
Population: 97,820
Median Income: $99,431 (6th highest)
Median Home Price: $369,025 (6th highest)
More on Sherburne County: Data
7. Chisago County
Biggest Place: North Branch
Population: 56,927
Median Income: $97,446 (7th highest)
Median Home Price: $356,310 (9th highest)
More on Chisago County: Data
8. Hennepin County
Biggest Place: Minneapolis
Population: 1,270,787
Median Income: $92,595 (10th highest)
Median Home Price: $368,370 (7th highest)
More on Hennepin County: Data
9. Anoka County
Biggest Place: Blaine
Population: 363,985
Median Income: $95,782 (8th highest)
Median Home Price: $346,125 (10th highest)
More on Anoka County: Data
10. Le Sueur County
Biggest Place: Mankato
Population: 28,795
Median Income: $87,180 (12th highest)
Median Home Price: $322,668 (13th highest)
More on Le Sueur County: Data
Methodology: How do you determine which Minnesota county is the richest?
To determine the richest county in Minnesota, we have to look at a handful of metrics that correlate with how rich people are. To do that, we made assumptions about what makes a county rich. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to the American Community Survey data and Zillow for the most recent reporting period for data on the following:
- Average Home Price
- Median Income
We then ranked each county in Minnesota for each of the criteria from one to 87, with one being the richest.
Taking the average rank across the two criteria, we created a Rich Score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Richest County In Minnesota.”
The result is some of the places with the most expensive real estate and highest earners in the North Star State.
We updated this article for 2024. This report is our first time ranking the richest counties to live in Minnesota. We have also ranked the richest states and richest cities in the United States.
Summary: The Richest Counties In Minnesota For 2024
Living in Minnesota can vary from one part of the state to the next, with pretty extreme variance in home prices and incomes across counties.
The richest counties in Minnesota are Carver County, Scott County, Washington County, Dakota County, Wright County, Sherburne County, Chisago County, Hennepin County, Anoka County, and Le Sueur County.
Now you know the parts of the state where Goodwill will have the best goodies, and that’s what you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the poorest counties in Minnesota according to the data:
- Mahnomen County
- Koochiching County
- Traverse County
For more Minnesota reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Minnesota
- Cheapest Places To Live In Minnesota
- Safest Places In Minnesota
- Best Counties To Live In Minnesota
Detailed List Of The Richest Counties In Minnesota
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carver County | 107,216 | $116,308 | $451,226 |
| 2 | Scott County | 151,347 | $118,268 | $419,309 |
| 3 | Washington County | 268,651 | $110,828 | $419,331 |
| 4 | Dakota County | 439,179 | $101,360 | $374,459 |
| 5 | Wright County | 142,543 | $102,980 | $364,095 |
| 6 | Sherburne County | 97,820 | $99,431 | $369,025 |
| 7 | Chisago County | 56,927 | $97,446 | $356,310 |
| 8 | Hennepin County | 1,270,787 | $92,595 | $368,370 |
| 9 | Anoka County | 363,985 | $95,782 | $346,125 |
| 10 | Le Sueur County | 28,795 | $87,180 | $322,668 |
| 11 | Isanti County | 41,257 | $84,063 | $319,503 |
| 12 | Olmsted County | 162,307 | $90,420 | $315,781 |
| 13 | Rice County | 67,152 | $78,214 | $319,711 |
| 14 | Dodge County | 20,893 | $92,890 | $296,336 |
| 15 | Cook County | 5,611 | $71,937 | $398,380 |
| 16 | Ramsey County | 547,202 | $78,108 | $317,605 |
| 17 | Goodhue County | 47,697 | $78,338 | $309,365 |
| 18 | Nicollet County | 34,380 | $79,113 | $289,342 |
| 19 | Douglas County | 39,081 | $72,472 | $319,332 |
| 20 | Steele County | 37,396 | $79,722 | $268,228 |
| 21 | Wabasha County | 21,460 | $75,063 | $278,054 |
| 22 | Stearns County | 158,622 | $73,105 | $288,545 |
| 23 | Clay County | 65,307 | $75,006 | $268,239 |
| 24 | Becker County | 35,202 | $68,683 | $345,090 |
| 25 | Meeker County | 23,352 | $75,926 | $262,531 |
| 26 | Mcleod County | 36,727 | $73,296 | $274,942 |
| 27 | Pope County | 11,312 | $71,212 | $292,925 |
| 28 | Carlton County | 36,362 | $74,660 | $264,650 |
| 29 | Sibley County | 14,950 | $74,781 | $253,316 |
| 30 | Fillmore County | 21,251 | $73,234 | $265,374 |
| 31 | Houston County | 18,826 | $71,580 | $272,320 |
| 32 | Blue Earth County | 69,022 | $70,906 | $278,344 |
| 33 | Lake County | 10,915 | $73,860 | $248,405 |
| 34 | Rock County | 9,659 | $75,060 | $239,951 |
| 35 | Kandiyohi County | 43,686 | $73,285 | $250,559 |
| 36 | Benton County | 41,300 | $70,346 | $275,755 |
| 37 | Otter Tail County | 60,072 | $67,990 | $309,146 |
| 38 | Crow Wing County | 66,558 | $65,975 | $331,916 |
| 39 | Hubbard County | 21,479 | $67,197 | $308,148 |
| 40 | Mille Lacs County | 26,680 | $68,088 | $282,947 |
| 41 | Waseca County | 18,953 | $71,856 | $239,299 |
| 42 | Kanabec County | 16,145 | $68,995 | $263,631 |
| 43 | Morrison County | 34,023 | $66,264 | $282,062 |
| 44 | Red Lake County | 3,912 | $73,889 | $193,207 |
| 45 | Murray County | 8,170 | $71,500 | $203,877 |
| 46 | Cass County | 30,288 | $61,970 | $322,590 |
| 47 | Polk County | 31,128 | $69,540 | $225,916 |
| 48 | Roseau County | 15,294 | $70,122 | $213,994 |
| 49 | Pennington County | 13,995 | $71,504 | $194,322 |
| 50 | Pine County | 29,090 | $65,059 | $267,167 |
| 51 | Winona County | 49,792 | $66,162 | $247,429 |
| 52 | Lyon County | 25,352 | $68,919 | $198,932 |
| 53 | Grant County | 6,091 | $67,600 | $202,217 |
| 54 | Stevens County | 9,682 | $69,737 | $178,896 |
| 55 | Brown County | 25,880 | $67,038 | $209,165 |
| 56 | St. Louis County | 200,122 | $66,491 | $218,369 |
| 57 | Marshall County | 9,017 | $69,396 | $185,376 |
| 58 | Jackson County | 9,990 | $68,368 | $193,312 |
| 59 | Todd County | 25,277 | $63,216 | $244,960 |
| 60 | Yellow Medicine County | 9,569 | $70,605 | $150,651 |
| 61 | Wilkin County | 6,454 | $67,114 | $190,996 |
| 62 | Itasca County | 45,054 | $63,962 | $225,983 |
| 63 | Beltrami County | 46,274 | $62,173 | $244,727 |
| 64 | Mower County | 40,082 | $66,972 | $177,894 |
| 65 | Pipestone County | 9,380 | $68,341 | $155,564 |
| 66 | Renville County | 14,707 | $66,313 | $176,785 |
| 67 | Clearwater County | 8,541 | $62,723 | $217,733 |
| 68 | Aitkin County | 15,859 | $56,406 | $244,392 |
| 69 | Nobles County | 22,194 | $62,973 | $202,250 |
| 70 | Freeborn County | 30,857 | $65,679 | $172,529 |
| 71 | Watonwan County | 11,205 | $65,197 | $163,292 |
| 72 | Lac Qui Parle County | 6,736 | $66,967 | $144,107 |
| 73 | Lake Of The Woods County | 3,786 | $61,667 | $200,910 |
| 74 | Chippewa County | 12,466 | $62,112 | $197,075 |
| 75 | Redwood County | 15,428 | $65,617 | $156,888 |
| 76 | Lincoln County | 5,630 | $64,750 | $157,433 |
| 77 | Norman County | 6,457 | $65,278 | $153,591 |
| 78 | Wadena County | 14,108 | $54,747 | $200,578 |
| 79 | Kittson County | 4,191 | $66,000 | $121,978 |
| 80 | Cottonwood County | 11,481 | $63,586 | $152,474 |
| 81 | Big Stone County | 5,161 | $63,024 | $153,064 |
| 82 | Martin County | 19,960 | $61,674 | $161,780 |
| 83 | Faribault County | 13,931 | $64,000 | $137,095 |
| 84 | Swift County | 9,806 | $58,362 | $160,063 |
| 85 | Traverse County | 3,345 | $63,456 | $116,381 |
| 86 | Koochiching County | 12,072 | $59,779 | $143,693 |
| 87 | Mahnomen County | 5,389 | $52,739 | $145,020 |