“State of Hennepin”
It is true that crime has decreased in recent years in Minnesota overall – and that’s a good thing. However, as this article illustrates, the statewide recovery has been negatively impacted by the unacceptably high crime rates that persist in Hennepin County – and especially in the county seat of Minneapolis.
There is an old term that is used by many as a pejorative when referring to Hennepin County. They refer to it as the “State of Hennepin” in reference to Hennepin County’s oversized impact on everything in Minnesota.
There’s probably no more applicable area to use the term than in reference to the impact Hennepin County has on the state’s crime rate. Consider this: despite representing just 22% of the state’s population, Hennepin County burdens the state by representing 43% of all state crime. It only gets more imbalanced with Minneapolis, which represents just 7% of the state’s population but burdens the state with a full 25% of all state crime.
The Data
In 2021, Minnesota and the nation began recording crime data using a new more detailed reporting system called the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Our Bureau of Criminal Apprehension maintains a publicly accessible database of all NIBRS data since 2021.
The following analysis compares the first quarter (January – March) from 2021 through 2026. The two categories of crimes analyzed are 1) Crimes Against Persons – assaults, murder, rape, etc. and 2) Crimes Against Property – thefts, burglary, robbery, motor vehicle theft, etc.
A high-level summary indicates that since 2021, Minnesota has experienced a modest 1.4% decrease in crimes against persons and a robust 41% decrease in crimes against property However, these decreases have been muted by the continued dismal trajectory of crime in Hennepin County and in Minneapolis.
In fact, crimes against persons has increased 28% in Hennepin County and 43% in Minneapolis since 2021, while crimes against property decreased by just 14% in Hennepin County while it increased by 12% in Minneapolis over the same period. As a result, when we remove Hennepin County from the state’s crime totals, the state boasts a 14% decrease in crimes against persons and a whopping 53% decrease in crimes against property.
Another way to consider the dramatic difference between Hennepin County and the rest of the state regarding crime is that Hennepin County has underperformed the rest of the state by 42 percentage points in crimes against persons and an amazing 67 percentage points in crimes against property.
The following charts depict the 1st quarter crime data from 2021-2026 in Minnesota, Hennepin County, Minneapolis, and “Minnesota minus Hennepin County.”
Person Crimes
Property Crimes
Takeaway
The crime data represented in the 1st quarter of 2026 is good news for Minnesotans but reminds us of the significant challenges that exist in our most populated county. Hennepin County and its county seat, Minneapolis, are not only bucking the state trend of decreasing crime, but the national trend as well.
While much of the state supports a consequential criminal justice system, leaders in Hennepin County and Minneapolis have routinely advocated for “alternatives” to policing and incapacitation, the decriminalization of drug and property crimes, and the legalization of homeless encampments.
The data illustrates where such failed policies lead. The challenge is persuading “progressives” to acknowledge this reality.
