City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Golden Valley, MN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Golden Valley - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

21,927
Residents
$114,435
Median income
$423,500
Median home
$1,709
Median rent (state)

Golden Valley - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Golden Valley places in the 85th percentile for household income and the 62nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

85th
percentile, household income
79th
percentile, home value
68th
percentile, median rent
62nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Golden Valley, MN

Golden Valley is a small city in Minnesota, home to 21,927 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Golden Valley brings in $114,435 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 5.2%. Golden Valley's housing stock carries a median value of $423,500, and the median resident age is 44.3 years. Educational attainment runs 61.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 64.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 5 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 62% from five years earlier. Golden Valley reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 1052.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Minnesota scores 98.6 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,709 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Minnesota's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Workers in Golden Valley report an average commute of 15.4 minutes, with 66.6% driving alone and 25.9% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 98.3 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

21,927 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$114,435 /yr

Poverty 5.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

How does Golden Valley compare to other US cities?

Where Golden Valley sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 85% higher than other cities
Home value 79% pricier than other cities
Median rent 68% pricier than other cities
Safety 62% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Minnesota alone, Golden Valley ranks #125 of 229 Minnesota cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Golden Valley against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Minnesota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Minnesota-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Golden Valley's strongest outlier among Minnesota cities

Among the 784 Minnesota cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Golden Valley ranks #35 - the 95th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Golden Valley only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#82 of 775
89th percentile in Minnesota
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 785
77th percentile in Minnesota
Median Home Value
#55 of 774
93rd percentile in Minnesota
Poverty Rate
#409 of 785
47th percentile in Minnesota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#35 of 784
95th percentile in Minnesota

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Minnesota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

85thIncome percentile
62ndSafety percentile

85th percentile nationally for median household income · 62nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Golden Valley's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Golden Valley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 58 Avg. percentile National median
Golden Valley's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Golden Valley's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$423,500 21st percentile more affordable than 21% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Golden Valley $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Golden Valley, MN Golden Valley, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Golden Valley, MN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Golden Valley, MN median $114,435/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Golden Valley, MN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Golden Valley, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 61.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 64.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
21,927
Median Income
$114,435
Median Home Value
$423,500
Median Age
44.3
Poverty Rate
5.2%
Labor force participation
64.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
61.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1052.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
67.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
985.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
10
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
21,000 residents21,500 residents22,000 residents22,500 residents23,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 22,475 residents 21,325 residents ▼ -5.1%
Golden Valley's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
5
housing units authorized
Single-Family
5
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.2
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 13
2020 4
2021 8
2022 10
2023 5
2024 5

Permit volume decreased 62% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
15.4 minutes
Drive Alone
66.6%
Carpool
3.9%
Public Transit
2.5%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
25.9%
Other
0.9%

Based on 11,526 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Minnesota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Minnesota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Minnesota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Golden Valley sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,709/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Minnesota

Lino Lakes
21,847 people
Columbia Heights
22,016 people
Hastings
22,050 people
New Hope
21,402 people
Otsego
21,358 people
Crystal
22,685 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Golden Valley's 21,927 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Duarte, CA
21,921 people
West Carson, CA
21,909 people
Ozark, MO
21,953 people
Chillicothe, OH
21,958 people
Lorton, VA
21,961 people
Mililani Mauka, HI
21,967 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Golden Valley's $114,435 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Atascocita, TX
$114,443 median income
DuPont, WA
$114,423 median income
Cottleville, MO
$114,420 median income
Smithton, IL
$114,453 median income
Margate City, NJ
$114,417 median income
Noank, CT
$114,479 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Golden Valley, MN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Golden Valley, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 81.6% 6.9% 8.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.8% White 81.6% Black or African American 6.9% Asian 2.2% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 0.7% Two or more races 8.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Golden Valley compares to nearby Minnesota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Golden Valley (this city) 21,927 $114,435
Lino Lakes 21,847 $121,800
Columbia Heights 22,016 $74,688
Hastings 22,050 $92,940
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Golden Valley, MN?

What is the population of Golden Valley, MN? +

Golden Valley, MN has a population of 21,927 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Golden Valley, MN? +

The median household income in Golden Valley is $114,435 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Golden Valley? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Golden Valley; the closest available measure is the Minnesota state average, a cost of living index of 98.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Minnesota vary by metro area.

Is Golden Valley, MN safe? +

Golden Valley has a total crime rate of 1052.6 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Golden Valley, MN? +

A typical home in Golden Valley is worth $423,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.