Positive Findings: Compared to the national average, Minneapolis-St. Paul has fewer homes with cracks in the walls, signs of rats, flush toilet breakdowns, room heaters without a flue, lack of adequate kitchen facilities, exposed wire, and rooms without an electrical outlet. Dwellings outside the central city are less likely to have room heaters without a flue and rooms without a working electrical outlet. Units outside the central city have fewer open cracks in walls, signs of rats, water supply stoppage, flush toilet breakdowns, lack of complete plumbing, room heaters without a flue, exposed wires in the unit, rooms without a working electrical outlet, and lack of adequate kitchen facilities. Rental homes are less likely to have signs of rats, room heaters without a flue, rooms without a working electrical outlet, and lack of adequate kitchen facilities. Owner-occupant homes were less likely to have signs of rats, water supply stoppage, flush toilet breakdowns, rooms heaters without a flue, exposed wire in the unit, and rooms without a working electrical outlet.
Areas for Improvement: Compared to the national average, the metro area is more likely to have signs of mice and roofing problems than the national average. Central city were more likely than the national average to have problems holes in floors, broken plaster/peeling paint, water leaks from outside, water supply stoppage, lacking complete plumbing, and roofing, siding, window, and foundation problems. Areas outside the central city were higher than the national average for signs of mice. Owner occupied units were more likely to have signs of mice and roofing, siding, and foundation problems.
Community Information: The Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA is comprised of Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherbrne, Washington, and Wright Counties, Minnesota and Pierce and St. Croix Counties, Wisconsin. In 2007, the MSA included 1,229,900 occupied dwellings, 21.6% of which were located in the central cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The housing stock of the MSA ranks among the youngest of the cities surveyed and average rental. The percentage of post-1940 homes ranked 26th (14.4%) for the MSA and 33rd (46.2%) for the central city. The median house age in the Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA was 1977. The percentage of rental units ranked 2nd (20.1%) for the MSA and 23rd (48.0%) for the central city. Compared to other locations, Minneapolis-St. Paul had a lower poverty rate. Its poverty rate ranked 1st (7.1%) for the entire MSA and 13th (14.8%) for the homes in the central city.