Hopkins, Minnesota

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 17,591 people, 8,366 households, and 3,975 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,311.5 inhabitants per square mile (1,664.7/km²). There were 8,987 housing units at an average density of 2,202.7 per square mile (850.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.4% White, 13.5% African American, 0.6% Native American, 8.5% Asian, 3.4% from other races, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.9% of the population.

There were 8,366 households, of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 52.5% were non-families. 43.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.07 and the average family size was 2.93.

The median age in the city was 34.4 years. 21.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 34.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.4% were from 45 to 64; and 12.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

At the 2000 census,[4] there were 17,145 people, 8,224 households and 3,741 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,205.9 per square mile (1,622.5/km²). There were 8,390 housing units at an average density of 2,058.2 pe square mile (794.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.61% White, 5.19% African American, 0.78% Native American, 5.92% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 2.58% from other races, and 2.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.54% of the population. 23.9% were of German, 12.4% Norwegian, 7.4% Irish and 7.1% Swedish ancestry.

There were 8,224 households, of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.4% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.5% were non-families. 42.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.03 and the average family size was 2.85.

19.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 10.7% from 18 to 24, 37.2% from 25 to 44, 18.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.5 males.

The median household income was $39,203 and the median family income was $50,359. Males had a median income of $37,541 versus $30,687 for females. The per capita income for the city was $26,759. About 8.1% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Hopkins’ government structure is set by its city charter. Hennepin County district court judges appointed the first Hopkins Charter Commission on February 8, 1946, in order to create a proposed charter that would be voted on.[10] The commission submitted the proposed charter to the Village Council on November 4, 1947. Voters approved the charter December 2, 1947. The charter has been amended numerous times since then, most recently in October 2012.[11]

The charter specifies that Hopkins use a council-manager plan. The council controls city administration but does so exclusively through the city manager.[12] The charter contains an “interference with administration” clause that expressly forbids the council from telling the city manager whom to hire or preventing the city manager from using his or her judgment to make administrative appointments.[11] It also prohibits the council from issuing orders to any of the city manager's subordinates.

The council is made up of the mayor and four council members elected at-large. The mayor serves a two-year term in office. Council members have four-year terms—with two of the seats on the ballot in one election and the other two seats up in the following election. Regular elections take place in odd years.

The mayor votes on all motions before the council like the council members. The position is also the head of the city for ceremonial purposes, serving legal processes and martial law.

The mayor is paid $6,000 per year and council members are paid $4,600 per year.[12] The current salaries were set in 1998.

The city manager is the chief administrator of the City of Hopkins. The Hopkins City Council appoints the city manager for an indefinite period and may remove the manager at any time.

The charter specifies just two other administrative positions by name. It requires the city to have a clerk, who is subordinate to the city manager, and allows for, but doesn't require, a city attorney to advise the council on legal matters.

However, the charter specifies that the city manager can create city departments and divisions and alter them when necessary. Hopkins has seven departments, each with a department head that reports to the city manager.[14] The departments are:

• Administration
• Community Services (Assessing, City Clerk, Inspections)
• Finance
• Fire
• Planning & Economic Development
• Police
• Public Works
• Recreation (operated jointly with Minnetonka, Minnesota)

• 1852 – First settlers arrived
• 1862 – First school, Burnes, built
• 1887 – Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company built
• 1893 – November 7, 1168 people incorporated the village of West Minneapolis
• 1893 – December 9, first city-council elected
• 1899 – Streetcar arrived in Hopkins
• 1928 – July 7, village name changed to Hopkins
• 1929 – Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company becomes Minneapolis-Moline
• 1934 – Hopkins business people organized the first Hopkins Raspberry Festival
• 1947 – December 2, Hopkins became a city through the adoption of a city charter

The Hopkins Raspberry Festival is an annual event in Hopkins. The Hopkins Raspberry Festival was founded in 1935 as a way to boost business during the Great Depression of the 1930s. A date of July 21 was chosen to hold the event to coincide with the peak of raspberry-picking season. The festival now takes place the third weekend in July every year.

The Raspberry Festival is overseen by a board of directors supported by many additional volunteers and local civic organizations each year. Since its inception, it has evolved into a dynamic community celebration with activities including music, sporting events, royalty coronations, craft fair, and parade.

The Hopkins School District serves all or parts of seven Minneapolis west suburban communities: Hopkins, Minnetonka, Golden Valley, Plymouth, Edina, Eden Prairie, and Saint Louis Park. Approximately 8,100 students attend seven elementary schools (K–sixth grade), two junior high schools (7th–9th grade), and one high school (10th–12th grade). Some students attend public schools in other school districts chosen by their families under Minnesota's open enrollment statute, as some students from outside Hopkins school district enroll in Hopkins schools on that basis.[16]

1. ^ located in Minnetonka
2. ^ located in Golden Valley

The Blake School

There are two private schools in Hopkins:

• The Blake School: A large private school with several campuses throughout the Twin Cities was founded in Hopkins, and the Blake Campus in the city houses both the Middle School and one of its two Lower Schools.
• Agamim Classical Academy

• Mainstreet School of Performing Arts (MSSPA): A performing arts school that focuses on the three major performing arts areas; music, dance and theater. The school opened in 2004. Grades 9–12.
• Ubah Medical Academy is a charter high school currently leasing space in the Katherine Curren Elementary building. The school was chartered in 2003 and was previously housed in Minneapolis.
• International Spanish Language Academy (ISLA): A K–6 Spanish immersion community (founded in 2007)