Benefits For Edina 

Affordable housing doesn't just benefit those who live in it. Having available housing options benefits the entire community in various ways.

Reduced Traffic Congestion from Commuters

  • 92 percent of jobs in Edina are held by commuters
  • Almost 41,000 people commute into Edina for work (Maxfield Research & Consulting, 2020)

Available Local Work Force for Edina Businesses

  • Allows people who work in schools, restaurants, health, service and nonprofit organizations, among other fields, to live here
  • Edina businesses spend less time and money trying to lure workers from other cities

Housing Options to Suit Many Needs

  • Provides housing for young people who grew up in Edina and want to stay in the community
  • Gives longtime residents options as they consider moving to different housing
  • Allows families to find homes for aging parents or adult children who currently live elsewhere

Helps Stabilize Schools

  • Young families can afford to live in Edina and enroll children in local schools
  • Schools receive funding based on student population, so if population dips, school funding decreases

Relevant Studies and Reports

  1. Edina Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis - Maxfield Study (PDF)
  2. Housing Strategy Task Force Report (PDF)
  3. Edina 2018 Final Enrollment Projections - Reinhardt Report (PDF)
  4. Edina 2018 City and School Board Presentation by Hazel Reinhardt (PDF)

Housing Costs Rising Faster Than Wages

Since 2000, the gap between wages of workers in Edina's growth industries and the cost of a median mortgage has widened. 

Spending 30 percent or more of household income on mortgage or rent is considered cost-burdened. 

Fever line chart showing Median Wages vs. Median Mortgage