Minnetonka is a suburban community located eight miles west of Minneapolis in Hennepin County. Minnetonka is the fourteenth largest city in Minnesota. The word "Minnetonka" comes from the Dakota Indian mni tanka meaning "great water".

Minnetonka is proud of its reputation as a city that preservesit natural resources – residents can enjoy 42 community parks, more than 40 miles of trails and more than 1,000 acres of public open space, as well as natural scenery that includes mature trees, wetlands and prairies.

Located 10 miles west of Minneapolis, Minnetonka just touches the eastern shores of Lake Minnetonka. With many lakes, creeks and wetlands, Minnetonka offers residents 39 parks and recreation areas totaling 1,100 acres, including five large community parks. In addition, it contains the Minnetonka Loop Trail System, a 30-mile trail for running, biking and walking.

While Minnetonka shares its name with the very popular Lake Minnetonka, the city of Minnetonka includes only one small bay of the lake – Gray’s Bay, which forms the headwaters of Minnehaha Creek.

Hopkins School District 270, Minnetonka District 276 and Wayzata District 284 serve the city. In addition, two private schools are located in the city. Cargill and Fingerhut are among the city's major employers.

Housing Cost

The average Minnetonka home price is $350,000 while houses range from $100,000 to $5,000,000.

Demographics

Estimated population in July 2006: 49,928. Minnetonka covers 27.1 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 890 feet above sea level.

Climate

Minnetonka, MN climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and extremely cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 10's.

The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 85.80 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 3.40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 23 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 21 degrees Fahrenheit.

The annual average precipitation at Minnetonka is 30.44 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is August with an average rainfall of 4.48 Inches.

Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com