Minneapolis/Compare
Seward vs Whittier
Seward and Whittier are two official neighborhoods in Minneapolis. Whittier is the calmer Part I map (47 vs 42). Walk is a wash (25 vs 27). Seward has the lower ACS median ($986).
Data vintage. ACS 2024 5-year · MPD Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · OSM Sep 2026 · updated Sep 2026
Scores
Fit axes among official Minneapolis neighborhoods.
| Axis | Seward | Whittier |
|---|---|---|
| Safety | 42 | 47 |
| Schools | 36 | 29 |
| Walk | 25 | 27 |
| Cost fit | 100 | 100 |
| Vibe | 12 | 27 |
| Median rent | $986 | $1,376 |
| Median home | $348,829 | $350,950 |
| Population | 8,210 | 18,575 |
| Commute to Downtown | 11 min | 19 min |
| Commute to University | 17 min | 26 min |
| Commute to Southwest | 24 min | 16 min |
Living numbers
Who rents, how old, how much crime, how many shops — beside the scores.
| Fact | Seward | Whittier |
|---|---|---|
| Renters | 67% | 89% |
| Median age | 35.8 | 29.6 |
| Median income | $59K | $58K |
| Part I per 1k | 62.5 | 58.1 |
| Groceries / 800m | 7 | 12 |
| Transit stops / 800m | 72 | 57 |
| Parks / 800m | 22 | 17 |
| 311 last 14 days | 49 | 107 |
Rent
Rent since 2014
ACS 5-year median gross rent for Minneapolis city. Up 61% since 2014. Seward is 28% below the 2024 city median. Whittier is 0% above the 2024 city median.
Overlapping 5-year ACS windows (B25064), not asking rent. Census does not publish a rent series for each official neighborhood, so the line is the city place. Dashed marks are each area’s ACS 2024 median.
Which to pick
The same numbers as the table, in sentences. Nobody wins the city.
Pick Seward if the rent gap is the point and the shorter ride to Downtown is the point. ACS median rent is $986 vs $1,376. 11 vs 19 minutes to Downtown. Read both pages before you decide.
Pick Whittier if you want the cafes and the night. Vibe is 27 vs 12. Read both pages before you decide.
Seward
Co-ops, the Midtown Greenway, and a river-adjacent grid south of the University. Progressive without downtown prices.
$986 median rent · safety 42 · walk 25
Whittier
Eat Street on Nicollet and a mix of old apartments. Denser and more restless than the Wedge.
$1,376 median rent · safety 47 · walk 27
Common questions
Same pair, said in questions. The numbers are in the tables.
Which is cheaper, Seward or Whittier?
Seward is the lower ACS median: $986 vs $1,376. About 67% rent in Seward vs 89% in Whittier. Survey medians, not a listing you can message tonight.
Is Seward more walkable than Whittier?
Walk is basically a tie (25 vs 27). Count groceries if you care: 7 in Seward vs 12 in Whittier, inside 800 meters.
Which is safer on this map, Seward or Whittier?
Whittier is the calmer Part I read (47 vs 42). Combined rate 58.1 vs 62.5 per 1,000. Visitors count in those numbers.
Which scores higher for families, Seward or Whittier?
Seward leads the school axis (36 vs 29). Nearby rating is 7.0 / 10 vs 6.8 / 10. Median age 35.8 vs 29.6. Whittier has more of the night. Neither number is a school assignment.
Which has the shorter commute to Downtown?
11 minutes from Seward to Downtown, 19 from Whittier. Seward is the shorter weekday. Not this hour's traffic.
If you drop both
Closest official neighborhood that is not Seward or Whittier: Powderhorn Park. The park is a bowl; the streets around it are still mixed. Safety scores tell you to weight it honestly.
Scores are relative among official Minneapolis neighborhoods with the same editorial weights. Read the method.