City Score: Golden Valley, MN

The score

Golden Valley, MN scores 46 out of 100 on the Joy Project City Score, status Liberty since Oct 2026. Condition 50 (the city from public data, 60%) and Movement 39 (how the church is moving, 40%). How the score is built.

Condition: Partly Minnesota state-wide (1 of 4 indexes)

Read state-wide: Minnesota

State-wide for Liberty: the numbers for Religious Liberty in the States score, Safeguards fully in law, State Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Anti-Christian hate crimes, School choice, Protections for the unborn, Homeschool freedom, and Tone of news coverage of Christianity are published for Minnesota as a whole, not by city, so every Minnesota city carries Minnesota's numbers.

Minnesota scores 46 out of 100, Liberty since Oct 2026 (Condition 53 · Movement 35).

These numbers change at the state. A petition started from any Minnesota city reaches Minnesota's officials, and Minnesota's own score moves with them.

Start a petition for Minnesota in the Joy app.

What's moving it

• 70 prayer gatherings (Prayer, listed from church websites)
• 363 ways to serve (Service, listed from church websites)
• 430 gatherings (Gathering, listed from church websites)
• 524 churches listed (Unity, listed from church websites)
• 200 Bible studies (Discipleship, listed from church websites)

The condition of Golden Valley, MN

• What Golden Valley is up against: 52 out of 100 — Better than 43% of cities, up 10 points
• Where grace is growing: 35 out of 100 — Better than 65% of cities
• Marriage & family: 68 out of 100 — Better than 78% of cities, down 6 points
• Christian liberty: 49 out of 100 — Better than 43% of cities, down 7 points (Minnesota state-wide)

Christianity on the Move in Golden Valley, MN

A non-biased rating of Christian values across the cultural areas of impact, from public data: 1 to 100, higher is more favourable. Golden Valley, MN rates 43 out of 100: Stirring across 8 of 8 areas. The rating is public data only; how the church is moving in each area this week is shown beside it and never blended in. How it is built.

The Church: 30 out of 100, Lukewarm

Faith institutions, spiritual leadership and worship spaces. Key measure: Church adherents (511.6 adherents per 1,000 residents, Hennepin County, MN). The church's movement in it this week: 50 out of 100 (70 prayer gatherings, 363 ways to serve, and 430 gatherings).

The Family: 68 out of 100, Steadfast

The core social unit: marriages, children and household structures. Key measure: Children with married parents (82.7 % of own children under 18 in married-couple families, Golden Valley, MN). The church's movement in it this week: 50 out of 100 (200 Bible studies).

Education: 42 out of 100, Searching

Schools, universities and systems of learning. Key measure: School choice (0 0-2, Minnesota). Minnesota state-wide. The church's movement in it this week: 50 out of 100 (200 Bible studies).

Government: 56 out of 100, Unsettled

Public policy, law, safety and civic governance. Key measure: Religious Liberty in the States score (39.8 % of the edition's safeguards in state law, Minnesota). Minnesota state-wide. The church's movement in it this week: 25 out of 100.

Media: 37 out of 100, Scornful

News, journalism and digital communication. Key measure: Tone of news coverage of Christianity (-1.3 tone (-10 hostile to +10 favourable), Minnesota). Minnesota state-wide. The church's movement in it this week: 36 out of 100.

Arts & Entertainment: 21 out of 100, Worldly

Film, music, sports and cultural storytelling. Key measure: Adult entertainment outlets (0.2 mapped places per 100,000, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area). From the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area. The church's movement in it this week: 36 out of 100.

Business: 59 out of 100, Fair

Commerce, generosity and the marketplace. Key measure: Charitable giving (1.4 itemized charitable deductions as % of adjusted gross income, Hennepin County, MN). The church's movement in it this week: 43 out of 100.

Compassion: 28 out of 100, Indifferent

Mercy toward people in trouble: addiction, recovery, children in care and neighbors serving. Key measure: Drug overdose deaths (27.5 deaths per 100,000, Hennepin County, MN). From the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI area. The church's movement in it this week: 47 out of 100 (363 ways to serve).

What takes Golden Valley, MN to Revival

• City Pulse: City Pulse 12 → 40
• Unity: Unity 31 → 45
• Discipleship: Discipleship 25 → 45
• Gathering: Gathering 16 → 45

What affected it

• This week: Witness down 25 — 51% belong to a church
• This week: Unity down 20 — 524 churches listed
• This quarter: Violent crime up 25 percentile points (What Golden Valley is up against)
• This quarter: Property crime up 24 percentile points (What Golden Valley is up against)
• This quarter: Adults 25-44 married down 22 percentile points (Marriage & family)

Golden Valley, MN over time

• Oct 2026 — Entered Liberty

Sources

1. Violent crime: FBI Crime Data Explorer · 2025 · Golden Valley Police Department · fetched Oct 29, 2026
2. Property crime: FBI Crime Data Explorer · 2025 · Golden Valley Police Department · fetched Oct 29, 2026
3. Sexually transmitted infections: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus · fetched Oct 28, 2026
4. Drug overdose deaths: CDC NCHS, provisional county drug overdose deaths (VSRR) · 2025 · Hennepin County, MN · fetched Oct 28, 2026
5. Legal gambling: The Liberty register (config/conditions/liberty_laws.yml) · 2026 · Minnesota · fetched Nov 4, 2026
6. Adult entertainment outlets: OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats) · 2026-10 · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · fetched Oct 31, 2026
7. Gambling outlets: OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats) · 2026-10 · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · fetched Oct 31, 2026
8. Cannabis outlets: OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats) · 2026-10 · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · fetched Oct 31, 2026
9. Liquor outlets and bars: OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats) · 2026-10 · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · fetched Oct 31, 2026
10. Predatory lenders: OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats) · 2026-10 · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · fetched Oct 31, 2026
11. Abortion facilities (mapped): OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats) · 2026-10 · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · fetched Oct 31, 2026
12. Church adherents: 2020 U.S. Religion Census · 2020 · Hennepin County, MN · fetched Oct 28, 2026
13. Congregations: 2020 U.S. Religion Census · 2020 · Hennepin County, MN · fetched Oct 28, 2026
14. Charitable giving: IRS Statistics of Income, county data · 2023 · Hennepin County, MN · fetched Oct 28, 2026
15. Given to local needs in Joy: Verified in Joy (the impact ledger) · 2026-10 · Golden Valley, MN · fetched Nov 9, 2026 · verified in Joy
16. Needs met in Joy: Verified in Joy (the impact ledger) · 2026-10 · Golden Valley, MN · fetched Nov 9, 2026 · verified in Joy
17. Volunteers mobilized in Joy: Verified in Joy (the impact ledger) · 2026-10 · Golden Valley, MN · fetched Nov 9, 2026 · verified in Joy
18. New believers in Joy: Verified in Joy (the impact ledger) · 2026-10 · Golden Valley, MN · fetched Nov 9, 2026 · verified in Joy
19. Searches for a church in Joy: Verified in Joy (the impact ledger) · 2026-10 · Golden Valley, MN · fetched Nov 9, 2026 · verified in Joy
20. Foster and adoptive families in the churches: Church workspace entries (church-attested) · 2026-11 · Golden Valley, MN · fetched Nov 4, 2026 · verified in Joy
21. Christian colleges and universities: NCES IPEDS via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (religious affiliation of colleges) · 2024 · county · fetched Nov 10, 2026
22. Children with married parents: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year · 2020-2024 · Golden Valley, MN · fetched Oct 28, 2026
23. Adults 25-44 married: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year · 2020-2024 · Golden Valley, MN · fetched Oct 28, 2026
24. Cohabiting households: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year · 2020-2024 · Golden Valley, MN · fetched Oct 28, 2026
25. Divorces: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year · 2020-2024 · Minnesota · fetched Oct 28, 2026
26. Marriages: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year · 2020-2024 · Minnesota · fetched Oct 28, 2026
27. Births to unmarried mothers: CDC WONDER · fetched Oct 28, 2026
28. Religious Liberty in the States score: Religious Liberty in the States · 2026 · Minnesota · fetched Oct 28, 2026
29. Safeguards fully in law: Religious Liberty in the States · 2026 · Minnesota · fetched Oct 28, 2026
30. State Religious Freedom Restoration Act: Religious Liberty in the States · 2026 · Minnesota · fetched Oct 28, 2026
31. Anti-Christian hate crimes: FBI Crime Data Explorer · 2025 · Minnesota · fetched Oct 29, 2026
32. School choice: The Liberty register (config/conditions/liberty_laws.yml) · 2026 · Minnesota · fetched Nov 4, 2026
33. Protections for the unborn: The Liberty register (config/conditions/liberty_laws.yml) · 2026 · Minnesota · fetched Nov 4, 2026
34. Homeschool freedom: The Liberty register (config/conditions/liberty_laws.yml) · 2026 · Minnesota · fetched Nov 4, 2026
35. Tone of news coverage of Christianity: GDELT Project, DOC 2.0 API (tone of U.S. news coverage naming Christianity) · 2026-11 · Minnesota · fetched Nov 10, 2026

City Score over time

The last 6 weeks, Golden Valley, MN, Minnesota, and United States side by side. The Condition moves by the quarter; the week-to-week line is how the church is moving.

Compare Golden Valley, MN

• Golden Valley, MN vs Sioux Falls, SD (Sioux Falls, SD scores 37)
• Golden Valley, MN vs Duluth, MN (Duluth, MN scores 37)
• Golden Valley, MN vs Fargo, ND (Fargo, ND scores 36)
• Golden Valley, MN vs Rochester, MN (Rochester, MN scores 42)
• Golden Valley, MN vs St. Cloud, MN (St. Cloud, MN scores 35)

Every indicator

What Golden Valley is up against — 52 out of 100

• Violent crime: 85.8 offences per 100,000, better than 80% of cities, up 25 points · 2025, Golden Valley Police Department · FBI Crime Data Explorer
• Property crime: 949.0 offences per 100,000, better than 54% of cities, up 24 points · 2025, Golden Valley Police Department · FBI Crime Data Explorer
• Sexually transmitted infections: not shown (no data) · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus
• Drug overdose deaths: 27.5 deaths per 100,000, better than 27% of cities, down 19 points · 2025, Hennepin County, MN · CDC NCHS, provisional county drug overdose deaths (VSRR)
• Legal gambling: 1 0-3, better than 86% of cities · 2026, Minnesota · The Liberty register (config/conditions/liberty_laws.yml)
• Adult entertainment outlets: 0.2 mapped places per 100,000, better than 10% of cities · 2026-10, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats)
• Gambling outlets: 0.3 mapped places per 100,000, better than 31% of cities · 2026-10, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats)
• Cannabis outlets: 1.6 mapped places per 100,000, better than 28% of cities · 2026-10, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats)
• Liquor outlets and bars: 20.2 mapped places per 100,000, better than 30% of cities · 2026-10, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats)
• Predatory lenders: 0.9 mapped places per 100,000, better than 63% of cities · 2026-10, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats)
• Abortion facilities (mapped): 0.1 mapped facilities per 100,000 (a floor), better than 14% of cities · 2026-10, Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area · OpenStreetMap outlet counts (Metro pulse, metro_reformation_stats)

Where grace is growing — 35 out of 100

• Church adherents: 511.6 adherents per 1,000 residents, better than 59% of cities · 2020, Hennepin County, MN · 2020 U.S. Religion Census
• Congregations: 7.1 congregations per 10,000 residents, better than 6% of cities · 2020, Hennepin County, MN · 2020 U.S. Religion Census
• Charitable giving: 1.4 itemized charitable deductions as % of adjusted gross income, better than 87% of cities · 2023, Hennepin County, MN · IRS Statistics of Income, county data
• Given to local needs in Joy: 0 dollars per 100,000 residents, trailing 12 months, better than 0% of cities · 2026-10, Golden Valley, MN · Verified in Joy (the impact ledger) · verified in Joy
• Needs met in Joy: 0 per 100,000 residents, trailing 12 months, better than 0% of cities · 2026-10, Golden Valley, MN · Verified in Joy (the impact ledger) · verified in Joy
• Volunteers mobilized in Joy: 0 per 100,000 residents, trailing 12 months, better than 0% of cities · 2026-10, Golden Valley, MN · Verified in Joy (the impact ledger) · verified in Joy
• New believers in Joy: 0 per 100,000 residents, trailing 12 months, better than 0% of cities · 2026-10, Golden Valley, MN · Verified in Joy (the impact ledger) · verified in Joy
• Searches for a church in Joy: 0 per 100,000 residents, trailing 12 months, better than 0% of cities · 2026-10, Golden Valley, MN · Verified in Joy (the impact ledger) · verified in Joy
• Foster and adoptive families in the churches: 0 per 100,000 residents, better than 0% of cities · 2026-11, Golden Valley, MN · Church workspace entries (church-attested) · verified in Joy
• Christian colleges and universities: 3.1 per million residents, better than 74% of cities · 2024 · NCES IPEDS via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (religious affiliation of colleges)

Marriage & family — 68 out of 100

• Children with married parents: 82.7 % of own children under 18 in married-couple families, better than 75% of cities · 2020-2024, Golden Valley, MN · Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year
• Adults 25-44 married: 49.9 % of people 25-44 married, spouse present, better than 57% of cities, down 22 points · 2020-2024, Golden Valley, MN · Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year
• Cohabiting households: 5.9 % of households that are cohabiting couples, better than 61% of cities · 2020-2024, Golden Valley, MN · Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year
• Divorces: 12.0 divorced in the last 12 months per 1,000 married people, better than 82% of cities · 2020-2024, Minnesota · Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year
• Marriages: 30.9 married in the last 12 months per 1,000 unmarried people 15+, better than 39% of cities, down 14 points · 2020-2024, Minnesota · Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year
• Births to unmarried mothers: not shown (no data) · CDC WONDER

Christian liberty — 49 out of 100

• Religious Liberty in the States score: 39.8 % of the edition's safeguards in state law, better than 54% of cities, down 11 points · 2026, Minnesota · Religious Liberty in the States
• Safeguards fully in law: 7 of the edition's safeguards, better than 61% of cities · 2026, Minnesota · Religious Liberty in the States
• State Religious Freedom Restoration Act: 0 1 = full protection, 0 = none, better than 20% of cities · 2026, Minnesota · Religious Liberty in the States
• Anti-Christian hate crimes: 0.0 incidents per 100,000, better than 70% of cities · 2025, Minnesota · FBI Crime Data Explorer
• School choice: 0 0-2, better than 18% of cities · 2026, Minnesota · The Liberty register (config/conditions/liberty_laws.yml)
• Protections for the unborn: 0 0-2, better than 29% of cities · 2026, Minnesota · The Liberty register (config/conditions/liberty_laws.yml)
• Homeschool freedom: 1 0-2, better than 31% of cities · 2026, Minnesota · The Liberty register (config/conditions/liberty_laws.yml)
• Tone of news coverage of Christianity: -1.3 tone (-10 hostile to +10 favourable), better than 37% of cities · 2026-11, Minnesota · GDELT Project, DOC 2.0 API (tone of U.S. news coverage naming Christianity)

Quote and download

Cite it as: Joy Project City Score v1.0, Golden Valley, MN, 2026-Q4, joyproject.com/cities/golden-valley-mn/score

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• How the score is built (methodology)
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