Minneapolis Tops The List For Cities Welcoming People With Disabilities

Two Minnesota cities were ranked in the top five in a recent study of the 'Best and Worst Cities For People With Disabilities.' St. Paul finished with a fifth-place ranking, while Minneapolis took the top overall spot.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that 29% of United States adults have a disability that impacts their major activities. In addition, the Social Security Administration notes that the average monthly Social Security disability benefit is $1,445.72 or $17,348.64 per year.

“More than one in four U.S. adults live with a disability, so it’s extremely important for cities to prioritize becoming a safe, welcoming and affordable place for this demographic," said WalletHub's Chip Lupo. "The best cities have highly-accessible public facilities and housing, high-quality medical care, and an affordable cost of living for people on a fixed income.”

MINNEAPOLIS 

Minneapolis earned the top spot in the study thanks in large part due to 'the availability of affordable, quality medical care.' WalletHub notes that the average monthly health insurance premium in Minneapolis is the second-lowest in the United States at $355 and the eighth-best public hospitals in the country.

Minneapolis ranked as the 26th-best city for the number of wheelchair-accessible grocery stores and has the fifth-most wheelchair accessible trails. When it comes to homes, 27% of those listed for sale are wheelchair-accessible, which is the 11th-most in the US.

ST. PAUL 

St. Paul's fifth-overall ranking was buoyed by it's second-place finish in the 'health care' category, finishing behind only its twin city Minneapolis.

The state capitol also finished 29th in quality of life (Minneapolis was sixth) and 113th in economics (Minneapolis finished 84th in this category).