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James J. Hill House 2013St. Paul, the state capital · Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 3.0
Minnesota · 271 graded towns

Towns and cities in Minnesota

143 of Minnesota’s 271 graded towns and cities (53%) grade A− or better nationally, against 25% of U.S. towns. Chatfield ranks first in the state with an A+; safety (A+) and schools (A) are its strongest grades; hazard risk (B−) is its lowest.

Letters are national: the overall grade blends cost of living, safety, schools, health, jobs & income, walkability and hazard risk. How grades work

How Minnesota compares: report cardBest places to liveBest small townsMost affordable townsSafest townsTowns with the best schoolsHealthiest towns
271
towns of 2,500+ with an overall grade
143
grade A− or better nationally
3
of 2,500+ without enough data for a grade
301
smaller places (1,000–2,499) with subject grades
Towns by letter
A+38A58A−47B+36B30B−21C+18C14C−7D2D−0

All 271 graded towns, by county

Every town of 2,500+ residents with an overall grade, in 70 counties, A to Z inside each. The rank is among 271 Minnesota towns on the best places to live list. A town that spans counties is listed in the one where most of it lies.

271 graded towns, A to Z.

Sort within each county:
Jump to a county (70)

Anoka County 19 graded

  1. A−Andover#112 of 27133,874
  2. B+Anoka#163 of 27118,169
  3. B+Blaine#156 of 27176,603
  4. A+Centerville#10 of 2713,978
  5. A+Circle Pines#24 of 2714,967
  6. CColumbia Heights#260 of 27122,482
  7. B+Columbus#158 of 2714,356
  8. B+Coon Rapids#174 of 27164,193
  9. B+East Bethel#160 of 27112,605
  10. CFridley#251 of 27130,829
  11. AHam Lake#83 of 27117,104
  12. A−Lexington#139 of 2713,081
  13. ALino Lakes#96 of 27123,220
  14. B+Linwood Township#170 of 2715,403
  15. ANowthen#55 of 2714,630
  16. BOak Grove#181 of 2719,476
  17. ARamsey#84 of 27129,624
  18. BSpring Lake Park#204 of 2717,127
  19. A−St. Francis#110 of 2718,635

Becker County 1 graded

  1. C+Detroit Lakes#243 of 27110,019

Beltrami County 3 graded

  1. DBemidji#270 of 27115,770
  2. B−Bemidji Township#229 of 2714,031
  3. C+Northern Township#248 of 2713,701

Benton County 3 graded

  1. B+Foley#171 of 2712,650
  2. B+Sauk Rapids#175 of 27113,768
  3. B+Watab Township#172 of 2713,478

Blue Earth County 2 graded

  1. B+Eagle Lake#167 of 2713,357
  2. C+Mankato#239 of 27146,529

Brown County 2 graded

  1. ANew Ulm#78 of 27113,863
  2. A−Sleepy Eye#105 of 2713,461

Carlton County 3 graded

  1. B−Cloquet#228 of 27112,399
  2. CMoose Lake#258 of 2712,948
  3. AThomson Township#81 of 2715,624

Carver County 8 graded

  1. ACarver#40 of 2717,198
  2. AChanhassen#72 of 27125,748
  3. A+Chaska#33 of 27130,513
  4. A−Mayer#97 of 2712,563
  5. A−Norwood Young America#120 of 2713,777
  6. A+Victoria#20 of 27112,447
  7. A+Waconia#31 of 27114,113
  8. A+Watertown#21 of 2714,789

Cass County 1 graded

  1. A−Sylvan Township#136 of 2713,030

Chippewa County 1 graded

  1. A−Montevideo#111 of 2715,335

Chisago County 7 graded

  1. A−Chisago City#140 of 2715,955
  2. A−Chisago Lake Township#103 of 2714,958
  3. ALindstrom#53 of 2715,039
  4. B+North Branch#146 of 27112,398
  5. B−Rush City#220 of 2713,300
  6. A−Stacy#104 of 2714,367
  7. AWyoming#41 of 2718,121

Clay County 3 graded

  1. A+Barnesville#2 of 2712,767
  2. BDilworth#209 of 2714,823
  3. CMoorhead#249 of 27146,533

Cottonwood County 1 graded

  1. B+Windom#173 of 2714,817

Crow Wing County 3 graded

  1. C+Baxter#245 of 2719,217
  2. C+Brainerd#238 of 27114,428
  3. A−Breezy Point#132 of 2712,771

Dakota County 11 graded

  1. A−Apple Valley#143 of 27155,248
  2. C+Burnsville#234 of 27165,244
  3. A−Eagan#108 of 27167,109
  4. A+Farmington#37 of 27125,425
  5. AHastings#69 of 27122,563
  6. AInver Grove Heights#89 of 27136,873
  7. A+Lakeville#30 of 27179,270
  8. A−Mendota Heights#109 of 27111,475
  9. A+Rosemount#13 of 27131,881
  10. BSouth St. Paul#206 of 27120,532
  11. B−West St. Paul#217 of 27121,950

Dodge County 2 graded

  1. A+Dodge Center#8 of 2712,951
  2. A+Kasson#22 of 2717,350

Douglas County 3 graded

  1. B+Alexandria#144 of 27115,045
  2. AAlexandria Township#87 of 2713,114
  3. A−La Grand Township#131 of 2714,309

Faribault County 1 graded

  1. B+Blue Earth#169 of 2713,165

Fillmore County 1 graded

  1. A+Chatfieldalso in Olmsted County#1 of 2713,018

Freeborn County 1 graded

  1. C+Albert Lea#246 of 27118,217

Goodhue County 4 graded

  1. A−Cannon Falls#128 of 2714,209
  2. A−Pine Islandalso in Olmsted County#114 of 2713,911
  3. CRed Wing#254 of 27116,805
  4. A+Zumbrota#12 of 2714,072

Hennepin County 31 graded

  1. B−Bloomington#225 of 27189,034
  2. CBrooklyn Center#261 of 27131,846
  3. BBrooklyn Park#199 of 27183,543
  4. AChamplin#91 of 27123,125
  5. ACorcoran#44 of 2719,269
  6. BCrystal#201 of 27122,239
  7. ADayton#80 of 27111,402
  8. A+Deephaven#3 of 2713,794
  9. AEden Prairie#54 of 27163,075
  10. AEdina#79 of 27154,356
  11. B+Golden Valley#155 of 27121,325
  12. A−Greenfield#142 of 2712,962
  13. BHopkins#198 of 27119,523
  14. AIndependence#61 of 2713,763
  15. B+Maple Grove#161 of 27173,893
  16. A+Medina#11 of 2717,460
  17. CMinneapolis#262 of 271430,324
  18. AMinnetonka#75 of 27153,969
  19. A+Minnetrista#35 of 2719,458
  20. A+Mound#18 of 2719,064
  21. C+New Hope#231 of 27120,807
  22. AOrono#56 of 2718,301
  23. BOsseo#191 of 2712,534
  24. A+Plymouth#23 of 27178,942
  25. BRichfield#203 of 27136,593
  26. C+Robbinsdale#241 of 27114,030
  27. ARogers#95 of 27115,606
  28. AShorewood#47 of 2717,620
  29. A−St. Anthonyalso in Ramsey County#125 of 2719,989
  30. BSt. Louis Park#180 of 27150,027
  31. AWayzata#59 of 2714,344

Houston County 2 graded

  1. A+Caledonia#4 of 2712,768
  2. ALa Crescent#71 of 2715,261

Hubbard County 1 graded

  1. C−Park Rapids#265 of 2714,447

Isanti County 4 graded

  1. B−Bradford Township#215 of 2713,549
  2. BCambridge#197 of 27111,090
  3. BCambridge Township#200 of 2712,592
  4. AIsanti#70 of 2717,714

Itasca County 3 graded

  1. C+Cohasset#235 of 2712,728
  2. B−Grand Rapids#211 of 27111,181
  3. B−Harris Township#226 of 2713,364

Jackson County 1 graded

  1. AJackson#76 of 2713,305

Kanabec County 1 graded

  1. BMora#192 of 2713,763

Kandiyohi County 2 graded

  1. A+New London Township#34 of 2712,965
  2. CWillmar#256 of 27122,001

Koochiching County 1 graded

  1. BInternational Falls#207 of 2715,481

Lake County 1 graded

  1. A−Two Harbors#137 of 2713,443

Le Sueur County 3 graded

  1. A+Le Center#36 of 2712,524
  2. ALe Sueur#90 of 2714,210
  3. A+Montgomery#15 of 2713,539

Lyon County 1 graded

  1. BMarshall#184 of 27114,171

Martin County 1 graded

  1. C+Fairmont#233 of 27110,099

McLeod County 2 graded

  1. B+Glencoe#179 of 2715,632
  2. B+Hutchinson#147 of 27114,655

Meeker County 1 graded

  1. B+Litchfield#176 of 2716,528

Mille Lacs County 2 graded

  1. BMilaca#189 of 2713,041
  2. B+Princeton#151 of 2715,480

Morrison County 1 graded

  1. C−Little Falls#264 of 2719,277

Mower County 1 graded

  1. CAustin#250 of 27126,689

Nicollet County 2 graded

  1. A−North Mankato#98 of 27114,165
  2. A−St. Peter#124 of 27112,275

Nobles County 1 graded

  1. C−Worthington#266 of 27113,979

Olmsted County 5 graded

  1. A+Byron#9 of 2716,740
  2. BCascade Township#183 of 2712,810
  3. B+Marion Township#157 of 2714,111
  4. BRochester#188 of 271124,292
  5. AStewartville#57 of 2716,850

Otter Tail County 3 graded

  1. BFergus Falls#208 of 27114,246
  2. A−Pelican Rapids#126 of 2712,608
  3. BPerham#202 of 2713,746

Pennington County 1 graded

  1. BThief River Falls#182 of 2718,799

Pine County 3 graded

  1. CPine City#252 of 2713,820
  2. C−Pokegama Township#263 of 2712,884
  3. C−Sandstone#267 of 2712,543

Pipestone County 1 graded

  1. B+Pipestone#166 of 2714,100

Polk County 2 graded

  1. C+Crookston#240 of 2717,375
  2. B+East Grand Forks#148 of 2718,906

Pope County 1 graded

  1. A−Glenwood#135 of 2712,631

Ramsey County 14 graded

  1. A+Arden Hills#28 of 2719,583
  2. AFalcon Heights#62 of 2715,071
  3. B+Little Canada#145 of 27110,567
  4. C+Maplewood#236 of 27140,717
  5. AMounds View#88 of 27112,786
  6. ANew Brighton#73 of 27122,159
  7. A−North Oaks#138 of 2715,283
  8. B−North St. Paul#227 of 27112,780
  9. B−Roseville#218 of 27135,663
  10. AShoreview#42 of 27126,906
  11. CSt. Paul#259 of 271306,684
  12. AVadnais Heights#94 of 27113,052
  13. A−White Bear Lake#122 of 27123,392
  14. AWhite Bear Township#68 of 27110,399

Redwood County 1 graded

  1. B−Redwood Falls#216 of 2715,040

Rice County 3 graded

  1. C−Faribault#268 of 27125,040
  2. A+Lonsdale#19 of 2715,117
  3. A−Northfield#102 of 27121,992

Rock County 1 graded

  1. A+Luverne#32 of 2714,984

Roseau County 1 graded

  1. BRoseau#195 of 2712,685

Scott County 10 graded

  1. A−Belle Plaine#129 of 2717,632
  2. A−Cedar Lake Township#115 of 2713,080
  3. AElko New Market#93 of 2715,300
  4. AJordan#66 of 2716,988
  5. B+New Market Township#164 of 2713,574
  6. A+New Praguealso in Le Sueur County#7 of 2718,238
  7. APrior Lake#74 of 27128,140
  8. A−Savage#133 of 27132,970
  9. B+Shakopee#150 of 27149,366
  10. B+Spring Lake Township#154 of 2713,498

Sherburne County 9 graded

  1. ABecker#39 of 2715,425
  2. ABig Lake#43 of 27112,929
  3. A−Big Lake Township#106 of 2718,283
  4. B+Blue Hill Township#159 of 2712,625
  5. AElk River#48 of 27127,896
  6. ALivonia Township#65 of 2716,436
  7. A−Orrock Township#141 of 2713,698
  8. B−Palmer Township#222 of 2712,633
  9. A−Zimmerman#119 of 2716,904

St. Louis County 12 graded

  1. C+Chisholm#237 of 2714,625
  2. CDuluth#253 of 27188,330
  3. A−Ely#116 of 2713,231
  4. C+Eveleth#242 of 2713,381
  5. C+Grand Lake Township#247 of 2712,705
  6. BHermantown#190 of 27110,110
  7. A−Hibbing#121 of 27115,823
  8. A−Mountain Iron#99 of 2712,835
  9. A−Proctor#113 of 2713,054
  10. B−Rice Lake#214 of 2714,169
  11. C+Virginia#244 of 2718,187
  12. B−White Township#219 of 2713,088

Stearns County 13 graded

  1. A+Albany#14 of 2712,873
  2. A−Brockway Township#123 of 2713,016
  3. B−Cold Spring#223 of 2714,329
  4. CCollegeville Township#257 of 2713,262
  5. A−Melrose#118 of 2713,888
  6. A+Paynesville#27 of 2712,591
  7. B+Sartell#153 of 27119,918
  8. B−Sauk Centre#221 of 2714,663
  9. BSt. Augusta#187 of 2713,799
  10. C−St. Cloud#269 of 27172,647
  11. B−St. Joseph#210 of 2716,846
  12. DWaite Park#271 of 2718,450
  13. BWakefield Township#194 of 2712,829

Steele County 1 graded

  1. B+Owatonna#177 of 27126,633

Stevens County 1 graded

  1. A+Morris#38 of 2715,150

Swift County 1 graded

  1. C+Benson#232 of 2713,444

Todd County 2 graded

  1. B−Long Prairie#224 of 2713,830
  2. B−Staplesalso in Wadena County#212 of 2713,074

Wabasha County 3 graded

  1. ALake City#45 of 2715,306
  2. A+Plainview#5 of 2713,482
  3. B+Wabasha#178 of 2712,599

Wadena County 1 graded

  1. CWadena#255 of 2714,341

Waseca County 1 graded

  1. B−Waseca#213 of 2719,035

Washington County 17 graded

  1. B+Afton#162 of 2712,960
  2. A+Bayport#25 of 2713,721
  3. ACottage Grove#50 of 27143,604
  4. B+Forest Lake#168 of 27120,952
  5. AGrant#86 of 2713,954
  6. A−Hugo#127 of 27117,167
  7. A−Lake Elmo#117 of 27114,376
  8. AMahtomedi#51 of 2718,189
  9. B+May Township#149 of 2712,638
  10. BNewport#185 of 2715,525
  11. B+Oak Park Heights#165 of 2714,625
  12. BOakdale#186 of 27130,588
  13. B+Scandia#152 of 2713,979
  14. ASt. Paul Park#77 of 2715,396
  15. AStillwater#67 of 27119,354
  16. AWest Lakeland Township#60 of 2713,931
  17. AWoodbury#92 of 27181,558

Watonwan County 1 graded

  1. BSt. James#196 of 2714,863

Wilkin County 1 graded

  1. BBreckenridge#205 of 2713,323

Winona County 3 graded

  1. AGoodview#58 of 2714,122
  2. A+St. Charles#29 of 2714,090
  3. B−Winona#230 of 27126,530

Wright County 16 graded

  1. A+Albertville#6 of 2718,544
  2. A+Annandale#17 of 2713,801
  3. ABuffalo#64 of 27116,878
  4. ACokato#49 of 2712,793
  5. A−Corinna Township#134 of 2712,596
  6. A+Delano#16 of 2717,788
  7. A−Franklin Township#130 of 2712,939
  8. A−Hanover#101 of 2714,392
  9. AMonticello#63 of 27115,670
  10. AMonticello Township#52 of 2713,374
  11. A−Montrose#100 of 2713,986
  12. AOtsego#82 of 27124,525
  13. ARockford#46 of 2714,827
  14. A−Rockford Township#107 of 2713,474
  15. ASilver Creek Townshipanother Silver Creek Township is in Lake County#85 of 2712,620
  16. A+St. Michael#26 of 27122,498

Yellow Medicine County 1 graded

  1. BGranite Fallsalso in Chippewa County#193 of 2712,691
Also in Minnesota

Not on the ranked list

Not graded (3)

Towns of 2,500+ without enough data for an overall grade. Their pages show every subject that is graded.

  • –Baldwin 7,231 people. No overall grade: no cost of living or safety or health figures, and the overall needs three of the four.
  • –Credit River 5,644 people. No overall grade: no safety or health figures, and the overall needs three of the four.
  • –Empire 3,063 people. No overall grade: no safety or health figures, and the overall needs three of the four.

Smaller places 301 with 1,000–2,499 residents

These have subject grades (safety, schools, health and the rest) but no overall grade or rank: the overall starts at 2,500 residents.

Go deeper

Lists in Minnesota

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Minnesota rankings →
Best places to live271 towns · #1 ChatfieldBest small towns167 towns · #1 ChatfieldMost affordable towns273 towns · #1 International Falls and White TownshipSafest towns166 towns · #1 Caledonia and Chatfield and MontevideoTowns with the best schools274 towns · #1 Deephaven and Delano and Franklin Township and Independence and Medina and Orono and Plymouth and Shorewood and WayzataHealthiest towns271 towns · #1 DeephavenBest towns for jobs & income273 towns · #1 IndependenceMost walkable towns273 towns · #1 MinneapolisTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk274 towns · #1 ElyBest towns for the outdoors274 towns · #1 Victoria and White Bear TownshipMost historic towns273 towns · #1 St. PaulTowns with the most civic life271 towns · #1 BarnesvilleTowns with the least snow271 towns · #1 Lake CityDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns271 towns · #1 Grand Lake TownshipDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters270 towns · #1 La CrescentDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers270 towns · #1 MarshallDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers270 towns · #1 Two HarborsDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes273 towns · #1 North OaksDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes271 towns · #1 EvelethDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns270 towns · #1 DaytonDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries18 towns · #1 ElyDescribed, no letters