#1Ely
St. Louis County · 3,231 peopleHazard risk grade, better than 98% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #116 of 271 in MN
Ely, #1 on this list · Photo: ShakataGaNai · CC BY-SA 3.0Minnesota rankings · Hazard risk
Towns with the lowest natural-hazard risk in Minnesota
Ely ranks first on hazard risk among Minnesota’s 274 towns of 2,500+; 62 of the 274 grade A− or better on hazard risk nationally.
The Hazard risk grade: FEMA’s expected yearly loss to buildings from natural hazards, where residents live (National Risk Index). How grades work
#1A+
#2Two Harbors
Lake County · 3,443 peopleHazard risk grade, better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #137 of 271 in MN
#3Alexandria
Douglas County · 15,045 peopleHazard risk grade, better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #144 of 271 in MN
All 274 towns
Hazard risk grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 76 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
274 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
10Fergus FallsOtter Tail County · 14,246 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #208 of 271
15La Grand TownshipDouglas County · 4,309 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #131 of 271
17St. Louis ParkHennepin County · 50,027 peopleAbetter than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #180 of 271
T25Alexandria TownshipDouglas County · 3,114 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #87 of 271
34Spring Lake ParkAnoka County · 7,127 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #204 of 271
35Little CanadaRamsey County · 10,567 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #145 of 271
42White TownshipSt. Louis County · 3,088 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #219 of 271
T45White Bear LakeRamsey County · 23,392 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #122 of 271
51Maple GroveHennepin County · 73,893 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #161 of 271
54Mendota HeightsDakota County · 11,475 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #109 of 271
58South St. PaulDakota County · 20,532 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #206 of 271
59Norwood Young AmericaCarver County · 3,777 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #120 of 271
61Vadnais HeightsRamsey County · 13,052 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #94 of 271
62St. Paul ParkWashington County · 5,396 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #77 of 271
64Pelican RapidsOtter Tail County · 2,608 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #126 of 271
67BloomingtonHennepin County · 89,034 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #225 of 271
74Inver Grove HeightsDakota County · 36,873 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #89 of 271
T75North St. PaulRamsey County · 12,780 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #227 of 271
79Lake ElmoWashington County · 14,376 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #117 of 271
T81Cottage GroveWashington County · 43,604 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #50 of 271
T81MinneapolisHennepin County · 430,324 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #262 of 271
T84North BranchChisago County · 12,398 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #146 of 271
T88Collegeville TownshipStearns County · 3,262 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #257 of 271
93Grand Lake TownshipSt. Louis County · 2,705 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #247 of 271
96New London TownshipKandiyohi County · 2,965 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #34 of 271
97Oak Park HeightsWashington County · 4,625 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #165 of 271
T105Golden ValleyHennepin County · 21,325 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #155 of 271
T113Eden PrairieHennepin County · 63,075 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #54 of 271
119Eagle LakeBlue Earth County · 3,357 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #167 of 271
T123White Bear TownshipRamsey County · 10,399 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #68 of 271
T125Apple ValleyDakota County · 55,248 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #143 of 271
T125Monticello TownshipWright County · 3,374 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #52 of 271
T133North MankatoNicollet County · 14,165 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #98 of 271
139Chisago Lake TownshipChisago County · 4,958 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #103 of 271
T142Elko New MarketScott County · 5,300 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #93 of 271
144East Grand ForksPolk County · 8,906 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #148 of 271
T145New Market TownshipScott County · 3,574 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #164 of 271
T145West Lakeland TownshipWashington County · 3,931 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #60 of 271
148Livonia TownshipSherburne County · 6,436 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #65 of 271
150PrincetonMille Lacs County · 5,480 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #151 of 271
154Harris TownshipItasca County · 3,364 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #226 of 271
156Cambridge TownshipIsanti County · 2,592 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #200 of 271
172Palmer TownshipSherburne County · 2,633 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #222 of 271
178Spring Lake TownshipScott County · 3,498 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #154 of 271
T179Sylvan TownshipCass County · 3,030 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #136 of 271
182Linwood TownshipAnoka County · 5,403 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #170 of 271
189Bemidji TownshipBeltrami County · 4,031 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #229 of 271
T190May TownshipWashington County · 2,638 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #149 of 271
193Forest LakeWashington County · 20,952 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #168 of 271
195Bradford TownshipIsanti County · 3,549 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #215 of 271
196Redwood FallsRedwood County · 5,040 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #216 of 271
202Breezy PointCrow Wing County · 2,771 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #132 of 271
206Cedar Lake TownshipScott County · 3,080 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #115 of 271
210Brooklyn ParkHennepin County · 83,543 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #199 of 271
211Cascade TownshipOlmsted County · 2,810 peopleC+better than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #183 of 271
T213Northern TownshipBeltrami County · 3,701 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #248 of 271
216Granite FallsYellow Medicine County · 2,691 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #193 of 271
223Big Lake TownshipSherburne County · 8,283 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #106 of 271
225Wakefield TownshipStearns County · 2,829 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #194 of 271
227Silver Creek TownshipWright County · 2,620 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #85 of 271
228Marion TownshipOlmsted County · 4,111 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #157 of 271
229Corinna TownshipWright County · 2,596 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #134 of 271
T230Brockway TownshipStearns County · 3,016 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #123 of 271
233Franklin TownshipWright County · 2,939 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #130 of 271
240RobbinsdaleHennepin County · 14,030 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #241 of 271
241Columbia HeightsAnoka County · 22,482 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #260 of 271
246Thomson TownshipCarlton County · 5,624 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #81 of 271
252Pokegama TownshipPine County · 2,884 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #263 of 271
254Brooklyn CenterHennepin County · 31,846 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #261 of 271
258Blue Hill TownshipSherburne County · 2,625 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #159 of 271
259Cannon FallsGoodhue County · 4,209 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #128 of 271
T260Blue EarthFaribault County · 3,165 peopleC−better than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #169 of 271
T263Orrock TownshipSherburne County · 3,698 peopleDbetter than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #141 of 271
T263Rockford TownshipWright County · 3,474 peopleDbetter than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #107 of 271
268International FallsKoochiching County · 5,481 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #207 of 271
269Watab TownshipBenton County · 3,478 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #172 of 271
272Thief River FallsPennington County · 8,799 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #182 of 271
Quick answers
Questions people ask
Which Minnesota town has the lowest natural-hazard risk?
Ely (St. Louis County) ranks first on hazard risk among 274 towns, with an A+; Two Harbors and Alexandria follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The Hazard risk grade: FEMA’s expected yearly loss to buildings from natural hazards, where residents live (National Risk Index). Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a hazard risk grade (274 in Minnesota). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Minnesota page.
Go deeper
All Minnesota rankings →More Minnesota lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
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 MinneapolisBest 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
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