Study Calls Out These 5 Small Cities as the ‘Worst’ in Minnesota

WalletHub recently released a list of the best small cities in America, and surprisingly, only a few Minnesota cities showed up near the top of the list.

Curious to see how the rest of Minnesota fared, we dug a little deeper into the study to find out which cities landed at the other end of the spectrum.

This deep dive revealed some interesting (and maybe unexpected) contenders for the least livable small cities in the state.

Also See: Apparently, Everyone is Moving to This Minnesota City

First, how the study was conducted? WalletHub analyzed 1,300 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 based on 45 livability factors - covering everything from housing costs and school quality to the number of restaurants per capita.

Given the massive number of cities WalletHub ranked, they grouped cities by percentile. Woodbury, along with Savage, Lakeville, Cottage Grove, and a few others managed to reach the 90th percentile, showing that a few Minnesota cities are standing out. The 99th percentile represents the top 1 percent of small cities in America.

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Study Calls Out These 5 Small Cities as the 'Worst' in Minnesota:

Roseville fell in the 54th percentile.

• Affordability rank: 252
• Economic Health Rank: 960
• Education and Health Rank: 588
• Quality of Life Rank: 511
• Safety Rank: 910

Fridley is in the 51st percentile.

• Affordability rank: 378
• Economic Health Rank: 694
• Education and Health Rank: 478
• Quality of Life Rank: 1073
• Safety Rank: 786

Shoreview lands in the 46th percentile.

• Affordability rank: 48
• Economic Health Rank: 1141
• Education and Health Rank: 541
• Quality of Life Rank: 1191
• Safety Rank: 444

St. Cloud is in the 45th percentile.

• Affordability rank: 699
• Economic Health Rank: 807
• Education and Health Rank: 535
• Quality of Life Rank: 693
• Safety Rank: 730

And, the lowest ranked Minnesota city is Brooklyn Center falling in the 40 percentile.

• Affordability rank: 526
• Economic Health Rank: 732
• Education and Health Rank: 479
• Quality of Life Rank: 1223
• Safety Rank: 738

Even Minnesota’s “worst” small cities aren’t so bad - they’re more middle-of-the-road than truly bottom-tier. Compared to Isla Vista, CA, which ranked dead last on the national list, our Minnesota towns still hold their own. To see the entire list, click here.

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