Enough with the big cities and how great they are/burned down to the ground and never rebuilt they are. Let's get a bit smaller than that; where there's the amenities of big cities, without a big chunk of the big city B.S. That's right: we're ranking small cities!

Not small towns, because they tend to rule. Today's ranking limits "small" cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000. That...seems like a lot of people, but whatever TO THE RANKS!

The Best 'Small' Cities in Minnesota

The findings are based on 45 'key indicators of livability'. Oxygen? Well, no. Housing costs, quality of schools, number of restaurants per capita (seriously), etc.

#1: Woodbury

Woodbury Veterans Memorial via WoodburyMN.gov/Canva
Woodbury Veterans Memorial via WoodburyMN.gov/Canva
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Almost the Village of Washington with Cottage Grove, Woodbury is the 64th-most affordable small city in the country, and ranks 30th in safety. It's home to the star of season 18 of The Bachelorette, Michelle Young.

#2: Savage

Mean Gene Okerland and Macho Man Randy Savage (WWE via YouTube)/Canva
'Mean' Gene Okerland and 'Macho Man' Randy Savage (WWE via YouTube)/Canva
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Either named after an entrepreneur, a horse, or a pro wrestler; Savage was the landing point for Irish and Scottish immigrants in 1800. It's home to the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge and Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, and ranks 29th in the country in Affordability and 67th in Safety.

#3: Lakeville

Lakeville Brewery via Google Maps
Lakeville Brewing Company via Google Maps/Canva
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A city of lakes?! This small Minnesota city is the largest city in Dakota County with 69,490 residents, and the 7th-most affordable 'small' city in the country. It even has a livecam on the Casperson Park Boat Launch.

#4: Cottage Grove

Stifler (American Pie via YouTube)
Actor Seann William Scott as Stifler (American Pie via YouTube)/Canva
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The hometown of Stifler (actor Seann William Scott) from American Pie, the small city of 41,033 hosts Strawberry Fest every year. It's 22nd in the country in Affordability and 8th in Safety (among small cities).


The Worst 'Small' Cities in Minnesota

WalletHub ranked cities by 'percentile', with larger numbers being better. They went all the way down to one - which is the worst - and none of Minnesota's 'small' cities scored lower than 43 (below average, but far from the worst). The bottom four from 'worst' to 'worstest':

#4: Fridley

Medtronic in Fridley via Google Maps/Canva
Medtronic in Fridley via Google Maps/Canva
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Named after Abram M. Fridley, who oddly looks exactly how I pictured him, Fridley is home to the Minnesota Municipal Beverage Association headquarters as well as the  world headquarters of the largest medical device company in the world (as of 2017): Medtronic plc. Fridley was hit by TWO F4 tornadoes on May 6th, 1965. Fridley ranks 1073rd out of approximately 1300 small cities in the country for Quality of Life and 786th in Safety (but is still in the 51st percentile among small cities in the country)

#3: Shoreview

Shoreview Community Center via Google Maps/Canva
Shoreview Community Center via Google Maps/Canva
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Way back in 2008, Shoreview ranked fourth in a Family Circle list of best family towns. Now it's crammed with the majority of the Twin Cities' FM and TV broadcast transmitters and antennae. It's ranked 1141st in Economic health and 1191st in Quality of Life. On the plus side, Shoreview is the home of Cleveland Guardians reliever Sam Hentges (currently on the injured list after an outstanding first half of the 2024 season).

#2: St. Cloud

Munsinger Gardens via Google Maps/Canva
Munsinger Gardens via Google Maps/Canva
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Wuuuuhhh? The Granite City gets no love from WalletHub. The STC ranks 807th in Economic Health, 730rd in Safety, 699th in Affordability, and 693rd in Quality of Life. But we have Munsinger Gardens and great hockey, so PPPPPPBBBBBTH.

#1: Brooklyn Center

David Spade as Joe Dirt (Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers via YouTube)/Canva
David Spade as Joe Dirt (Rotten Tomatoes Classic Trailers via YouTube)/Canva
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1223rd in Quality of Life, 738th in Safety, and 732nd in Economic Health. But it's also the hometown of the guy who directed Joe Dirt (Dennie Gordon), so there's that.

H/T: WalletHub

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18 Forbidden Things Minnesotans Should Never Flush

What goes down your toilet might seem to disappear, but it often comes back to haunt you (and the environment) in unexpected ways. Here are the things you should never flush down your toilet!

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Ultimate Fan's Dream: Spend the Night in Prince's 'Purple Rain' Home in Minnesota

Renovated and loaded with memorabilia, the house in Minneapolis, MN from Prince's movie 'Purple Rain' is on Airbnb. Take a look at the pictures!

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