The 10 Best Counties To Live In Minnesota For 2022


Using science and data, we can tell you which counties in Minnesota have the most for people looking to make the move to Minnesota.

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Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment: is Minnesota a good place?

The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best places to live in Minnesota.

Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the North Star State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been helping people find the best places to live in America for years.

So, the question becomes, if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Minnesota, where would you go? To answer that we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 87 counties in the state.

After the analytic dust settled, we identified the 10 best counties to live in North Star State for 2022.

Carver County is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Minnesota. And you might want to avoid Mahnomen County if you can — at least according to the data.

So if you’re thinking of making the move Minnesota, we’ve got you covered. Keep on reading for a detailed methodology.

Or, check out the best places to live in Minnesota and the cheapest places to live in Minnesota.

The Best Counties To Live In Minnesota For 2022

1. Carver County

Carver, MN

Biggest Place: Chaska

Population: 103,561
Median Income: $104,011.0 (best)
Median Home Price: $333,400.0 (best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.5% (16th best)
More on Carver County: PhotosData

2. Sherburne County

Big Lake, MN

Biggest Place: St. Cloud

Population: 96,015
Median Income: $88,671.0 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $244,700.0 (8th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4% (11th best)
More on Sherburne County: PhotosData

3. Wright County

Albertville, MN

Biggest Place: St. Michael

Population: 136,387
Median Income: $87,772.0 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $250,800.0 (7th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7% (20th best)
More on Wright County: PhotosData

4. Washington County

Afton, MN

Source: Public domain

Biggest Place: Woodbury

Population: 259,072
Median Income: $97,584.0 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $301,000.0 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.1% (3best)
More on Washington County: PhotosData

5. Dodge County

Dodge Center, MN

Biggest Place: Kasson

Population: 20,807
Median Income: $79,020.0 (11th best)
Median Home Price: $197,100.0 (25th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.5% (18th best)
More on Dodge County: PhotosData

6. Nicollet County

Le Sueur, MN

Biggest Place: Mankato

Population: 34,176
Median Income: $69,174.0 (16th best)
Median Home Price: $205,000.0 (2best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.3% (10th best)
More on Nicollet County: PhotosData

7. Scott County

Jordan, MN

Biggest Place: Shakopee

Population: 147,201
Median Income: $103,261.0 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $317,500.0 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.0% (29th best)
More on Scott County: PhotosData

8. Pope County

Glenwood, MN

Biggest Place: Glenwood

Population: 11,107
Median Income: $62,878.0 (32nd best)
Median Home Price: $185,800.0 (30th best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.4% (best)
More on Pope County: PhotosData

9. Chisago County

Lindstrom, MN

Source: Public domain

Biggest Place: North Branch

Population: 55,844
Median Income: $86,900.0 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $244,600.0 (9th best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.7% (47th best)
More on Chisago County: PhotosData

10. Meeker County

Litchfield, MN

Biggest Place: Litchfield

Population: 23,149
Median Income: $63,841.0 (30th best)
Median Home Price: $175,600.0 (37th best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4% (12th best)
More on Meeker County: PhotosData

Methodology: How do you determine which Minnesota county is the best?

To give you the best county in Minnesota, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we need to make some assumptions about what’s a “best county” and what isn’t. And, for reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, don’t take this analysis to court.

With that in mind, we went to two of the best sources of data on the internet; the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent time period.

We paid particular attention to:

  • Violent Crime Rates
  • Property Crime Rates
  • Median Home Values
  • Median Income
  • Unemployment Rates
  • Adult Education Levels
  • Health Insurance Coverage
  • Poverty Rates

We then ranked each county in Minnesota across each of the criteria from one to 87, with one being the best.

Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Minnesota”.

The result is some of the safest, quiet, and best counties to raise a family in the North Star State.

Read on to see why Carver County is the best county, while Mahnomen County is probably in contention for being the worst county in Minnesota.

Summary: The Best Counties In Minnesota To Call Home For 2018

It turns out living in Minnesota can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?

But now you the know the really good parts and the parts to avoid and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day. And for that, you are welcome.

Here’s a look at the worst counties in Minnesota according to the data:

  1. Mahnomen County
  2. Clearwater County
  3. Wadena County

For more Minnesota reading, check out:

Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Minnesota

County Rank Population Median Income Median Home Price
Carver County 1 103,561 $104,011.0 $333,400.0
Sherburne County 2 96,015 $88,671.0 $244,700.0
Wright County 3 136,387 $87,772.0 $250,800.0
Washington County 4 259,072 $97,584.0 $301,000.0
Dodge County 5 20,807 $79,020.0 $197,100.0
Nicollet County 6 34,176 $69,174.0 $205,000.0
Scott County 7 147,201 $103,261.0 $317,500.0
Pope County 8 11,107 $62,878.0 $185,800.0
Chisago County 9 55,844 $86,900.0 $244,600.0
Meeker County 10 23,149 $63,841.0 $175,600.0
Le Sueur County 11 28,425 $75,925.0 $226,400.0
Brown County 12 25,076 $59,804.0 $144,000.0
Lake County 13 10,571 $65,201.0 $174,300.0
Olmsted County 14 156,446 $80,403.0 $233,100.0
Douglas County 15 37,820 $65,430.0 $226,500.0
Houston County 16 18,670 $59,514.0 $177,000.0
Cook County 17 5,402 $59,537.0 $251,900.0
Yellow Medicine County 18 9,775 $59,289.0 $117,900.0
Mcleod County 19 35,788 $62,885.0 $171,200.0
Murray County 20 8,247 $62,839.0 $132,500.0
Anoka County 21 353,775 $84,379.0 $244,500.0
Dakota County 22 425,271 $88,468.0 $280,300.0
Wabasha County 23 21,564 $67,906.0 $189,300.0
Pennington County 24 14,110 $60,940.0 $163,400.0
Steele County 25 36,710 $68,172.0 $173,400.0
Isanti County 26 40,004 $76,999.0 $214,400.0
Benton County 27 40,476 $60,564.0 $187,300.0
Sibley County 28 14,871 $64,170.0 $166,100.0
Goodhue County 29 46,330 $69,334.0 $212,800.0
Jackson County 30 9,873 $62,479.0 $122,300.0
Stevens County 31 9,770 $65,503.0 $161,000.0
Roseau County 32 15,259 $62,304.0 $140,800.0
Fillmore County 33 21,031 $64,375.0 $159,500.0
Clay County 34 64,029 $66,069.0 $205,400.0
Wilkin County 35 6,264 $56,829.0 $138,300.0
Red Lake County 36 4,005 $59,698.0 $123,000.0
Marshall County 37 9,353 $60,951.0 $121,000.0
Waseca County 38 18,658 $60,450.0 $162,000.0
Rock County 39 9,386 $65,744.0 $160,700.0
Crow Wing County 40 64,775 $57,779.0 $208,900.0
Polk County 41 31,384 $58,682.0 $169,100.0
Rice County 42 66,549 $70,600.0 $232,800.0
Blue Earth County 43 67,368 $61,058.0 $194,800.0
Hennepin County 44 1,255,296 $81,169.0 $292,100.0
Lac Qui Parle County 45 6,645 $57,802.0 $97,500.0
Traverse County 46 3,282 $51,216.0 $85,700.0
Carlton County 47 35,709 $66,201.0 $179,400.0
Otter Tail County 48 58,416 $59,456.0 $203,800.0
Becker County 49 34,227 $60,508.0 $202,600.0
Lake Of The Woods County 50 3,747 $50,669.0 $179,500.0
St. Louis County 51 199,499 $57,480.0 $161,100.0
Winona County 52 50,744 $60,020.0 $173,200.0
Morrison County 53 33,119 $58,826.0 $178,100.0
Renville County 54 14,572 $58,542.0 $112,400.0
Redwood County 55 15,193 $57,243.0 $114,800.0
Faribault County 56 13,727 $53,963.0 $94,100.0
Lyon County 57 25,696 $57,274.0 $152,700.0
Hubbard County 58 21,287 $58,475.0 $208,200.0
Stearns County 59 159,788 $65,244.0 $193,500.0
Aitkin County 60 15,826 $49,086.0 $183,400.0
Ramsey County 61 546,598 $67,238.0 $239,000.0
Kandiyohi County 62 42,909 $64,252.0 $178,000.0
Big Stone County 63 4,974 $55,909.0 $108,900.0
Grant County 64 5,962 $59,246.0 $129,400.0
Nobles County 65 21,667 $56,000.0 $130,400.0
Kanabec County 66 16,205 $57,877.0 $168,900.0
Itasca County 67 45,180 $55,744.0 $163,600.0
Freeborn County 68 30,465 $54,628.0 $121,600.0
Koochiching County 69 12,355 $52,297.0 $115,500.0
Cass County 70 29,462 $53,845.0 $200,700.0
Martin County 71 19,737 $53,851.0 $126,400.0
Chippewa County 72 11,876 $57,301.0 $118,100.0
Mower County 73 39,931 $55,378.0 $130,800.0
Kittson County 74 4,272 $55,410.0 $96,300.0
Lincoln County 75 5,641 $53,557.0 $107,800.0
Cottonwood County 76 11,279 $51,067.0 $106,900.0
Swift County 77 9,329 $53,457.0 $113,000.0
Norman County 78 6,466 $56,081.0 $107,600.0
Watonwan County 79 10,903 $53,304.0 $98,600.0
Mille Lacs County 80 25,963 $57,173.0 $170,500.0
Pine County 81 29,254 $55,606.0 $170,700.0
Todd County 82 24,603 $54,502.0 $151,800.0
Pipestone County 83 9,163 $53,688.0 $101,300.0
Beltrami County 84 46,784 $50,525.0 $167,000.0
Wadena County 85 13,681 $46,178.0 $135,000.0
Clearwater County 86 8,872 $51,742.0 $139,500.0
Mahnomen County 87 5,508 $45,398.0 $111,400.0
Editor’s Note: We updated this article for 2022. This is our ninth time ranking the best counties to live in Minnesota.

About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.