While big cities like Minneapolis offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.
With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around Minneapolis. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near Minneapolis without actually having to be in the city.
Of course, not all suburbs of Minneapolis are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater Minneapolis area.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around Minneapolis for 2025:
What’s the best suburb of Minneapolis? Deephaven ranks as the best suburb of Minneapolis for 2025 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of Deephaven, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.
We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 Minneapolis ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.
Feel free to check out some more reading about Minnesota:
The 10 Best Minneapolis Suburbs To Live For 2025
/10
Population: 3,835
Median Income: $175,441
Unemployment Rate: 1.5%
Poverty Rate: 2.0%
More on Deephaven: Data
Deephaven is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the Minneapolis area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome Deephaven.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $175,441 a year, which is the 6th highest in the Minneapolis region. And only 1.55% are out of work. Homes average more than $854,000 each.
/10
Population: 2,897
Median Income: $147,184
Unemployment Rate: 0.3%
Poverty Rate: 1.1%
More on Greenfield: Data
Greenfield is the second best ‘burb we looked at near Minneapolis for 2025.
It ranks 13th for incomes in the area and only 0.66% of residents lack insurance, good for 8th best.

/10
Population: 11,644
Median Income: $132,935
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%
Poverty Rate: 2.6%
More on Mendota Heights: Data
Here in Mendota Heights, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the Minneapolis metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Mendota Heights.

/10
Population: 3,495
Median Income: $147,944
Unemployment Rate: 1.2%
Poverty Rate: 2.2%
More on Hanover: Data
Hanover ranks as the 4th best suburb of Minneapolis for 2025.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in Hanover and the schools are some of the best around.
/10
Population: 3,695
Median Income: $194,205
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%
Poverty Rate: 0.5%
More on Independence: Data
Coming in as the fifth best is Independence.
Independence gets kudos for having the 5th most expensive homes in the Minneapolis area, where houses sell for an average of $757,800. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.

/10
Population: 8,108
Median Income: $132,326
Unemployment Rate: 2.7%
Poverty Rate: 3.9%
More on Mahtomedi: Data
Mahtomedi is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 2.72%.
According to online reports, Mahtomedi is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the Minneapolis area, meaning you need to get in soon.

/10
Population: 6,858
Median Income: $219,181
Unemployment Rate: 1.9%
Poverty Rate: 2.1%
More on Medina: Data
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Medina.
Medina schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 15.8 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.

/10
Population: 79,526
Median Income: $133,865
Unemployment Rate: 2.0%
Poverty Rate: 4.1%
More on Plymouth: Data
Plymouth is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 2.32% of people lack insurance, good for 37th in the area.




It has all the amenities that you may need including a wide array of grocery stores and places to eat.
There is a lack of diversity in the town and the rent and cost of living is higher than the surrounding areas in the west metro.

/10
Population: 53,125
Median Income: $129,225
Unemployment Rate: 3.8%
Poverty Rate: 4.4%
More on Edina: Data
Is ‘Everything Better In Edina?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.


It was the best of places, it was the worst of places. Like a lot of Minnesota, it’s really somewhere in the middle. And that’s Edina’s big problem, in a nutshell: in a state of bland, inoffensive, passive-aggressive soccer moms, it’s the try-hard city that cares more about style than substance. People from Edina do not *do* much of anything; they mostly just… exist. Preferably at the salon, or artisan coffee house, or highly overpriced grocery store, or failing that in a constant state of “gotta go!” en route from one activity desperately forced on offspring to help them seem interesting and relevant after another.
Edina occupies a convenient location, equidistant from all sorts of places anyone with two clues would much rather be. It’s pretty, the crime is low, the schools are doubtless ever-so-slightly above par, probably in some ever-so-slightly unethical way. There are nice parks. If you’re white and drive a minivan, you’ll feel right at home. The problem with Edina, you should understand, isn’t Edina itself. It’s the people. People from Edina. They’re bland and boring and self-obsessed. Drug-addled middle-managers, trophy wives, 2.4 heavily-medicated children per couple… they’re the laughing stock of the Twin Cities. People from Edina; joke and punchline, all in one. They don’t even get a neat name, like Minneapolitans, or Saint Paulites, or Little Canadians. Nope. People from Edina.
/10
Population: 4,915
Median Income: $147,381
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%
Poverty Rate: 0.0%
More on Elko New Market: Data
And rounding out the top ten for 2025 is Elko New Market.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around Minneapolis for 2025
Figuring out the best suburbs around Minneapolis was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2019-2023 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Minneapolis.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 111 suburbs to evaluate around Minneapolis.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 111 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near Minneapolis.” We’re lookin’ at you, Deephaven.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the best Minneapolis suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best Minneapolis ‘Burbs of 2025
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of Minneapolis are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like Minneapolis but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more Minnesota reading, check out:
Table: Best Minneapolis Suburbs
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deephaven, MN | 3,835 | $175,441 | $854,000 |
| 2 | Greenfield, MN | 2,897 | $147,184 | $524,300 |
| 3 | Mendota Heights, MN | 11,644 | $132,935 | $504,100 |
| 4 | Hanover, MN | 3,495 | $147,944 | $421,700 |
| 5 | Independence, MN | 3,695 | $194,205 | $757,800 |
| 6 | Mahtomedi, MN | 8,108 | $132,326 | $466,100 |
| 7 | Medina, MN | 6,858 | $219,181 | $660,800 |
| 8 | Plymouth, MN | 79,526 | $133,865 | $474,700 |
| 9 | Edina, MN | 53,125 | $129,225 | $624,000 |
| 10 | Elko New Market, MN | 4,915 | $147,381 | $407,400 |
| 11 | Victoria, MN | 10,972 | $192,821 | $572,800 |
| 12 | Lake Elmo, MN | 12,504 | $153,407 | $588,900 |
| 13 | Wayzata, MN | 4,363 | $125,344 | $1,047,400 |
| 14 | North Hudson, MN | 3,848 | $114,539 | $372,900 |
| 15 | Rogers, MN | 13,405 | $159,638 | $437,900 |
| 16 | Lakeville, MN | 72,480 | $138,119 | $425,200 |
| 17 | Orono, MN | 8,205 | $181,875 | $952,400 |
| 18 | Albertville, MN | 8,066 | $126,307 | $326,400 |
| 19 | Chanhassen, MN | 26,001 | $138,034 | $530,700 |
| 20 | Shorewood, MN | 7,679 | $172,325 | $684,500 |
| 21 | North Oaks, MN | 5,175 | $235,858 | $756,300 |
| 22 | St. Anthony, MN | 9,516 | $97,784 | $365,700 |
| 23 | Scandia, MN | 3,966 | $100,179 | $471,900 |
| 24 | Rosemount, MN | 26,509 | $127,247 | $406,100 |
| 25 | Delano, MN | 6,712 | $118,091 | $347,500 |
| 26 | Afton, MN | 2,944 | $129,956 | $655,400 |
| 27 | Grant, MN | 3,959 | $145,357 | $622,000 |
| 28 | Carver, MN | 5,935 | $144,408 | $427,600 |
| 29 | Minnetonka, MN | 53,256 | $120,496 | $456,200 |
| 30 | Prior Lake, MN | 27,832 | $130,278 | $429,900 |
| 31 | Corcoran, MN | 6,854 | $143,250 | $540,100 |
| 32 | Excelsior, MN | 2,359 | $108,611 | $839,500 |
| 33 | Otsego, MN | 21,358 | $127,219 | $367,200 |
| 34 | Eden Prairie, MN | 63,249 | $127,732 | $463,300 |
| 35 | Waconia, MN | 13,223 | $104,929 | $407,600 |
| 36 | Maple Grove, MN | 70,539 | $129,481 | $397,400 |
| 37 | Lino Lakes, MN | 21,847 | $121,800 | $385,000 |
| 38 | Minnetrista, MN | 8,509 | $156,346 | $624,600 |
| 39 | Centerville, MN | 3,915 | $119,361 | $364,700 |
| 40 | Hugo, MN | 16,076 | $114,057 | $394,200 |
| 41 | Oak Grove, MN | 9,031 | $114,679 | $394,100 |
| 42 | St. Michael, MN | 19,267 | $130,814 | $365,800 |
| 43 | Columbus, MN | 4,211 | $117,917 | $439,200 |
| 44 | St. Louis Park, MN | 49,541 | $100,250 | $371,600 |
| 45 | Shoreview, MN | 26,724 | $109,399 | $365,100 |
| 46 | Savage, MN | 32,706 | $122,646 | $395,600 |
| 47 | Champlin, MN | 23,450 | $115,719 | $338,400 |
| 48 | Woodbury, MN | 76,945 | $126,222 | $434,900 |
| 49 | Andover, MN | 32,825 | $131,528 | $389,200 |
| 50 | Stillwater, MN | 19,323 | $109,297 | $398,100 |
| 51 | Ham Lake, MN | 16,575 | $116,845 | $430,100 |
| 52 | Nowthen, MN | 4,539 | $134,491 | $440,200 |
| 53 | Dayton, MN | 8,381 | $137,383 | $510,600 |
| 54 | Falcon Heights, MN | 5,145 | $93,233 | $366,800 |
| 55 | Chaska, MN | 28,146 | $110,000 | $379,400 |
| 56 | Ramsey, MN | 28,070 | $112,060 | $345,000 |
| 57 | Circle Pines, MN | 4,980 | $96,477 | $277,300 |
| 58 | Golden Valley, MN | 21,927 | $114,435 | $423,500 |
| 59 | Eagan, MN | 68,158 | $107,486 | $380,800 |
| 60 | Cottage Grove, MN | 40,124 | $121,452 | $359,600 |
| 61 | East Bethel, MN | 11,995 | $114,583 | $343,200 |
| 62 | Cologne, MN | 2,146 | $117,344 | $356,600 |
| 63 | Farmington, MN | 23,675 | $118,556 | $345,100 |
| 64 | Bayport, MN | 3,948 | $115,781 | $363,200 |
| 65 | Wyoming, MN | 8,063 | $101,938 | $328,900 |
| 66 | Prescott, MN | 4,376 | $82,730 | $282,100 |
| 67 | Lauderdale, MN | 2,386 | $76,558 | $273,600 |
| 68 | Apple Valley, MN | 55,696 | $99,277 | $354,200 |
| 69 | Mound, MN | 9,176 | $91,370 | $348,600 |
| 70 | Arden Hills, MN | 9,737 | $128,668 | $423,800 |
| 71 | Watertown, MN | 4,747 | $93,008 | $315,200 |
| 72 | Elk River, MN | 26,367 | $99,457 | $338,300 |
| 73 | Hastings, MN | 22,050 | $92,940 | $294,100 |
| 74 | Hudson, MN | 15,004 | $97,036 | $355,000 |
| 75 | New Brighton, MN | 22,900 | $87,272 | $345,900 |
| 76 | Inver Grove Heights, MN | 35,772 | $104,055 | $352,300 |
| 77 | Shakopee, MN | 45,002 | $110,989 | $361,400 |
| 78 | Oak Park Heights, MN | 4,782 | $84,639 | $333,600 |
| 79 | Crystal, MN | 22,685 | $86,752 | $280,500 |
| 80 | White Bear Lake, MN | 24,026 | $79,712 | $318,000 |
| 81 | Jordan, MN | 6,704 | $110,139 | $319,000 |
| 82 | Roseville, MN | 35,905 | $88,440 | $334,800 |
| 83 | Vadnais Heights, MN | 12,789 | $91,946 | $334,500 |
| 84 | Rockford, MN | 4,521 | $82,228 | $265,900 |
| 85 | Blaine, MN | 71,261 | $103,382 | $327,500 |
| 86 | St. Paul Park, MN | 5,464 | $98,670 | $252,800 |
| 87 | Hopkins, MN | 18,696 | $71,170 | $350,100 |
| 88 | North St. Paul, MN | 12,511 | $81,641 | $286,600 |
| 89 | Oakdale, MN | 28,109 | $90,379 | $305,900 |
| 90 | Mounds View, MN | 12,992 | $90,148 | $294,500 |
| 91 | Bloomington, MN | 88,838 | $90,677 | $346,200 |
| 92 | Coon Rapids, MN | 63,348 | $86,618 | $287,200 |
| 93 | Spring Lake Park, MN | 6,997 | $77,112 | $281,800 |
| 94 | Robbinsdale, MN | 14,318 | $84,719 | $280,400 |
| 95 | Maplewood, MN | 40,981 | $88,534 | $291,300 |
| 96 | Richfield, MN | 36,725 | $84,055 | $320,400 |
| 97 | Anoka, MN | 17,941 | $75,262 | $292,900 |
| 98 | Forest Lake, MN | 20,678 | $89,879 | $375,900 |
| 99 | Burnsville, MN | 64,295 | $83,953 | $335,100 |
| 100 | Osseo, MN | 2,601 | $66,875 | $275,000 |
