Editor’s Note: This is not investment advice, and we are not financial advisers.
Suppose real estate is the most significant investment a majority of people make in their lifetime. In that case, it’s best to understand the places in Minnesota with best potential return on investment.
After working in real estate adjacent roles for over a decade, I had the hypothesis that the best place to buy for a return on investment would be up-and-coming cities. Smaller cities where crime might be high now, but people still move to.
To test my hypothesis, we are going to look at places in Minnesota that are growing faster than average, but where home prices are below average, and crime rates are higher than average.
In everyday terms, these might be “deals”. The best deal in Minnesota at the moment according to Saturday Night Science? That would be Princeton.
5.7% population growth · -0.0% home price growth
Data | Movers
1.8% population growth · 1.2% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
1.5% population growth · 0.1% home price growth
Data | Movers
-0.1% population growth · -1.3% home price growth
Redwood Falls is a city in Redwood County, located along the Redwood River near its confluence with the Minnesota River, in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 5,254 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat.
Data | Movers
0.3% population growth · 0.1% home price growth
Lake City is a city in Goodhue and Wabasha counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It lies along Lake Pepin, a wide portion of the Mississippi River. The population was 5,063 at the 2010 census. Most of Lake City is located within Wabasha County with only a small portion in Goodhue County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
0.2% population growth · 0.4% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
-0.3% population growth · -0.3% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
4.8% population growth · -1.0% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
0.1% population growth · 1.8% home price growth
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
0.7% population growth · -2.3% home price growth
Morris is a city in Stevens County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 5,286 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Minnesota’s statewide median.
Minnesota statewide median: $346,668
On the map
Where Minnesota’s best buys are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine the best places to buy a home in Minnesota for 2026?
We were in real estate for almost five years and have worked on this site for over a decade. Suffice it to say we’ve put a lot of thought into finding an excellent place to buy a home.
So all that thinking has come to this moment where we get to spell out how we’d approach finding an up-and-coming place to live in Minnesota. Put differently, the analysis will try to find places in Minnesota with undervalued homes relative to pent-up demand using Saturday Night Science.
To do that, we looked at the most recent American Community Survey Census data for 2020-2024 and compared it to the previous vintage. Specifically, we used the following criteria:
- Y-o-Y Change In Population (People want to live here)
- Y-o-Y Change In Median Home Prices (People are willing to pay for it)
- Home Prices Relative To The State Average (It’s still kinda cheap)
We want places that are growing, have seen home prices increase in recent years, and are still “cheap” for Minnesota, with these caveats: home prices had to be within 20% of the state average, home prices increased in the last year, and the city had above 5,000 people.
So of the 904 cities and towns in Minnesota, only 151 places made it through our initial filters to even be considered.
We then ranked each place from 1 to 151 for the above criteria, with 1 being the best. We averaged the rankings to create a “best place to buy” index, with the place having the lowest index being the best.
Turns out that Princeton is the best potential gem in the not-so-rough in the North Star State. The median Minnesota home is 47 years old — old enough that it pays to compare home warranty plans before something expensive breaks.
The full plate
Best Places To Buy A Home In Minnesota
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Home Price | Population Change | Home Price Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton | 5,274 | $367,880 | 5.7% | -0.0% |
| 2 | Elko New Market | 5,002 | $472,662 | 1.8% | 1.2% |
| 3 | Becker | 5,034 | $375,295 | 1.5% | 0.1% |
| 4 | Redwood Falls | 5,068 | $167,808 | -0.1% | -1.3% |
| 5 | Lake City | 5,034 | $315,644 | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| 6 | Montevideo | 5,315 | $210,238 | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| 7 | La Crescent | 5,251 | $352,203 | -0.3% | -0.3% |
| 8 | Chisago City | 5,899 | $435,543 | 4.8% | -1.0% |
| 9 | North Oaks | 5,179 | $936,794 | 0.1% | 1.8% |
| 10 | Morris | 5,128 | $204,683 | 0.7% | -2.3% |
| 11 | St. Paul Park | 5,457 | $314,770 | -0.1% | 1.5% |
| 12 | Carver | 6,239 | $493,733 | 5.1% | 0.7% |
| 13 | Glencoe | 5,695 | $246,914 | -0.1% | -2.1% |
| 14 | Byron | 6,646 | $398,896 | 2.1% | 1.5% |
| 15 | Falcon Heights | 5,085 | $412,532 | -1.2% | 2.2% |
| 16 | Zimmerman | 6,546 | $330,831 | 2.1% | 1.2% |
| 17 | International Falls | 5,642 | $153,166 | -1.5% | -0.8% |
| 18 | Isanti | 7,210 | $328,360 | 2.7% | -1.3% |
| 19 | Corcoran | 7,302 | $601,129 | 6.5% | 0.6% |
| 20 | Stewartville | 6,807 | $332,964 | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| 21 | Delano | 6,942 | $435,729 | 3.4% | 0.5% |
| 22 | Dayton | 9,095 | $509,219 | 8.5% | 0.7% |
| 23 | Jordan | 6,771 | $437,126 | 1.0% | 0.2% |
| 24 | Kasson | 7,050 | $323,084 | 1.2% | -0.1% |
| 25 | Medina | 6,968 | $832,022 | 1.6% | 3.4% |
| 26 | Spring Lake Park | 7,032 | $318,674 | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| 27 | Litchfield | 6,576 | $250,188 | -0.3% | -2.4% |
| 28 | Belle Plaine | 7,423 | $350,700 | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| 29 | St. Joseph | 7,021 | $337,103 | -0.0% | -0.2% |
| 30 | Albertville | 8,207 | $375,310 | 1.7% | -0.2% |
| 31 | Crookston | 7,344 | $183,132 | -0.6% | -0.2% |
| 32 | Waite Park | 8,399 | $249,244 | 0.7% | -0.6% |
| 33 | St. Francis | 8,372 | $346,284 | 1.1% | -0.7% |
| 34 | Shorewood | 7,647 | $804,465 | -0.4% | 2.8% |
| 35 | Wyoming | 8,087 | $387,741 | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| 36 | Minnetrista | 8,708 | $684,705 | 2.3% | 2.2% |
| 37 | New Prague | 8,237 | $350,351 | 0.5% | -0.5% |
| 38 | Orono | 8,195 | $1,113,974 | -0.1% | 1.1% |
| 39 | Mahtomedi | 8,133 | $478,624 | 0.3% | 1.7% |
| 40 | Baxter | 8,966 | $364,190 | 1.8% | 1.4% |
| 41 | Virginia | 8,332 | $128,643 | -0.4% | -2.8% |
| 42 | East Grand Forks | 9,028 | $284,569 | -0.4% | 0.8% |
| 43 | Little Falls | 9,121 | $267,869 | 0.3% | -1.2% |
| 44 | Thief River Falls | 8,823 | $184,519 | -0.2% | -6.8% |
| 45 | Oak Grove | 9,130 | $462,896 | 1.1% | -1.1% |
| 46 | Waseca | 9,164 | $241,937 | -0.5% | -0.4% |
| 47 | Cambridge | 10,307 | $323,785 | 3.2% | -0.4% |
| 48 | St. Anthony | 9,671 | $396,789 | 1.6% | 2.2% |
| 49 | Lake Elmo | 13,140 | $618,480 | 5.1% | 0.3% |
| 50 | Detroit Lakes | 10,025 | $361,195 | 0.2% | -1.7% |
| 51 | Mound | 9,107 | $378,827 | -0.8% | 1.1% |
| 52 | Hermantown | 10,218 | $416,550 | 0.3% | -1.1% |
| 53 | Victoria | 11,295 | $608,561 | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| 54 | Fairmont | 10,296 | $168,289 | -0.5% | -2.6% |
| 55 | Arden Hills | 9,658 | $477,166 | -0.8% | 2.8% |
| 56 | Little Canada | 10,514 | $362,746 | -0.3% | 1.5% |
| 57 | North Branch | 11,565 | $349,510 | 3.4% | -1.1% |
| 58 | Big Lake | 12,367 | $368,168 | 2.1% | 0.5% |
| 59 | Grand Rapids | 11,207 | $274,252 | 0.2% | -0.3% |
| 60 | Mendota Heights | 11,612 | $562,137 | -0.3% | 2.2% |
| 61 | St. Peter | 12,185 | $294,105 | 0.8% | -0.1% |
| 62 | East Bethel | 12,115 | $414,303 | 1.0% | 1.3% |
| 63 | Cloquet | 12,537 | $256,234 | -0.4% | -1.3% |
| 64 | Waconia | 13,434 | $458,548 | 1.6% | 1.7% |
| 65 | North St. Paul | 12,570 | $325,856 | 0.5% | 1.4% |
| 66 | Worthington | 13,780 | $240,254 | -0.1% | -0.8% |
| 67 | Rogers | 13,685 | $458,983 | 2.1% | 0.7% |
| 68 | Mounds View | 12,926 | $341,297 | -0.5% | 2.4% |
| 69 | New Ulm | 14,056 | $244,183 | -0.1% | 0.2% |
| 70 | Brainerd | 14,468 | $307,940 | -0.0% | 1.1% |
| 71 | Vadnais Heights | 12,838 | $370,284 | 0.4% | 2.7% |
| 72 | Marshall | 13,896 | $235,137 | 0.1% | -3.1% |
| 73 | Monticello | 14,858 | $325,077 | 1.7% | -0.2% |
| 74 | Alexandria | 14,735 | $287,191 | 1.1% | -1.0% |
| 75 | Fergus Falls | 14,181 | $197,185 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 76 | North Mankato | 14,211 | $310,329 | -0.0% | 1.1% |
| 77 | Sauk Rapids | 13,852 | $294,873 | 0.0% | -1.2% |
| 78 | Hutchinson | 14,680 | $293,087 | 0.3% | -1.3% |
| 79 | Robbinsdale | 14,234 | $313,988 | -0.6% | 2.1% |
| 80 | Hugo | 16,340 | $432,376 | 1.6% | 1.4% |
| 81 | Bemidji | 15,569 | $213,684 | 0.5% | -0.0% |
| 82 | Hibbing | 16,057 | $154,907 | -0.3% | -2.2% |
| 83 | Red Wing | 16,758 | $283,795 | 0.6% | -0.7% |
| 84 | Buffalo | 16,499 | $373,017 | 0.7% | 0.2% |
| 85 | Ham Lake | 16,702 | $492,264 | 0.8% | -0.1% |
| 86 | Otsego | 22,245 | $418,193 | 4.2% | -0.5% |
| 87 | Anoka | 17,970 | $326,597 | 0.2% | 0.4% |
| 88 | Albert Lea | 18,330 | $175,274 | -0.3% | 1.4% |
| 89 | St. Michael | 20,010 | $426,652 | 3.9% | 0.1% |
| 90 | Hopkins | 18,819 | $330,893 | 0.7% | 2.1% |
| 91 | Sartell | 19,758 | $338,333 | 0.7% | -1.1% |
| 92 | Stillwater | 19,355 | $445,501 | 0.2% | 1.5% |
| 93 | Willmar | 21,378 | $237,639 | 1.1% | -2.5% |
| 94 | West St. Paul | 21,382 | $317,548 | 1.5% | 1.2% |
| 95 | South St. Paul | 20,611 | $295,755 | -0.1% | 0.2% |
| 96 | Columbia Heights | 22,155 | $295,929 | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| 97 | Forest Lake | 20,729 | $421,551 | 0.2% | 1.3% |
| 98 | Northfield | 20,742 | $385,012 | 0.3% | -1.5% |
| 99 | New Hope | 21,181 | $350,939 | -1.0% | 2.6% |
| 100 | Golden Valley | 21,725 | $437,256 | -0.9% | 2.6% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024 via Saturday Night Science. 151 Minnesota cities cleared the filters.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Purchase A House In Minnesota for 2026
There’s our analysis of the best places to buy a house in Minnesota. And, to be clear, we aren’t necessarily saying these places are the best places to live, just that it looks like they might be in a couple of years based on the data.
In fact, every place in the following table meets our criteria, so even though it may not look super long, remember we started off with all 904 places in the state.
The best cities to buy a house in Minnesota are Princeton, Elko New Market, Becker, Redwood Falls, Lake City, Montevideo, La Crescent, Chisago City, North Oaks, and Morris.
So if we could rent or buy in these cities, we’d definitely buy. Not sold on Minnesota? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places To Buy A House In Minnesota FAQs
What is the best city in Minnesota to buy a house?
Princeton is the best place to buy a house in Minnesota for 2026. Its population is growing, home values are rising, and the median home still costs $367,880. Elko New Market and Becker are next on the list.
What are the best cities to buy a home in Minnesota?
The best cities to buy a house in Minnesota are Princeton, Elko New Market, Becker, Redwood Falls, Lake City, Montevideo, La Crescent, Chisago City, North Oaks, and Morris. Only 151 of the 904 places in Minnesota cleared our filters on growth and home prices.
How much does a house cost in Princeton?
The median home value in Princeton is $367,880, versus $346,668 across Minnesota. Across the full top ten, the median home runs $360,042.
How do you pick the best places to buy a home in Minnesota?
We look for Minnesota places where the population is growing, home prices are climbing, and homes are still cheap relative to the state average, using Census American Community Survey data. Cities that hit all three get the highest Buy Index scores.
Is this a guarantee home values will go up?
No. This is not investment advice — just where the data points to potential value. The Buy Index says these markets look healthier than most of Minnesota, not that any single house is a good deal.
