Everyone wants a bit of a blissful breeze or a scoop of sunny sanctuary when looking for a place to live in Minnesota.
The more sun, the more you can go outside. The more you go outside, the more you’ll feel at peace. The more you’ll feel at peace, the more you’ll enjoy where you live.
So it makes sense to try and find the places with the best weather in Minnesota. We used Saturday Night Science to compare the number of sunny days, total precipitation, and the deviation from the ideal 70-degree weather for 97 places in Minnesota over 10,000 people.
Grab your shades and put away your raincoat as we look at the cities with the best weather in Minnesota.
308.7 sunny days · 55.5 degree average high
Located in
Brown County, Minnesota
New Ulm is a city in Brown County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,522 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Brown County.
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305.8 sunny days · 55.6 degree average high
Located in
Nicollet County, Minnesota
St. Peter is a city located in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. The city is located 10 miles north of the Mankato – North Mankato metropolitan area. The population was 11,196 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nicollet County. Saint Peter is the home of Gustavus Adolphus College.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
302.1 sunny days · 55.5 degree average high
Located in
Nicollet County, Minnesota
Mankato is a city in Blue Earth, Nicollet, and Le Sueur counties in the state of Minnesota. It is the 22nd biggest city in Minnesota. The population was 41,044 according to 2015 US census estimates, making it the fifth largest city in Minnesota outside the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. The county seat of Blue Earth County, it is located along a large bend of the Minnesota River at its confluence with the Blue Earth River. Mankato is across the Minnesota River from North Mankato. Mankato and North Mankato have a combined population of over 53,000, according to the 2010 census. It completely encompasses the town of Skyline. North of Mankato Regional Airport, a tiny non-contiguous part of the city is located within Le Sueur County. Most of the city of Mankato is located within Blue Earth County.
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307.0 sunny days · 55.7 degree average high
Located in
Scott County, Minnesota
Shakopee is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Minnesota. It is located southwest of downtown Minneapolis. Sited on the south bank bend of the Minnesota River, Shakopee and nearby suburbs comprise the southwest portion of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the sixteenth-largest metropolitan area in the United States, with 3.3 million people. The population of Shakopee was 37,076 at the 2010 census.
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304.5 sunny days · 55.4 degree average high
Located in
Dakota County, Minnesota
Farmington is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 21,086 at the 2010 census. It is a part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area.
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310.4 sunny days · 55.1 degree average high
Located in
Lyon County, Minnesota
Marshall is a city in Lyon County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,680 at the 2010 census. Marshall is a regional center in southwest Minnesota, and the county seat of Lyon County. Marshall is the headquarters of the Schwan Food Company and the home of Southwest Minnesota State University. Marshall is also the site of Exelon Wind’s Marshall Wind Project.
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302.1 sunny days · 55.3 degree average high
Located in
Nicollet County, Minnesota
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
304.5 sunny days · 55.4 degree average high
Located in
Dakota County, Minnesota
Apple Valley is a city in northwestern Dakota County in the State of Minnesota, and a suburb of the Twin Cities. As of the 2010 census, the city’s population was 49,084, making it the 18th most populous city in Minnesota. In 2013, Money Magazine named Apple Valley the 17th best place to live in the United States, up from 20th in 2010, 24th in 2008 and 28th in 2007.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
308.0 sunny days · 55.3 degree average high
Located in
Hennepin County, Minnesota
Eden Prairie is an edge city 12 miles southwest of downtown Minneapolis in Hennepin County, and the 12th-largest city in the State of Minnesota. It is on the north bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from its confluence with the Mississippi River. Eden Prairie and nearby suburbs form the southwest portion of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, the 15th-largest metropolitan area in the United States, with about 3.6 million residents. Eden Prairie had a population of 60,797 at the 2010 census, which made it the 7th-largest suburb in the Twin Cities and the 12th-largest city in Minnesota.
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304.6 sunny days · 55.3 degree average high
Located in
Martin County, Minnesota
Fairmont is a city in and the county seat of Martin County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 10,666 at the 2010 census.
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The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Minnesota’s statewide median.
On the map
Where Minnesota’s best weather is
Saturday Night Science
How We Determined The Cities In Minnesota With The Best Weather
To rank the most fair weather cities in Minnesota, we used Saturday Night Science and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) database, to see which cities in the North Star State get the best weather.
We used the following criteria to find the best weather:
- Number of sunny days
- Highest average low
- Average high deviation from 70 degrees
- Least amount of rain
- Least amount of snow
We ranked each city of over 10,000 people in Minnesota from best to worst on each criterion. We then averaged each ranking into a weather quality index. The city with the best index, New Ulm, was anointed the city with the best weather in Minnesota.
Before we get too far, here are the annual precipitation rates for major cities: Minneapolis (32.4 inches), St. Paul (32.5 inches), and Rochester (33.5 inches).
The cities with the best weather in Minnesota are New Ulm, St. Peter, Mankato, Shakopee, Farmington, Marshall, North Mankato, Apple Valley, Eden Prairie, and Fairmont.
There’s a complete chart at the bottom.
The full plate
Detailed List Of Places With The Best Weather In Minnesota
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Sunny Days | Avg. High | Precipitation (Inches) | Snow (Inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Ulm | 13,287 | 308.7 | 55.5 | 29.3 | 39.6 |
| 2 | St. Peter | 11,492 | 305.8 | 55.6 | 30.7 | 40.2 |
| 3 | Mankato | 40,557 | 302.1 | 55.5 | 31.2 | 39.0 |
| 4 | Shakopee | 39,137 | 307.0 | 55.7 | 31.3 | 50.1 |
| 5 | Farmington | 22,159 | 304.5 | 55.4 | 31.7 | 42.2 |
| 6 | Marshall | 13,608 | 310.4 | 55.1 | 27.2 | 46.5 |
| 7 | North Mankato | 13,438 | 302.1 | 55.3 | 31.2 | 39.0 |
| 8 | Apple Valley | 50,309 | 304.5 | 55.4 | 32.1 | 44.5 |
| 9 | Eden Prairie | 62,626 | 308.0 | 55.3 | 31.8 | 50.9 |
| 10 | Fairmont | 10,387 | 304.6 | 55.3 | 32.0 | 45.0 |
| 11 | Worthington | 12,990 | 309.3 | 54.2 | 29.0 | 38.5 |
| 12 | Eagan | 65,424 | 302.0 | 55.4 | 32.1 | 47.3 |
| 13 | Mendota Heights | 11,172 | 303.2 | 55.4 | 32.2 | 49.4 |
| 14 | Burnsville | 61,255 | 303.8 | 55.3 | 32.0 | 46.1 |
| 15 | Prior Lake | 24,402 | 307.0 | 55.2 | 31.4 | 47.6 |
| 16 | Chaska | 24,524 | 307.0 | 55.0 | 30.8 | 48.7 |
| 17 | Bloomington | 85,826 | 303.2 | 55.4 | 32.1 | 52.0 |
| 18 | Hastings | 22,423 | 300.9 | 55.2 | 31.6 | 39.6 |
| 19 | St. Paul | 295,043 | 303.7 | 55.4 | 32.5 | 51.0 |
| 20 | Inver Grove Heights | 34,417 | 302.0 | 55.4 | 32.3 | 48.1 |
| 21 | Northfield | 20,309 | 301.4 | 55.4 | 31.6 | 41.8 |
| 22 | West St. Paul | 19,709 | 302.0 | 55.4 | 32.3 | 49.5 |
| 23 | St. Michael | 16,911 | 308.9 | 54.5 | 30.9 | 42.2 |
| 24 | Hutchinson | 13,941 | 309.7 | 54.3 | 28.7 | 43.8 |
| 25 | Elk River | 23,563 | 308.9 | 54.7 | 31.2 | 39.8 |
| 26 | Savage | 28,713 | 303.2 | 55.4 | 31.8 | 50.1 |
| 27 | Winona | 27,437 | 298.5 | 56.4 | 34.1 | 33.8 |
| 28 | Alexandria | 11,614 | 314.9 | 51.7 | 25.5 | 42.6 |
| 29 | Lakeville | 58,592 | 304.5 | 55.2 | 31.6 | 44.3 |
| 30 | Rogers | 12,002 | 308.9 | 54.6 | 31.3 | 44.1 |
| 31 | Richfield | 36,059 | 303.2 | 55.2 | 32.0 | 52.2 |
| 32 | Mounds View | 12,584 | 303.8 | 55.4 | 32.6 | 51.2 |
| 33 | North St. Paul | 11,966 | 303.8 | 55.4 | 32.6 | 51.2 |
| 34 | Little Canada | 10,120 | 303.8 | 55.4 | 32.6 | 51.2 |
| 35 | Big Lake | 10,285 | 308.9 | 54.4 | 30.4 | 42.2 |
| 36 | Buffalo | 15,825 | 308.8 | 54.2 | 30.2 | 42.2 |
| 37 | South St. Paul | 20,413 | 302.0 | 55.3 | 32.3 | 49.3 |
| 38 | Monticello | 13,065 | 308.8 | 54.3 | 30.2 | 42.2 |
| 39 | Otsego | 14,634 | 308.6 | 54.3 | 30.1 | 43.6 |
| 40 | Fergus Falls | 13,266 | 315.7 | 52.0 | 24.8 | 45.8 |
| 41 | Cottage Grove | 35,405 | 300.9 | 55.2 | 32.1 | 45.3 |
| 42 | Willmar | 19,685 | 309.3 | 54.0 | 28.9 | 46.2 |
| 43 | Roseville | 34,948 | 305.6 | 55.4 | 32.7 | 52.4 |
| 44 | Chanhassen | 24,437 | 308.0 | 54.8 | 31.3 | 52.2 |
| 45 | Waconia | 11,494 | 307.0 | 54.5 | 30.5 | 48.7 |
| 46 | New Brighton | 22,080 | 305.6 | 55.3 | 32.5 | 52.5 |
| 47 | Minnetonka | 51,249 | 305.5 | 54.7 | 31.7 | 51.8 |
| 48 | St. Cloud | 66,298 | 308.2 | 53.6 | 28.1 | 47.9 |
| 49 | Sauk Rapids | 13,196 | 308.2 | 53.6 | 28.1 | 47.8 |
| 50 | Rosemount | 22,741 | 299.5 | 55.4 | 32.4 | 43.0 |
| 51 | Bemidji | 14,417 | 307.2 | 50.0 | 25.3 | 45.0 |
| 52 | Sartell | 16,274 | 308.2 | 53.6 | 28.0 | 48.7 |
| 53 | Maplewood | 39,775 | 302.0 | 55.3 | 33.0 | 49.8 |
| 54 | Crystal | 22,607 | 302.7 | 55.0 | 32.0 | 52.0 |
| 55 | Brainerd | 13,462 | 306.7 | 52.2 | 27.8 | 46.3 |
| 56 | Vadnais Heights | 12,968 | 303.3 | 55.3 | 32.6 | 52.1 |
| 57 | Edina | 49,373 | 301.2 | 55.2 | 32.1 | 53.5 |
| 58 | Woodbury | 65,667 | 302.0 | 55.1 | 32.7 | 48.0 |
| 59 | Faribault | 23,509 | 301.4 | 55.2 | 32.1 | 43.1 |
| 60 | Minneapolis | 399,950 | 301.0 | 55.3 | 32.4 | 53.1 |
| 61 | Shoreview | 25,951 | 303.3 | 55.2 | 32.4 | 52.3 |
| 62 | Hugo | 14,053 | 303.3 | 55.3 | 32.1 | 53.0 |
| 63 | Hopkins | 17,992 | 300.6 | 55.1 | 31.9 | 53.3 |
| 64 | White Bear Lake | 24,709 | 303.3 | 55.2 | 32.9 | 51.6 |
| 65 | Oakdale | 27,850 | 302.0 | 55.0 | 33.2 | 49.6 |
| 66 | Red Wing | 16,484 | 297.3 | 55.5 | 32.4 | 45.1 |
| 67 | Forest Lake | 19,170 | 301.0 | 55.3 | 31.0 | 52.7 |
| 68 | Lino Lakes | 20,819 | 303.3 | 55.1 | 32.0 | 54.3 |
| 69 | Owatonna | 25,552 | 301.7 | 55.0 | 32.6 | 42.8 |
| 70 | Moorhead | 40,935 | 309.5 | 52.5 | 23.9 | 55.1 |
| 71 | Albert Lea | 17,843 | 301.7 | 54.8 | 34.0 | 37.3 |
| 72 | Maple Grove | 65,687 | 300.6 | 54.8 | 31.9 | 48.9 |
| 73 | St. Louis Park | 47,043 | 300.6 | 55.0 | 32.2 | 53.2 |
| 74 | Columbia Heights | 19,632 | 300.5 | 55.2 | 32.5 | 52.7 |
| 75 | Austin | 24,687 | 301.7 | 54.7 | 33.7 | 41.2 |
| 76 | Champlin | 23,731 | 300.6 | 54.9 | 31.8 | 51.4 |
| 77 | Hibbing | 16,284 | 309.3 | 49.8 | 28.9 | 59.2 |
| 78 | Plymouth | 73,896 | 300.6 | 54.7 | 32.2 | 52.2 |
| 79 | Brooklyn Center | 30,684 | 300.6 | 55.1 | 32.5 | 54.1 |
| 80 | Golden Valley | 20,866 | 300.6 | 54.9 | 32.6 | 52.5 |
| 81 | Grand Rapids | 10,996 | 301.9 | 50.9 | 28.1 | 51.3 |
| 82 | Robbinsdale | 14,289 | 300.6 | 55.0 | 32.6 | 52.8 |
| 83 | North Branch | 10,104 | 301.0 | 54.4 | 31.2 | 51.3 |
| 84 | Fridley | 27,592 | 300.5 | 55.1 | 32.3 | 54.9 |
| 85 | Stillwater | 18,677 | 299.0 | 55.1 | 33.7 | 49.3 |
| 86 | Ramsey | 24,846 | 299.2 | 54.9 | 31.9 | 50.9 |
| 87 | Rochester | 110,275 | 302.8 | 54.5 | 33.5 | 49.1 |
| 88 | Coon Rapids | 61,946 | 299.2 | 54.8 | 31.9 | 52.7 |
| 89 | Blaine | 60,224 | 299.2 | 55.0 | 32.0 | 55.5 |
| 90 | Brooklyn Park | 78,195 | 300.6 | 54.8 | 32.2 | 54.7 |
| 91 | New Hope | 20,775 | 300.6 | 54.9 | 32.6 | 53.6 |
| 92 | Anoka | 17,244 | 299.8 | 54.9 | 32.2 | 54.1 |
| 93 | Ham Lake | 15,714 | 299.8 | 54.9 | 32.2 | 54.1 |
| 94 | Duluth | 86,178 | 300.9 | 48.8 | 30.6 | 71.5 |
| 95 | Andover | 31,553 | 299.2 | 54.8 | 32.3 | 54.8 |
| 96 | East Bethel | 11,625 | 299.2 | 54.6 | 32.1 | 56.0 |
| 97 | Cloquet | 12,071 | 300.5 | 50.5 | 31.3 | 66.4 |
Source: NOAA climate data. 97 Minnesota cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Cities With The Best Weather In Minnesota For 2026
If you’re looking for the Minnesota cities with the most sunny days, the least rain and snow, and highs closest to a perfect 70 degrees, this is an accurate list.
The cities with the best weather in Minnesota are New Ulm, St. Peter, Mankato, Shakopee, Farmington, Marshall, North Mankato, Apple Valley, Eden Prairie, and Fairmont.
