Like all states, Minnesota has certain places that are going on hard times. These Minnesota places have an above-average percentage of people living in poverty, out of work, or not making as much as they should be.
Even as the economy continues to improve, it’s worthwhile to look at the places in each state struggling to make ends meet. So we set our sites on locating the poorest places in Minnesota.
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the newest Census data from the American Community Survey for the 151 cities in Minnesota with more than 5,000 people.
$55,405 median income · 21.3% poverty · #5 lowest income in Minnesota
Located in
Beltrami County, Minnesota
Bemidji, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in Minnesota thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs.
The city of 15,569 people averages the 5th lowest median household income in Minnesota and the 2nd highest poverty rate. At the very least, the cost of living ranks in the bottom 15% of place in the state, so things like housing are relatively affordable.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$47,863 median income · 18.7% poverty · #1 lowest income in Minnesota
Located in
Morrison County, Minnesota
The second poorest city in Minnesota is Little Falls.
The city ranks as having the 8th highest incidence of poverty and lowest median household income. However, the unemployment rate ‘only’ ranks as the 11th highest in the North Star State.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$56,337 median income · 23.1% poverty · #9 lowest income in Minnesota
Located in
Winona County, Minnesota
Placing as the third poorest city, Winona’s median income ranks as the 9th lowest.
And that’s a sign that there’s a relatively substantial jump in the quality of the economy from second to third place on our list. The poverty rate is 23.1% and ranks near the bottom of places in the state.
But what makes up for the relatively low incomes of the city is its low cost of living. The income you do make here goes further than in most parts of the North Star State.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$51,720 median income · 18.0% poverty · #2 lowest income in Minnesota
Located in
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Virginia ranks as the fourth poorest place in Minnesota.
The town ranks as having the 2nd lowest median household income and the 9th highest incidence of poverty in the state.
That being said, there’s still a ton of cultural diversity in the city as it hosts many events throughout the year.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$59,285 median income · 21.2% poverty · #12 lowest income in Minnesota
Located in
Stearns County, Minnesota
The fifth poorest city in Minnesota is Waite Park.
The city ranks as having the 12th lowest median income in the state. However, an extremely low cost of living prevents a good number of folks from living in poverty as the poverty rate only ranks as the 3rd highest in Minnesota.
Still not the best news for Waite Park.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$61,374 median income · 20.2% poverty · #16 lowest income in Minnesota
Located in
Stearns County, Minnesota
St. Cloud ranks as the sixth poorest place in the North Star State.
It ranks as having the 5th highest incidence of poverty and the 12th highest unemployment rate.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$55,789 median income · 16.2% poverty · #6 lowest income in Minnesota
Located in
St. Louis County, Minnesota
Hibbing places as the seventh poorest city in Minnesota.
The city of over 16,057 ranks as having the 18th highest incidence of poverty in the state. However, it has a very low cost of living which helps to pay the bills each month.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$61,750 median income · 17.2% poverty · #18 lowest income in Minnesota
Redwood Falls ranks as the eighth poorest city in Minnesota.
The big issue for the town is the unemployment rate which ranks as one of the highest in the state.
Data | Movers
$53,084 median income · 15.3% poverty · #3 lowest income in Minnesota
Located in
Martin County, Minnesota
Fairmont couldn’t stay out of the top ten poorest places in Minnesota; it ranks number 9.
While the median income is the 3rd lowest, there are a substantial number of people that live below the poverty line. Overall, Fairmont ranks as having the 26th most people living in poverty of all the places we analyzed in Minnesota.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$61,797 median income · 17.6% poverty · #19 lowest income in Minnesota
Located in
Nobles County, Minnesota
And rounding out the top ten poorest cities in Minnesota is Worthington.
The city of 13,780 people ranks in the bottom 20% for both median income and poverty rate in the North Star State.
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: $89,062
Minnesota statewide median: 9.3%
Minnesota statewide median: 4.1%
On the map
Where poverty hits hardest in Minnesota
Saturday Night Science
How we determined the poorest places in Minnesota for 2026
The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think about determining the poorest places is to simply the poverty rate. That is, the number of people living below a federally established level of income for a household of a certain size.
However, we don’t think that one statistic wholly encompasses what it means to be one of the “poorest places”. So we used Saturday Night Science to look at this set of criteria from the newly released 2020-2024 American Community Survey:
- Poverty Level
- Median Household Income
After we collected the data for all 151 places with more than 5,000 people in Minnesota, we ranked each place from 1 to 151 for each of the criteria, with 1 being the poorest.
We then averaged all the rankings for a place into a “Poor Score” with the place having the lowest overall Poor Score, Bemidji, crowned the “Poorest Place In Minnesota For 2026”. 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
Detailed list of the poorest places to live in Minnesota
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Poor Score | Population | Median income | Poverty | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bemidji | 3.50 | 15,569 | $55,405 | 21.3% | 5.2% |
| 2 | Little Falls | 4.50 | 9,121 | $47,863 | 18.7% | 6.1% |
| 3 | Winona | 5.00 | 26,009 | $56,337 | 23.1% | 2.7% |
| 4 | Virginia | 5.50 | 8,332 | $51,720 | 18.0% | 5.6% |
| 5 | Waite Park | 7.50 | 8,399 | $59,285 | 21.2% | 7.5% |
| 6 | St. Cloud | 10.25 | 70,629 | $61,374 | 20.2% | 6.0% |
| 7 | Hibbing | 12.00 | 16,057 | $55,789 | 16.2% | 6.3% |
| 8 | Redwood Falls | 14.50 | 5,068 | $61,750 | 17.2% | 3.3% |
| 9 | Fairmont | 14.50 | 10,296 | $53,084 | 15.3% | 3.1% |
| 10 | Worthington | 14.50 | 13,780 | $61,797 | 17.6% | 3.8% |
| 11 | Mankato | 15.50 | 45,473 | $66,873 | 20.6% | 6.0% |
| 12 | Litchfield | 15.50 | 6,576 | $54,875 | 15.1% | 2.9% |
| 13 | Faribault | 16.50 | 24,631 | $61,449 | 16.4% | 5.4% |
| 14 | Crookston | 17.00 | 7,344 | $57,315 | 15.6% | 3.4% |
| 15 | Cloquet | 17.50 | 12,537 | $61,367 | 15.9% | 4.0% |
| 16 | Brainerd | 17.50 | 14,468 | $56,111 | 15.0% | 9.0% |
| 17 | Detroit Lakes | 18.50 | 10,025 | $62,958 | 16.6% | 6.8% |
| 18 | Grand Rapids | 19.00 | 11,207 | $61,029 | 15.5% | 5.3% |
| 19 | Montevideo | 19.50 | 5,315 | $68,596 | 19.6% | 2.3% |
| 20 | St. Peter | 20.00 | 12,185 | $65,122 | 16.8% | 2.0% |
| 21 | International Falls | 20.50 | 5,642 | $57,662 | 13.3% | 7.7% |
| 22 | Marshall | 22.00 | 13,896 | $68,566 | 16.9% | 3.7% |
| 23 | Duluth | 23.50 | 87,093 | $68,807 | 16.8% | 4.7% |
| 24 | Morris | 25.50 | 5,128 | $67,727 | 15.9% | 0.6% |
| 25 | Willmar | 26.00 | 21,378 | $62,280 | 13.1% | 4.8% |
| 26 | St. Joseph | 26.50 | 7,021 | $74,946 | 19.1% | 2.8% |
| 27 | Alexandria | 27.75 | 14,735 | $61,374 | 12.0% | 3.6% |
| 28 | Red Wing | 28.50 | 16,758 | $67,192 | 13.8% | 4.9% |
| 29 | Albert Lea | 29.00 | 18,330 | $64,603 | 12.8% | 5.7% |
| 30 | Moorhead | 30.50 | 45,036 | $72,761 | 16.1% | 5.0% |
| 31 | Columbia Heights | 31.00 | 22,155 | $73,691 | 16.3% | 5.5% |
| 32 | Austin | 32.00 | 26,358 | $68,057 | 12.5% | 4.5% |
| 33 | St. Paul | 33.50 | 307,284 | $73,394 | 15.6% | 5.4% |
| 34 | Baxter | 34.00 | 8,966 | $70,688 | 13.1% | 2.3% |
| 35 | Fergus Falls | 34.50 | 14,181 | $56,162 | 9.1% | 7.2% |
| 36 | Thief River Falls | 37.50 | 8,823 | $71,144 | 12.2% | 2.7% |
| 37 | Minneapolis | 38.00 | 427,246 | $80,846 | 16.0% | 5.9% |
| 38 | Waseca | 39.00 | 9,164 | $64,074 | 9.5% | 2.8% |
| 39 | Brooklyn Center | 39.00 | 32,479 | $72,535 | 12.3% | 5.8% |
| 40 | Hutchinson | 39.50 | 14,680 | $72,836 | 12.4% | 4.0% |
| 41 | New Ulm | 41.50 | 14,056 | $64,449 | 9.2% | 3.0% |
| 42 | East Grand Forks | 42.00 | 9,028 | $77,549 | 12.4% | 3.5% |
| 43 | Hopkins | 43.00 | 18,819 | $75,234 | 12.1% | 6.4% |
| 44 | Cambridge | 43.00 | 10,307 | $69,154 | 10.5% | 3.4% |
| 45 | Princeton | 43.50 | 5,274 | $62,219 | 8.5% | 1.6% |
| 46 | Fridley | 46.50 | 30,241 | $77,680 | 11.9% | 6.5% |
| 47 | West St. Paul | 47.00 | 21,382 | $68,464 | 8.9% | 4.5% |
| 48 | Glencoe | 47.50 | 5,695 | $71,356 | 9.2% | 3.4% |
| 49 | Little Canada | 48.50 | 10,514 | $77,957 | 11.5% | 5.9% |
| 50 | New Hope | 50.00 | 21,181 | $77,662 | 10.7% | 5.0% |
| 51 | North St. Paul | 53.50 | 12,570 | $84,797 | 11.2% | 2.7% |
| 52 | Zimmerman | 53.50 | 6,546 | $85,645 | 11.8% | 1.4% |
| 53 | Owatonna | 55.00 | 26,498 | $80,750 | 9.2% | 3.6% |
| 54 | Robbinsdale | 58.00 | 14,234 | $88,252 | 11.5% | 6.2% |
| 55 | Burnsville | 58.50 | 64,463 | $87,024 | 10.8% | 5.0% |
| 56 | Anoka | 59.00 | 17,970 | $75,948 | 8.3% | 4.8% |
| 57 | Mounds View | 59.00 | 12,926 | $90,009 | 12.0% | 2.8% |
| 58 | Becker | 59.50 | 5,034 | $86,094 | 9.5% | 1.1% |
| 59 | Sauk Rapids | 61.00 | 13,852 | $71,841 | 7.0% | 4.4% |
| 60 | Northfield | 62.50 | 20,742 | $84,895 | 8.8% | 4.9% |
| 61 | Spring Lake Park | 63.50 | 7,032 | $90,753 | 11.0% | 3.5% |
| 62 | Maplewood | 63.50 | 40,695 | $91,394 | 11.2% | 4.0% |
| 63 | Brooklyn Park | 64.50 | 83,876 | $89,891 | 9.5% | 4.0% |
| 64 | Mound | 66.00 | 9,107 | $86,675 | 8.8% | 5.2% |
| 65 | Lake City | 66.50 | 5,034 | $72,244 | 5.9% | 0.6% |
| 66 | Buffalo | 68.00 | 16,499 | $88,820 | 8.9% | 6.0% |
| 67 | Richfield | 68.00 | 36,642 | $85,132 | 8.2% | 5.3% |
| 68 | Sartell | 68.50 | 19,758 | $84,131 | 7.4% | 2.2% |
| 69 | Monticello | 70.50 | 14,858 | $79,534 | 6.7% | 2.9% |
| 70 | South St. Paul | 70.50 | 20,611 | $87,994 | 8.3% | 5.9% |
| 71 | Bloomington | 71.00 | 88,665 | $93,211 | 9.2% | 4.8% |
| 72 | New Brighton | 71.00 | 22,710 | $88,521 | 8.3% | 2.5% |
| 73 | White Bear Lake | 71.00 | 23,908 | $83,554 | 7.0% | 4.0% |
| 74 | Rochester | 71.50 | 122,330 | $89,389 | 8.5% | 3.7% |
| 75 | Coon Rapids | 71.50 | 63,468 | $88,251 | 8.2% | 4.5% |
| 76 | Roseville | 72.00 | 35,802 | $86,930 | 7.5% | 5.9% |
| 77 | North Branch | 76.50 | 11,565 | $90,456 | 7.7% | 4.1% |
| 78 | Crystal | 77.50 | 22,476 | $92,513 | 8.2% | 2.4% |
| 79 | La Crescent | 80.00 | 5,251 | $85,368 | 5.7% | 0.5% |
| 80 | Falcon Heights | 82.50 | 5,085 | $96,528 | 7.5% | 4.8% |
| 81 | Golden Valley | 82.50 | 21,725 | $108,772 | 9.1% | 4.6% |
| 82 | Forest Lake | 84.00 | 20,729 | $92,944 | 7.0% | 4.3% |
| 83 | Stewartville | 85.00 | 6,807 | $82,632 | 4.8% | 3.5% |
| 84 | North Mankato | 86.00 | 14,211 | $80,791 | 4.5% | 2.8% |
| 85 | Isanti | 88.00 | 7,210 | $87,500 | 5.2% | 1.1% |
| 86 | St. Anthony | 88.00 | 9,671 | $97,363 | 6.9% | 1.0% |
| 87 | Stillwater | 88.50 | 19,355 | $105,853 | 7.3% | 3.5% |
| 88 | Blaine | 89.50 | 72,488 | $106,801 | 7.2% | 4.2% |
| 89 | Apple Valley | 90.50 | 55,679 | $97,673 | 6.0% | 3.1% |
| 90 | Hermantown | 91.50 | 10,218 | $90,849 | 5.4% | 2.1% |
| 91 | St. Louis Park | 91.50 | 49,594 | $101,648 | 6.9% | 3.2% |
| 92 | Oakdale | 92.00 | 28,585 | $93,772 | 5.7% | 3.2% |
| 93 | Kasson | 93.00 | 7,050 | $93,333 | 5.5% | 3.9% |
| 94 | Hastings | 95.50 | 22,117 | $93,998 | 5.4% | 4.9% |
| 95 | Champlin | 96.50 | 23,294 | $116,102 | 7.2% | 3.6% |
| 96 | St. Francis | 96.50 | 8,372 | $111,198 | 7.1% | 2.4% |
| 97 | Shakopee | 97.00 | 46,012 | $107,223 | 5.9% | 3.7% |
| 98 | Eagan | 97.00 | 68,000 | $108,690 | 5.9% | 3.7% |
| 99 | Medina | 101.00 | 6,968 | $230,859 | 10.3% | 1.1% |
| 100 | Shoreview | 101.00 | 26,714 | $108,370 | 5.6% | 4.3% |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024. 151 cities with more than 5,000 residents.
Summary
The poorest cities in Minnesota for 2026
Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the poorest places in Minnesota, we weren’t sure what we’d encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in Minnesota.
When you look at the data, the cities and places mentioned above meet the criteria for being at the very bottom of the income ladder for everyone that lives there. Not sold on Minnesota? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
