8 Minnesota Cities Now Rank Among The Best Places To Live In America

Where you live matters more than some people realize. The right city can mean shorter commutes, better schools, safer neighborhoods, lower costs, and a quality of life that quietly makes every day a little easier.

Find the wrong fit, and you feel it in ways that are sometimes hard to articulate, but they're impossible to ignore, and they impact your happiness and quality of life in a bad way.

Every year, U.S. News & World Report sets out to take the guesswork out of that decision. Its annual Best Places to Live ranking evaluates cities across the country on the factors that actually move the needle on daily life, and this year, Minnesota placed eight cities in the top 250.

How U.S. News Determines The Rankings

The study uses data from Applied Geographic Solutions, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Department of Commerce, the Federal Reserve, and other federal, state, and local sources to score cities across four indexes.

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The weightings for each index were determined by a February 2026 public survey in which Americans voted for what they considered the most important factors when choosing where to live.

• The Value Index: The most heavily weighted at 28%, measures housing affordability relative to household income and overall cost of living.
• The Quality of Life Index: Weighted at 27%, it covers education, healthcare, air quality, environmental risk, state economy, and infrastructure.
• The Desirability Index: Weighted at 24%, it factors in crime rates, weather, culture and leisure activities, and commute times.
• The Job Market Index: Weighted at 21%, it looks at unemployment rates and median household income.

Every city is then scored on a 10-point scale across these categories, with the combined weighted score determining its overall rank.

This year's list evaluated 250 cities nationwide, and Minnesota had 8 cities make the cut, while two notable cities fell off the list entirely.

Minnesota's 8 Best Places To Live

Here is a look at each of the eight Minnesota cities that made the 2026 U.S. News Best Places to Live list, along with their national rank.

#31 — Plymouth, Minnesota

Plymouth is Minnesota's top-ranked city for the second consecutive year, landing 31st nationally out of 250 cities, and 19th on the best small cities breakout list.

Known for its strong job market, top-rated schools, abundant parks, and lakes, Plymouth consistently ranks as one of the most livable suburbs in the Twin Cities metro.

U.S. News previously described it as one of the top cities in the country for employment, with one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation.

#54 — Maple Grove, Minnesota

Maple Grove comes in at 54th nationally, landing second among Minnesota cities. A fast-growing northwest Twin Cities suburb,

Maple Grove is known for its exceptional shopping and dining, highly rated school districts, and extensive trail systems winding through its parks and nature areas. It consistently earns high marks for both quality of life and value.

#81 — Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Eden Prairie ranks 81st nationally and is one of Minnesota's most consistently recognized cities on livability lists. A southwest Twin Cities suburb, it is home to a thriving business community, top-tier schools, and one of the largest parks systems of any city its size in the state.

Eden Prairie has long been considered one of the gold standards for suburban livability in the Upper Midwest.

#112 — Woodbury, Minnesota

Woodbury lands at 112th nationally, ranking fourth among Minnesota cities. Located on the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro, Woodbury is one of the fastest-growing cities in Minnesota and is known for its strong housing market, highly rated schools, low crime rates, and abundant retail and dining options along its busy commercial corridors.

#134 — Eagan, Minnesota

Eagan ranks 134th nationally and fifth among Minnesota cities. A south metro suburb located just minutes from Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Eagan offers residents a strong job market anchored by major corporate employers, well-regarded schools, and a high quality of life at a slightly more accessible price point than some of its higher-ranked neighbors.

#138 — Rochester, Minnesota

Rochester ranks 138th nationally and is the only city in Minnesota's top eight that sits outside the Twin Cities metro. Home to the world-renowned Mayo Clinic, Rochester offers a unique combination of small-town charm and world-class healthcare infrastructure.

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Its economy is anchored by the medical industry, which drives a strong job market and attracts residents from across the country and around the world.

#198 — Blaine, Minnesota

Blaine ranks 198th nationally, landing seventh among Minnesota cities. A northern Twin Cities suburb, Blaine is home to the National Sports Center, one of the largest amateur sports facilities in the world, and offers residents a family-friendly environment with affordable housing relative to other metro suburbs, solid schools, and easy access to both the city and the outdoors.

#209 — Mankato, Minnesota

Mankato rounds out Minnesota's list at 209th nationally. Located about 85 miles southwest of the Twin Cities, Mankato is the largest city in southern Minnesota and home to Minnesota State University, Mankato.

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It offers a blend of college-town energy, a growing healthcare and manufacturing economy, and a cost of living that makes homeownership significantly more accessible than in the Twin Cities suburbs.

Which Minnesota Cities Dropped Out Of The Rankings?

Minnesota had 10 cities on the list in 2025. This year's edition dropped to eight, with two notable cities falling off entirely.

Bloomington, which ranked 215th last year, and Duluth, which ranked 237th, did not make the 2026 cut. Both cities still appear in U.S. News' top 15 best places to live in Minnesota specifically, with Duluth ranked 11th in the state, but neither cracked the national top 250 this year.

All eight cities that did make the national list also reportedly ranked lower than their 2025 positions, reflecting a more competitive national field and updated index weightings based on what Americans said they care about most right now.