Minnesota is one big Midwestern state with an even bigger heart for families.
That’s right, Minnesota is great for families. And HomeSnacks is here to tell you why. We’ve done the unthinkable, and created a list of the best places for families in Minnesota for 2024. How did we determine Minnesota’s most family friendly places? We consulted the US Census on places in The North Star State with more than 10,000 residents. We looked at several factors: crime, education, family friendly activities, and the percent of households that currently have children. We ended up with 85 family friendly Minnesota places that any family would be lucky to call home.
Not only did we discover that Minnesota’s family friendly places have a ton of families with young children at home or that there are family friendly amenities like the Mall of America in Bloomington, but the state is great for parents just starting out. It’s a known fact that restaurants in Minnesota’s family friendly places like Grand Rapids are more likely to have changing tables in their bathrooms, parking spots are bigger, and fellow parents are more concerned with what beer you drink than what prestigious kindergarten your kid is attending. And if you’re one of those outdoorsy families, Minnesota is your state! Your family can spend winters skiing Afton Alps in Hastings and summers hiking the Lakewalk Trail in Duluth.
To learn more about our methodology and to see why Minnesota’s top ten best places to raise a family are truly the best of the best, read on.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Best Cities To Raise A Family In Minnesota For 2024
No, it’s not a coincidence that most of Minnesota’s family friendly places are centered around two of Minnesota’s biggest cities: Minneapolis and Rochester. There’s more to do in these places and jobs with competitive salaries are plentiful.
So, if you want your family to safely wake up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, with beautiful wooded forests in their backyard, great schools down the street, and endless, healthy activities at their disposal, HomeSnacks suggests that you look no further than Minnesota’s number one place to raise a family, Rosemount.
If you want to see how Minnesota’s other amazing best places to raise a family faired, take a look at the list below. And if you don’t see your favorite there, head to the bottom.
More reading about Minnesota and the best places for families in the country:
- Best Places To Live In Minnesota
- Cheapest Places To Live In Minnesota
- Best Cities To Raise A Family In America
- Best States To Raise A Family In America
The 10 Best Places To Raise A Family In Minnesota For 2024
/10
Population: 25,993
Median Income: $127,252
Average Home Price: $408,304
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 60
Closest Major City: St. Paul
Households with kids: 41.0%
More on Rosemount: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 75,549
Median Income: $125,097
Average Home Price: $448,821
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 36
Closest Major City: St. Paul
Households with kids: 37.6%
More on Woodbury: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 27,764
Median Income: $99,988
Average Home Price: $441,075
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 43
Closest Major City: Minneapolis
Households with kids: 38.1%
More on Chaska: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 53,529
Median Income: $114,867
Average Home Price: $450,534
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 89
Closest Major City: Minneapolis
Households with kids: 26.5%
More on Minnetonka: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 79,918
Median Income: $130,131
Average Home Price: $474,202
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 38
Closest Major City: Minneapolis
Households with kids: 32.3%
More on Plymouth: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 20,518
Median Income: $83,125
Average Home Price: $358,052
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 64
Closest Major City: St. Paul
Households with kids: 26.8%
More on Northfield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 63,623
Median Income: $129,345
Average Home Price: $463,961
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 37
Closest Major City: Minneapolis
Households with kids: 36.2%
More on Eden Prairie: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 19,316
Median Income: $107,986
Average Home Price: $417,520
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 36
Closest Major City: St. Paul
Households with kids: 30.6%
More on Stillwater: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 44,135
Median Income: $103,924
Average Home Price: $378,683
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 49
Closest Major City: Minneapolis
Households with kids: 44.2%
More on Shakopee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
Population: 68,262
Median Income: $104,101
Average Home Price: $385,125
Family Friendly Amenities Score: 47
Closest Major City: St. Paul
Households with kids: 30.8%
More on Eagan: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Minnesota anyways?
To give you the places in Minnesota that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Minnesota, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Minnesota, that meant a total of 85 cities.
We updated this article for 2024. This is our tenth time ranking the best cities for families in Minnesota.
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Minnesota
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Minnesota ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Minnesota are Rosemount, Woodbury, Chaska, Minnetonka, Plymouth, Northfield, Eden Prairie, Stillwater, Shakopee, and Eagan.
Here’s a look at the best cities for singles Minnesota according to the data:
- Bemidji
- St. Cloud
- Brainerd
For more Minnesota reading, check out:
Best Places For Families In Minnesota
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Amenities Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rosemount, MN | 25,993 | $127,252 | $408,304 | 43 |
| 2 | Woodbury, MN | 75,549 | $125,097 | $448,821 | 60 |
| 3 | Chaska, MN | 27,764 | $99,988 | $441,075 | 62 |
| 4 | Minnetonka, MN | 53,529 | $114,867 | $450,534 | 93 |
| 5 | Plymouth, MN | 79,918 | $130,131 | $474,202 | 34 |
| 6 | Northfield, MN | 20,518 | $83,125 | $358,052 | 62 |
| 7 | Eden Prairie, MN | 63,623 | $129,345 | $463,961 | 54 |
| 8 | Stillwater, MN | 19,316 | $107,986 | $417,520 | 35 |
| 9 | Shakopee, MN | 44,135 | $103,924 | $378,683 | 68 |
| 10 | Eagan, MN | 68,262 | $104,101 | $385,125 | 64 |