These Are The 10 Best Places Places In Minnesota To Get A Job

Top 10 Cities in Minnesota for Job Opportunities in 2026

Are you looking for job opportunities in Minnesota? You’re in the right place! With the job market evolving significantly in recent years, now is an exciting time to explore where the best opportunities lie in the North Star State.

While many might assume that Saint Paul, as the capital city, is the prime location for job seekers, recent data reveals that there are other cities in Minnesota offering even better prospects.

At Zippia, we dive deep into data analysis to uncover the most promising places to find employment. After examining 57 locations across Minnesota, we’ve compiled a list of the top cities for job seekers in 2026:

Cloquet may not be on this list, but there’s much to learn from these cities that are climbing the career ladder.

How We Determined the Best Places for Jobs in the North Star State

To identify the best places to work in Minnesota, we analyzed detailed data from various sources. We established a minimum population threshold of 5,000 to ensure meaningful comparisons across cities.

This analysis involved 57 locations in Minnesota.

Each city was ranked based on several criteria, with the lowest overall score indicating the best place for job opportunities. The criteria we evaluated included:

Unemployment rate
Recent job growth
Projected job growth
Median household income

We have sourced our data from reputable organizations such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and Sperling’s Best Places. If your city isn’t listed among the top 10, scroll down for a comprehensive chart, including a downloadable file of all analyzed data.

Now, let’s explore how these cities have positioned themselves in the job market.

1. Moorhead

Population: 38,091 Unemployment Rate: 2.90%
Recent Job Growth: 2.69%
Future Job Growth: 42.50%

2. Mankato

Population: 39,246 Unemployment Rate: 3.70%
Recent Job Growth: 2.69%
Future Job Growth: 41.70%

3. Edina

Population: 48,155 Unemployment Rate: 3.10%
Recent Job Growth: 0.93%
Future Job Growth: 38.80%

4. Alexandria

Population: 11,260 Unemployment Rate: 3.80%
Recent Job Growth: 1.64%
Future Job Growth: 39.50%

5. Shoreview

Population: 25,200 Unemployment Rate: 3.20%
Recent Job Growth: 0.93%
Future Job Growth: 38.70%

6. Marshall

Population: 13,551 Unemployment Rate: 3.90%
Recent Job Growth: 1.95%
Future Job Growth: 40.00%

7. Plymouth

Population: 70,895 Unemployment Rate: 3.40%
Recent Job Growth: 0.93%
Future Job Growth: 38.50%

8. Sartell

Population: 15,545 Unemployment Rate: 4.40%
Recent Job Growth: 2.85%
Future Job Growth: 41.30%

9. Eagan

Population: 64,538 Unemployment Rate: 3.50%
Recent Job Growth: 0.93%
Future Job Growth: 38.40%

10. Owatonna

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 25,489 Unemployment Rate: 4.30%
Recent Job Growth: 2.21%
Future Job Growth: 40.10%

Detailed List of the Best Places in Minnesota for Jobs

City	Rank	Population	Unemployment Rate	Recent Job Growth	Future Job Growth
Moorhead	1	38,091	2.90%	2.69%	42.50%
Mankato	2	39,246	3.70%	2.69%	41.70%
Edina	3	48,155	3.10%	0.93%	38.80%
Alexandria	4	11,260	3.80%	1.64%	39.50%
Shoreview	5	25,200	3.20%	0.93%	38.70%
Marshall	6	13,551	3.90%	1.95%	40.00%
Plymouth	7	70,895	3.40%	0.93%	38.50%
Sartell	8	15,545	4.40%	2.85%	41.30%
Eagan	9	64,538	3.50%	0.93%	38.40%
Owatonna	10	25,489	4.30%	2.21%	40.10%
Woodbury	11	62,158	3.00%	0.92%	38.80%
Hugo	12	13,198	3.80%	0.93%	38.10%
Willmar	13	19,541	4.70%	1.97%	39.20%
Hutchinson	14	14,111	5.30%	2.47%	39.60%
Rogers	15	10,035	3.80%	0.93%	38.10%
Minnetonka	16	50,151	3.40%	0.92%	38.40%
Lakeville	17	55,888	3.80%	0.93%	38.10%
Stillwater	18	18,229	3.80%	0.93%	38.10%
Roseville	19	33,833	3.50%	0.92%	38.30%
Champlin	20	23,198	3.80%	0.93%	38.10%
Richfield	21	35,347	3.50%	0.92%	38.30%
Crystal	22	22,242	3.80%	0.93%	38.10%
Faribault	23	23,297	5.00%	1.56%	38.10%
Hopkins	24	17,661	3.80%	0.93%	38.10%
Northfield	25	19,900	5.00%	1.56%	38.10%
Robbinsdale	26	14,048	3.80%	0.93%	38.10%
Rosemount	27	21,749	3.90%	0.93%	38.00%
Farmington	28	20,966	3.90%	0.93%	38.00%
Blaine	29	57,384	3.90%	0.93%	38.00%
Hastings	30	22,072	3.90%	0.93%	38.00%
Burnsville	31	60,676	3.90%	0.93%	38.00%
Minneapolis	32	385,023	3.90%	0.93%	38.00%
Bloomington	33	83,658	3.80%	0.92%	38.00%
Maplewood	34	38,186	4.10%	0.93%	37.80%
Shakopee	35	37,150	3.90%	0.92%	37.90%
Chanhassen	36	23,229	4.20%	0.93%	37.70%
Chaska	37	23,698	4.20%	0.93%	37.70%
Waconia	38	10,707	4.20%	0.93%	37.70%
Savage	39	27,143	4.00%	0.92%	37.80%
Andover	40	30,648	4.30%	0.93%	37.60%
Worthington	41	12,701	3.50%	0.34%	37.20%
Fridley	42	27,404	4.30%	0.93%	37.60%
Ramsey	43	23,612	4.40%	0.93%	37.50%
Anoka	44	17,250	4.40%	0.93%	37.50%
Winona	45	27,727	4.00%	0.64%	37.30%
Bemidji	46	13,485	6.40%	1.15%	35.90%
Rochester	47	106,903	3.80%	-0.03%	36.10%
Austin	48	24,632	4.00%	0.44%	36.90%
Oakdale	49	27,508	4.40%	0.92%	37.40%
Otsego	50	13,506	5.20%	0.93%	36.70%
Monticello	51	12,711	5.20%	0.93%	36.70%
Buffalo	52	15,379	5.20%	0.93%	36.70%
Duluth	53	86,239	5.10%	0.39%	35.70%
Fairmont	54	10,579	4.70%	0.09%	35.50%
Hibbing	55	16,345	5.70%	0.39%	35.10%
Brainerd	56	13,609	6.50%	0.46%	34.40%
Cloquet	57	12,097	6.50%	0.39%	34.30%

In conclusion, Minnesota boasts several cities that offer promising job prospects. Whether you’re a recent graduate, a seasoned professional, or someone looking to make a career change, these cities provide a vibrant job market and a supportive community. Stay informed on the evolving job landscape to find the opportunity that suits you best!

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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