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These Are The 10 Most Successful Cities In Minnesota

By Chris Kolmar
Jun. 27, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on: Jan. 24, 2026

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Top 10 Most Successful Cities in Minnesota for 2026

Success can mean many things. Is it defined by the balance in your bank account, the thrill of delivering a captivating presentation, or perhaps the joy of sharing a good laugh with friends? The truth is, success is a deeply personal and subjective concept, often defying easy measurement.

At Zippia, we appreciate the art of quantifying success. By applying data-driven analysis, we’ve identified the 10 most successful cities in Minnesota. Here’s our definitive list:

  1. Rogers
  2. Shorewood
  3. Victoria
  4. St. Michael
  5. Champlin
  6. Farmington
  7. Chanhassen
  8. Orono
  9. Waconia
  10. Woodbury

If you find yourself questioning our rankings, don’t worry; we have a clear methodology behind our findings.

How We Identified the Most Successful Cities in Minnesota

When discussing success, many people immediately think of financial wealth. However, success encompasses much more. To determine our rankings, we analyzed a range of criteria based on the most recent American Community Survey data.

1. Rogers

Source: Flickr

Population: 11,747
Median Income: $100,525
Poverty Rate: 2.1%
Unemployment Rate: 3.7%

2. Shorewood

Population: 7,438
Median Income: $113,719
Poverty Rate: 3.8%
Unemployment Rate: 2.9%

3. Victoria

Population: 7,845
Median Income: $131,833
Poverty Rate: 2.8%
Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

4. St. Michael

Population: 16,767
Median Income: $94,318
Poverty Rate: 2.4%
Unemployment Rate: 4.1%

5. Champlin

Population: 23,591
Median Income: $86,788
Poverty Rate: 2.6%
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%

6. Farmington

Population: 21,861
Median Income: $87,653
Poverty Rate: 2.5%
Unemployment Rate: 4.3%

7. Chanhassen

Population: 24,003
Median Income: $108,078
Poverty Rate: 3.0%
Unemployment Rate: 4.8%

8. Orono

Population: 7,690
Median Income: $101,030
Poverty Rate: 3.8%
Unemployment Rate: 4.2%

9. Waconia

Population: 11,230
Median Income: $78,086
Poverty Rate: 2.9%
Unemployment Rate: 3.6%

10. Woodbury

Population: 64,544
Median Income: $98,974
Poverty Rate: 3.4%
Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

Measuring Success

If you’re still pondering whether these metrics can adequately define a city or the individuals within it, you’re not alone. Success is multifaceted and can’t be fully captured by numbers alone. Nonetheless, we believe our data-driven approach offers valuable insights into the state of these cities. Congratulations to Rogers and our other top cities! For those not included in this list, we encourage you to strive for success in the coming years.

Detailed List of the Most Successful Cities in Minnesota

Rank City Median Income Poverty Rate Unemployment Rate
1 Rogers $100,525 2.1% 3.7%
2 Shorewood $113,719 3.8% 2.9%
3 Victoria $131,833 2.8% 4.7%
4 St. Michael $94,318 2.4% 4.1%
5 Champlin $86,788 2.6% 3.6%
6 Farmington $87,653 2.5% 4.3%
7 Chanhassen $108,078 3.0% 4.8%
8 Orono $101,030 3.8% 4.2%
9 Waconia $78,086 2.9% 3.6%
10 Woodbury $98,974 3.4% 4.7%
11 Kasson $68,153 2.3% 2.5%
12 Minnetrista $107,083 6.8% 3.8%
13 Lake Elmo $104,974 3.6% 5.1%
14 Mendota Heights $98,098 3.4% 5.2%
15 Rosemount $86,845 5.2% 4.0%
16 Wyoming $81,496 3.7% 4.4%
17 Lakeville $94,635 5.4% 4.3%
18 Chaska $76,301 4.1% 4.0%
19 Hugo $81,773 5.2% 3.7%
20 Andover $93,314 3.5% 5.2%
21 Delano $78,065 2.9% 4.9%
22 Prior Lake $95,692 4.8% 4.9%
23 Mahtomedi $97,766 5.6% 4.6%
24 New Prague $66,272 4.4% 3.3%
25 Lino Lakes $103,407 3.6% 5.6%
26 Byron $75,102 5.8% 2.5%
27 Eden Prairie $95,697 4.5% 5.1%
28 Edina $86,968 4.2% 5.1%
29 Sartell $69,380 5.0% 3.6%
30 Maple Grove $92,267 3.5% 5.5%
31 Otsego $72,626 3.2% 5.0%
32 Jordan $68,091 4.5% 4.1%
33 Shoreview $79,485 4.9% 4.6%
34 Medina $126,161 3.5% 6.6%
35 Oak Grove $85,250 2.2% 6.4%
36 Vadnais Heights $73,208 7.4% 3.6%
37 Savage $94,432 5.1% 5.4%
38 Ramsey $83,115 3.2% 6.3%
39 Cottage Grove $82,485 4.7% 5.3%
40 Albertville $96,896 0.8% 7.9%
41 Corcoran $102,477 2.3% 8.3%
42 Plymouth $84,321 5.4% 5.3%
43 Minnetonka $80,068 5.0% 5.4%
44 Elk River $74,772 4.5% 5.4%
45 Monticello $73,151 6.5% 4.9%
46 Eagan $80,247 6.4% 5.2%
47 White Bear Lake $61,672 5.3% 4.4%
48 Mound $72,184 8.2% 4.5%
49 Isanti $56,699 7.2% 3.5%
50 Ham Lake $89,949 4.5% 7.1%
51 Belle Plaine $70,983 3.5% 6.4%
52 Apple Valley $80,609 5.6% 5.8%
53 Stillwater $75,200 7.4% 5.3%
54 Blaine $73,496 4.3% 6.6%
55 Golden Valley $82,325 10.6% 5.0%
56 Shakopee $79,670 6.5% 5.9%
57 East Bethel $87,441 5.5% 7.5%
58 Hutchinson $49,945 7.1% 3.8%
59 Falcon Heights $66,635 8.8% 5.0%
60 St. Louis Park $65,151 7.4% 5.2%
61 Stewartville $49,428 8.7% 3.1%
62 Forest Lake $71,995 7.0% 6.3%
63 Oakdale $67,822 5.5% 6.5%
64 Crystal $59,860 9.0% 4.7%
65 East Grand Forks $51,167 10.7% 2.2%
66 North Branch $67,220 7.1% 5.9%
67 Rochester $63,472 10.1% 4.8%
68 Roseville $62,464 10.7% 4.4%
69 Hermantown $69,143 8.3% 5.7%
70 Baxter $58,662 8.5% 5.0%
71 North Mankato $56,488 9.0% 5.0%
72 New Ulm $45,911 7.2% 4.5%
73 Arden Hills $85,028 8.1% 8.0%
74 Thief River Falls $41,115 9.4% 2.5%
75 Lake City $48,390 5.6% 5.2%
76 New Brighton $61,324 10.6% 5.2%
77 Hastings $64,119 7.6% 7.1%
78 Buffalo $61,884 10.0% 5.6%
79 St. Anthony $54,943 8.3% 5.7%
80 Fairmont $51,809 9.7% 5.1%
81 Maplewood $60,323 9.3% 6.0%
82 Inver Grove Heights $64,635 8.2% 7.4%
83 Glencoe $54,618 15.6% 4.5%
84 St. Peter $56,071 24.7% 3.8%
85 Burnsville $63,997 9.7% 6.5%
86 Montevideo $44,503 12.7% 3.4%
87 Bloomington $63,053 9.2% 6.7%
88 Coon Rapids $64,694 7.8% 7.9%
89 Northfield $58,375 10.7% 5.7%
90 Litchfield $50,668 10.8% 5.3%
91 Marshall $47,042 18.2% 4.1%
92 Big Lake $63,941 12.2% 6.7%
93 Redwood Falls $44,784 8.6% 5.8%
94 Owatonna $52,790 9.4% 6.7%
95 St. Francis $64,609 11.2% 7.6%
96 Robbinsdale $57,012 9.2% 7.7%
97 Brooklyn Park $62,656 10.3% 7.7%
98 Morris $41,975 33.9% 3.3%
99 Detroit Lakes $39,783 18.0% 4.2%
100 Mounds View $59,121 10.7% 7.8%
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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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