The unfortunate fact of the matter is that some places in the North Star State have a larger percent of their population that never graduated from high school.
While the emphasis on going to college might be overblown, the fact is that not graduating from high school puts you at a significant disadvantage on average. Educational attainment might not be the best way to measure one person’s intelligence, but it does shine a light on the state.
We will use Saturday Night Science to determine what places in Minnesota have the highest percentage of adults without a high school degree.
A recent study we published found that Minnesota is the 3rd smartest state in the United States, with an average IQ of 102.
But that doesn’t mean that a few cities in Minnesota are a bit slower than others due to a lack of basic education.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Dumbest Places In Minnesota
Don’t freak out.
Some places are just smarter than others, but that says nothing about the character of the people living there. It’s another data point a real estate agent would never tell you.
For this ranking, we only looked at cities with populations greater than 5,000, leaving us 145 cities in Minnesota to rank. You can take a look at the data below.
For more Minnesota reading, check out:
The 10 Dumbest Places In Minnesota For 2024
/10
% Adult High School Dropout: 29.0%
% Highly Educated: 16.0%
More on Worthington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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% Adult High School Dropout: 16.0%
% Highly Educated: 15.0%
More on Albert Lea: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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% Adult High School Dropout: 15.0%
% Highly Educated: 17.0%
More on Waite Park: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Adult High School Dropout: 13.0%
% Highly Educated: 17.0%
More on Faribault: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
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% Adult High School Dropout: 10.0%
% Highly Educated: 11.0%
More on Glencoe: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Adult High School Dropout: 17.0%
% Highly Educated: 20.0%
More on Willmar: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Adult High School Dropout: 10.0%
% Highly Educated: 17.0%
More on International Falls: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Adult High School Dropout: 10.0%
% Highly Educated: 18.0%
More on Montevideo: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Adult High School Dropout: 9.0%
% Highly Educated: 18.0%
More on Waseca: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
/10
% Adult High School Dropout: 12.0%
% Highly Educated: 24.0%
More on Monticello: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How we determined the dumbest cities in the North Star State
We realize that formal education is only part of it when it comes to being intelligent, but on the other hand, knowing the difference between they’re, their, and there is always going to make you look pretty stupid.
So, we used Saturday Night Science to narrow down our criteria to focus on a city’s educational opportunities and what percentage of the population takes advantage of those opportunities.
In short, we came up with these criteria to determine the dumbest cities in Minnesota:
- % of the city’s population with less than a high school education (Age 25+)
- % of city’s population with a college degree (Age 25+)
We got the data from the U.S. Census 2018-2022 American Community Survey.
Then, our algorithm generates a rank for each place in these categories. After crunching all the numbers, a ranking of the cities in Minnesota from dumbest to brightest.
For this ranking, we used every Minnesota city with at least 5,000 residents. We updated this article for 2024, and it’s our tenth time ranking the dumbest cities in Minnesota.
There You Have It – Now That You’re Asleep
If you’re measuring the locations in Minnesota where there are a high number of dropouts and adults who never received a formal education, this is an accurate ranking.
The dumbest cities in Minnesota are Worthington, Albert Lea, Waite Park, Faribault, Glencoe, Willmar, International Falls, Montevideo, Waseca, and Monticello.
If you’re also curious enough, here are the smartest places in Minnesota, according to science:
- Minnetrista
- Shorewood
- Mendota Heights
For more Minnesota reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Minnesota
- Cheapest Places To Live In Minnesota
- Most Dangerous Cities In Minnesota
- Richest Cities In Minnesota
- Safest Places In Minnesota
- Worst Places To Live In Minnesota
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Minnesota
Dumbest Cities In Minnesota For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | % Adult High School Dropout | % Highly Educated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worthington, MN | 13,838 | 29.0% | 16.0% |
| 2 | Albert Lea, MN | 18,434 | 16.0% | 15.0% |
| 3 | Waite Park, MN | 8,290 | 15.0% | 17.0% |
| 4 | Faribault, MN | 24,418 | 13.0% | 17.0% |
| 5 | Glencoe, MN | 5,712 | 10.0% | 11.0% |
| 6 | Willmar, MN | 21,006 | 17.0% | 20.0% |
| 7 | International Falls, MN | 5,795 | 10.0% | 17.0% |
| 8 | Montevideo, MN | 5,350 | 10.0% | 18.0% |
| 9 | Waseca, MN | 9,208 | 9.0% | 18.0% |
| 10 | Monticello, MN | 14,447 | 12.0% | 24.0% |
| 11 | Austin, MN | 26,156 | 12.0% | 24.0% |
| 12 | Isanti, MN | 6,850 | 10.0% | 22.0% |
| 13 | Brooklyn Center, MN | 33,109 | 11.0% | 25.0% |
| 14 | St. Paul Park, MN | 5,497 | 9.0% | 23.0% |
| 15 | Spring Lake Park, MN | 6,966 | 9.0% | 23.0% |
| 16 | Brainerd, MN | 14,412 | 8.0% | 19.0% |
| 17 | Virginia, MN | 8,415 | 8.0% | 18.0% |
| 18 | Jordan, MN | 6,648 | 9.0% | 24.0% |
| 19 | Redwood Falls, MN | 5,091 | 8.0% | 20.0% |
| 20 | Little Falls, MN | 9,084 | 8.0% | 20.0% |
| 21 | Belle Plaine, MN | 7,363 | 10.0% | 28.0% |
| 22 | Cloquet, MN | 12,559 | 8.0% | 23.0% |
| 23 | North St. Paul, MN | 12,465 | 9.0% | 28.0% |
| 24 | Cambridge, MN | 9,726 | 7.0% | 19.0% |
| 25 | Columbia Heights, MN | 21,822 | 10.0% | 31.0% |
| 26 | Zimmerman, MN | 6,243 | 6.0% | 16.0% |
| 27 | Red Wing, MN | 16,627 | 8.0% | 27.0% |
| 28 | Marshall, MN | 13,647 | 9.0% | 30.0% |
| 29 | Fridley, MN | 29,731 | 10.0% | 31.0% |
| 30 | Brooklyn Park, MN | 84,951 | 11.0% | 32.0% |
| 31 | St. Francis, MN | 8,198 | 6.0% | 17.0% |
| 32 | St. Peter, MN | 12,039 | 9.0% | 30.0% |
| 33 | Litchfield, MN | 6,598 | 6.0% | 18.0% |
| 34 | Thief River Falls, MN | 8,871 | 6.0% | 19.0% |
| 35 | Morris, MN | 5,094 | 9.0% | 32.0% |
| 36 | New Ulm, MN | 14,055 | 7.0% | 29.0% |
| 37 | St. Cloud, MN | 68,910 | 8.0% | 31.0% |
| 38 | Hibbing, MN | 16,167 | 6.0% | 20.0% |
| 39 | New Hope, MN | 21,620 | 8.0% | 34.0% |
| 40 | Fairmont, MN | 10,411 | 6.0% | 25.0% |
| 41 | Coon Rapids, MN | 63,296 | 6.0% | 25.0% |
| 42 | Buffalo, MN | 16,288 | 7.0% | 30.0% |
| 43 | Maplewood, MN | 41,405 | 9.0% | 35.0% |
| 44 | Oakdale, MN | 28,029 | 7.0% | 31.0% |
| 45 | Fergus Falls, MN | 14,108 | 6.0% | 26.0% |
| 46 | West St. Paul, MN | 20,820 | 8.0% | 35.0% |
| 47 | North Branch, MN | 10,968 | 5.0% | 20.0% |
| 48 | Anoka, MN | 17,892 | 6.0% | 27.0% |
| 49 | St. Paul, MN | 308,806 | 11.0% | 43.0% |
| 50 | Detroit Lakes, MN | 9,966 | 7.0% | 32.0% |
| 51 | Blaine, MN | 70,047 | 7.0% | 35.0% |
| 52 | Crookston, MN | 7,472 | 6.0% | 29.0% |
| 53 | East Grand Forks, MN | 9,118 | 6.0% | 29.0% |
| 54 | Little Canada, MN | 10,624 | 9.0% | 39.0% |
| 55 | Bemidji, MN | 15,441 | 7.0% | 33.0% |
| 56 | Alexandria, MN | 14,400 | 6.0% | 30.0% |
| 57 | Winona, MN | 26,083 | 7.0% | 34.0% |
| 58 | Oak Grove, MN | 8,956 | 5.0% | 27.0% |
| 59 | South St. Paul, MN | 20,598 | 6.0% | 31.0% |
| 60 | Owatonna, MN | 26,400 | 6.0% | 31.0% |
| 61 | East Bethel, MN | 11,901 | 5.0% | 24.0% |
| 62 | Grand Rapids, MN | 11,158 | 5.0% | 28.0% |
| 63 | Sauk Rapids, MN | 13,830 | 5.0% | 28.0% |
| 64 | Hutchinson, MN | 14,588 | 4.0% | 23.0% |
| 65 | Stewartville, MN | 6,684 | 5.0% | 29.0% |
| 66 | Elk River, MN | 25,936 | 5.0% | 29.0% |
| 67 | St. Joseph, MN | 7,066 | 7.0% | 36.0% |
| 68 | La Crescent, MN | 5,352 | 6.0% | 34.0% |
| 69 | Burnsville, MN | 64,075 | 7.0% | 39.0% |
| 70 | New Prague, MN | 8,155 | 5.0% | 30.0% |
| 71 | Farmington, MN | 23,487 | 7.0% | 37.0% |
| 72 | Hastings, MN | 22,063 | 4.0% | 27.0% |
| 73 | Shakopee, MN | 44,135 | 7.0% | 39.0% |
| 74 | Forest Lake, MN | 20,553 | 6.0% | 37.0% |
| 75 | Richfield, MN | 36,809 | 8.0% | 44.0% |
| 76 | Mankato, MN | 44,444 | 7.0% | 38.0% |
| 77 | Robbinsdale, MN | 14,452 | 7.0% | 40.0% |
| 78 | Chaska, MN | 27,764 | 7.0% | 45.0% |
| 79 | Bloomington, MN | 89,244 | 7.0% | 45.0% |
| 80 | Minneapolis, MN | 426,877 | 9.0% | 54.0% |
| 81 | Mounds View, MN | 13,100 | 5.0% | 36.0% |
| 82 | Crystal, MN | 22,954 | 5.0% | 36.0% |
| 83 | White Bear Lake, MN | 24,317 | 5.0% | 36.0% |
| 84 | Cottage Grove, MN | 39,274 | 6.0% | 38.0% |
| 85 | Ramsey, MN | 27,774 | 4.0% | 32.0% |
| 86 | Rochester, MN | 120,848 | 6.0% | 49.0% |
| 87 | Apple Valley, MN | 55,594 | 6.0% | 45.0% |
| 88 | Wyoming, MN | 8,037 | 3.0% | 32.0% |
| 89 | Ham Lake, MN | 16,489 | 4.0% | 36.0% |
| 90 | Sartell, MN | 19,382 | 5.0% | 38.0% |
| 91 | Andover, MN | 32,639 | 4.0% | 37.0% |
| 92 | Moorhead, MN | 44,443 | 5.0% | 40.0% |
| 93 | Corcoran, MN | 6,549 | 5.0% | 48.0% |
| 94 | Kasson, MN | 6,855 | 3.0% | 36.0% |
| 95 | New Brighton, MN | 23,141 | 5.0% | 48.0% |
| 96 | Albertville, MN | 7,883 | 2.0% | 35.0% |
| 97 | Hopkins, MN | 18,752 | 5.0% | 46.0% |
| 98 | Dayton, MN | 7,745 | 4.0% | 44.0% |
| 99 | Baxter, MN | 8,668 | 2.0% | 36.0% |
| 100 | Duluth, MN | 86,772 | 4.0% | 42.0% |
St Paul PARK is #23, according to the comprehensive list. St. Paul is dumber at #16.
You might have used “science and data” to make your determinations but you didn’t use common sense. Worthington is made up of 30% immigrants which would account for the greatly disproportionate high school diploma rate. Does that make these immigrants dumb? Not quite. Many of them speak 2, 3, 4+ languages and grew up in poverty or war and yet made the difficult journey to immigrate to America. My hat goes off to them; they make my community a great (and smart) place to live.
Thank you for your response Brian. Worthington was unfairly judged in this study. Many of the immigrants in our community have an education and training in their home countries but their qualifications or degrees don’t count here. I worked with a woman from South America who was a nurse and she can not get a job here. Also, with many of the immigrants, unfortunately, education is not as important as family and working to support that family. Many of the immigrants, legal or illegal, are also coming here to make a better life for themselves, and yes they “may” be uneducated but at least they are trying. All I have to say for those naysayers out there, if you don’t like the community your grew up in, a community that supported you, please leave…and don’t come back. Instead of complaining help do something about it. I love Worthington and the melting pot our community has become. Open your eyes, open your hearts and you will realize just how rich (and enriched) we are.
Great answer! Too many younger people, especially, are “book smart and brain dead”. They don’t even know how to wash clothes for themselves, and don’t want to learn. College, to them, is just a huge drinking party. When they get out, they wonder why they are not wanted or needed in specific jobs that demand the highest pay and easiest working conditions for them, because of their “quality education” status. I still think they should bring back teaching Home Ec and Shop in Jr. High.
Maybe they should separate out numbers by how many people are the ones who have come up, especially from places like Chicago and Gary, Indiana, for instance, who are just looking for higher or free, welfare benefits and have no interest in working or doing anything. They come to Minnesota and keep having more and more kids that they refuse to support or take care of. Make them work to receive any welfare benefits! They can go pick up the trash on the sidewalks, along the highways, etc., among many other things. If they refuse to work after six months, make them leave the state and never return. No more rewards, college educations, computers, free schooling, for people in prison, either. Do what Maricopa County does.
Many of the communities on the list are ( out state Dumb you say ) you should be more cautious these are the people that grow the products that your highly intelligent neighbors are eating. All of the last 12 cities on your list are Metro Suburbs. Many of the people that live in these areas are professional, specialist in many fields living in million dollar homes and wouldn’t know how to plant a garden. When it comes to education the same communities hire the best of the best for their teaching staff. Nothing wrong with that I can’t tell the rich how to spend their money. I personally have a high school diploma for 15 years, I was in business management I hired a lot of people with college degrees, and a large percentage could use those diplomas for toilet paper.
What about other states?
Are you just down on minnesota?
I don’t know. I lived in Minneapolis for 5 years and considering what is going on there now, seems to me the city council, the mayor, a member of the U.S. Congress and others are dumb as a bricks. Minnesota Nice has been replaced with Minneapolis Stupid. Seems like there is a lot of competition for the dumbest of them all.