These Are The 10 Worst Minneapolis Suburbs For 2018

Not everyone is cut out for city life. Some people would prefer to live in the cities and towns that surround Minneapolis.

So the question arises, do the suburbs maintain a semblance of the larger-than-life appeal of their more famous neighbor?

Today, we’ll use science and data to determine which Minneapolis ‘burbs need a little tender loving care – the sore thumbs of the Minneapolis area if you will. Realistically, you can’t expect all the suburbs to live up to Minneapolis proper, although Victoria certainly tries.

Of course, not all suburbs of Minneapolis are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. So without further ado…

We examined the 84 biggest suburbs of Minneapolis to find out the worst places to live. And while you won’t necessarily find them on the worst places to live in Minnesota lists, these ten places are a little too far downwind of Minneapolis in terms of quality of life.

Here are the 10 worst suburbs around Minneapolis for 2018:

1. Brooklyn Center (Photos)
2. Columbia Heights (Photos)
3. Anoka (Photos)
4. Fridley (Photos)
5. St. Paul (Photos)
6. South St. Paul (Photos)
7. West St. Paul (Photos)
8. Spring Lake Park (Photos)
9. Richfield (Photos)
10. Brooklyn Park (Photos)

Read on to see how we determined the places around Minneapolis that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don’t blame the messenger.

Or, if you’re thinking of moving to elsewhere in Minnesota check out the best places in Minnesota overall or the worst.

And remember, there are some good places to live around Minneapolis too.

Editor’s Note: If you see a slight difference between the worst in state rankings and this suburb ranking, it’s because of the methodology. We needed a way to include more places, so we eliminated crime and commute times as criteria for this analysis.

For more Minnesota reading, check out:

• 10 Best Places To Live In Minnesota
• 10 Cheapest Places To Live In Minnesota
• 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Minnesota

Determining The Worst Suburbs Around Minneapolis for 2018

To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what cities have the least amount of those things.

We threw a lot of criteria at this one in order to get the best, most complete results possible. Using the most recent American Community Survey data, this is the criteria we used:

• High unemployment rate
• Low median household incomes
• Low population density (no things to do)
• Low home values
• A lot of high school drop outs
• High poverty
• High rate of uninsured families

FYI: We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of Minneapolis.

Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 5,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 84 suburbs to evaluate around Minneapolis.

We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 84 in each category, where 1 was the “worst”.

Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality of life index.

And finally, we crowned the city with the worst quality of life index the “Worst Suburb near Minneapolis.” We’re lookin’ at you, Brooklyn Center.

Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the worst of the worst. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from worst to best.

1. Brooklyn Center

Population: 30,785
Unemployment Rate: 6.3%
Median Home Price: $140,000
Median Income: $46,400
More on Brooklyn Center: Data | Jobs

We’ll get the ball rolling with Brooklyn Center, the absolute worst place to live around Minneapolis according to the data.

And in the world of worst rankings, Brooklyn Center beat the competition pretty handily thanks to scoring in the bottom 15% in three major categories. Income is the 1st worst in the Minneapolis area, and to make matters worse, the city ranks 1st worst when it comes to home values.

But hey, at least it’s cheap to live there. But there’s a reason for that… it’s Brooklyn Center.

You won’t feel bad about not having a great income for the area, there aren’t a bunch of places to spend your money anyway.

2. Columbia Heights

Population: 19,689
Unemployment Rate: 8.7%
Median Home Price: $155,300
Median Income: $48,791
More on Columbia Heights: Data | Jobs

Welcome to Columbia Heights. Home to KMart, Big Lots, and a lot of gas stations.

This city is 6.0 miles to Minneapolis. Income levels here are the 2nd lowest in the metro area, where families bring in about $48,791 a year, which doesn’t go a long ways even on a shoestring budget.

But on the bright side, there are a lot of fast food joints in the area.

3. Anoka

Population: 17,325
Unemployment Rate: 6.2%
Median Home Price: $167,800
Median Income: $48,850
More on Anoka: Data | Jobs

Back up the highway we go for the third worst Minneapolis suburb you can live in. You might have expected to see Anoka on here. While the cost of living is low, your entertainment and work options are limited. And that’s an understatement.

In terms of numbers, it’s in the worst 15% for insurance, and the adult high school drop out rate is poor compared to other Minneapolis suburbs.

But at least there are nice parks to bring the kids during the day.

4. Fridley

Population: 27,447
Unemployment Rate: 5.8%
Median Home Price: $166,600
Median Income: $55,006
More on Fridley: Data | Jobs

If you live in Fridley, most likely you struggle to make ends meet every month. It ranks as the 11th lowest Minneapolis suburb when it comes to residents making money.

Not only that, but this is the 11th worst unemployed suburb you can live in if you choose to live near Minneapolis. Remember, we looked at 84 cities for this study.

Fridley is about 8.4 miles to downtown.

5. St. Paul

Population: 297,160
Unemployment Rate: 7.8%
Median Home Price: $178,400
Median Income: $50,820
More on St. Paul: Data | Jobs

St. Paul has the distinction of being a Minneapolis suburb. Which means that’s about all it has going for it.

All snarkiness aside, St. Paul has the 13th lowest home values in the metro Minneapolis area, where the median price is $178,400. To put that into perspective, in Victoria, the median income is $143,191, which is the best in the area.

St. Paul has an unemployment rate of 7.8% which ranks 4th worst.

6. South St. Paul

Population: 20,281
Unemployment Rate: 6.3%
Median Home Price: $160,800
Median Income: $54,777
More on South St. Paul: Data | Jobs

South St. Paul has 20,281 residents that probably know it’s a pretty crummy place to live when you look at the data. (Or, if you’ve ever been there, you don’t need to look at the data.)

Incomes are towards the bottom and the poverty rate sits at 13.1%.

7. West St. Paul

Population: 19,779
Unemployment Rate: 8.6%
Median Home Price: $175,100
Median Income: $51,066
More on West St. Paul: Data | Jobs

Ah, West St. Paul. You rank as the 7th worst place to live around Minneapolis.

It’s the place with the 3rd most out of work residents in the Minneapolis metro area (8.6%).

8. Spring Lake Park

Population: 6,519
Unemployment Rate: 7.3%
Median Home Price: $160,400
Median Income: $57,993
More on Spring Lake Park: Data | Jobs

Spring Lake Park is a city about 10.6 miles from Minneapolis, but Minneapolis probably wishes it was further away. It ranks as the 8th worst burb for 2018.

You’d be hard pressed to find a worse place to live. Spring Lake Park has the 17th most uninsured people, 14th worst incomes, and has the 5th highest unemployment rate (7.3%) in the entire Minneapolis metro area.

Homes only cost $160,400 for a reason. That’s cheap for Minneapolis standards.

9. Richfield

Population: 35,912
Unemployment Rate: 5.5%
Median Home Price: $188,100
Median Income: $54,642
More on Richfield: Data | Jobs

If you absolutely have to live near Minneapolis, then Richfield might be a place for you to consider as it’s only the 9th worst Minneapolis suburb.

About 5.5% of residents are out of work.

10. Brooklyn Park

Population: 78,823
Unemployment Rate: 5.7%
Median Home Price: $186,400
Median Income: $65,695
More on Brooklyn Park: Data | Jobs

Rounding out the ten worst Minneapolis suburbs to call home is Brooklyn Park.

Located 10.9 miles outside the city, Brooklyn Parks is a real pit when you look at the data. Its residents have the 12th highest unemployment rate (5.7%), and poverty is far above the area average.

The areas around Minneapolis where the dream is more of a nightmare for 2018

Well there you have it — the worst of the ‘burbs surrounding Minneapolis with Brooklyn Center casting itself ahead of the pack.

As we mentioned earlier, the suburbs around Minneapolis aren’t all bad. Victoria takes the cake as the best place to live around Minneapolis.

For more Minnesota reading, check out:

• 10 Most Ghetto Cities In Minnesota
• These Are The 10 Richest Cities In Minnesota
• 10 Safest Places In Minnesota
• 10 Worst Places To Live In Minnesota

Detailed List Of The Worst Minneapolis Suburbs

Rank	City	Population	Unemployment Rate	Median Home Price	Median Income
1	Brooklyn Center	30,785	6.3%	$140,000	$46,400
2	Columbia Heights	19,689	8.7%	$155,300	$48,791
3	Anoka	17,325	6.2%	$167,800	$48,850
4	Fridley	27,447	5.8%	$166,600	$55,006
5	St. Paul	297,160	7.8%	$178,400	$50,820
6	South St. Paul	20,281	6.3%	$160,800	$54,777
7	West St. Paul	19,779	8.6%	$175,100	$51,066
8	Spring Lake Park	6,519	7.3%	$160,400	$57,993
9	Richfield	35,912	5.5%	$188,100	$54,642
10	Brooklyn Park	78,823	5.7%	$186,400	$65,695
11	North St. Paul	12,102	9.0%	$180,200	$57,156
12	Mounds View	12,708	5.5%	$168,600	$56,753
13	Maplewood	39,678	6.2%	$188,400	$63,367
14	St. Paul Park	5,352	5.7%	$161,300	$68,586
15	Inver Grove Heights	34,757	5.5%	$216,400	$69,893
16	Little Canada	10,202	5.1%	$203,600	$51,154
17	New Hope	20,819	4.6%	$194,900	$50,000
18	Robbinsdale	14,382	5.5%	$166,600	$60,388
19	Hastings	22,501	4.9%	$182,800	$62,155
20	Hopkins	18,077	4.6%	$204,300	$51,466
21	Coon Rapids	62,159	5.4%	$171,200	$66,313
22	Crystal	22,777	4.1%	$159,600	$60,494
23	Burnsville	61,158	5.0%	$215,300	$66,225
24	Shakopee	39,656	5.3%	$221,500	$79,648
25	Bloomington	85,080	4.3%	$221,900	$67,473
26	Roseville	35,254	4.2%	$224,000	$63,022
27	Dayton	5,031	4.2%	$238,900	$78,477
28	New Brighton	22,233	4.7%	$223,400	$66,003
29	Forest Lake	19,208	4.2%	$234,700	$73,091
30	East Bethel	11,618	4.2%	$210,300	$90,134
31	Jordan	5,981	2.5%	$210,500	$66,818
32	Oakdale	27,956	4.1%	$201,900	$67,991
33	Oak Grove	8,334	3.8%	$239,000	$85,446
34	Blaine	61,210	4.2%	$189,100	$79,915
35	Elk River	23,743	3.9%	$214,900	$83,585
36	White Bear Lake	24,992	3.9%	$192,800	$63,916
37	Cottage Grove	35,632	4.3%	$216,500	$85,516
38	Wyoming	7,785	5.0%	$201,300	$84,712
39	Vadnais Heights	13,115	3.1%	$206,400	$72,673
40	Mound	9,306	4.5%	$225,200	$78,920
41	Golden Valley	21,040	5.4%	$264,900	$81,919
42	St. Louis Park	47,486	4.1%	$236,900	$68,451
43	Hudson	13,367	3.6%	$225,900	$65,182
44	Chaska	25,078	2.5%	$243,700	$76,673
45	Eagan	65,874	4.4%	$251,500	$82,855
46	Apple Valley	50,602	3.7%	$218,100	$83,450
47	Corcoran	5,572	4.0%	$305,100	$101,659
48	Falcon Heights	5,534	4.7%	$283,200	$75,167
49	Arden Hills	10,126	7.1%	$282,200	$91,875
50	Ham Lake	15,878	4.9%	$268,600	$93,900
51	Ramsey	25,329	3.6%	$210,200	$88,286
52	St. Anthony	8,790	3.2%	$232,300	$64,504
53	Otsego	15,065	2.0%	$193,900	$89,556
54	Rosemount	23,099	4.0%	$240,300	$92,939
55	Farmington	22,226	2.4%	$213,800	$86,447
56	Lake Elmo	8,445	3.1%	$375,800	$96,944
57	Hugo	14,223	2.4%	$236,200	$86,789
58	St. Michael	17,045	4.0%	$223,100	$97,000
59	Prior Lake	24,997	3.7%	$286,100	$101,128
60	Savage	29,399	3.3%	$263,300	$97,584
61	Stillwater	19,142	3.4%	$248,400	$79,293
62	Andover	31,906	3.7%	$241,800	$100,358
63	Minnetonka	51,651	4.1%	$301,400	$83,496
64	Delano	5,754	3.5%	$234,300	$78,114
65	Orono	7,772	4.9%	$593,000	$119,393
66	Lakeville	59,786	2.9%	$260,400	$98,864
67	Lino Lakes	20,758	4.0%	$263,800	$105,934
68	Champlin	23,929	3.4%	$205,700	$84,042
69	Shoreview	26,161	2.8%	$238,100	$81,353
70	Albertville	7,286	3.1%	$189,600	$93,045
71	Mahtomedi	7,964	3.9%	$298,200	$95,679
72	Minnetrista	6,963	2.2%	$422,400	$143,191
73	Plymouth	75,105	3.0%	$310,900	$88,378
74	Mendota Heights	11,231	4.3%	$351,100	$100,903
75	Maple Grove	66,969	3.6%	$254,400	$96,410
76	Woodbury	66,699	4.0%	$282,700	$101,922
77	Medina	5,633	2.2%	$586,600	$137,692
78	Eden Prairie	63,206	3.2%	$319,400	$101,094
79	Chanhassen	24,796	3.1%	$339,800	$115,449
80	Waconia	11,523	2.8%	$252,200	$87,394
81	Edina	49,976	3.6%	$424,500	$91,847
82	Rogers	12,284	1.7%	$279,600	$109,023
83	Shorewood	7,548	2.9%	$428,100	$123,629
84	Victoria	8,385	2.1%	$394,800	$132,431