Most Americans have never been to small town Minnesota. However, as the Minnesotan who live there know, small town Minnesota is an awesome place to call home.
But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Minnesota has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the North Star State. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.
After analyzing more than 211 of Minnesota’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Minnesota where you’d never want to live:
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
So what is the worst small town to call home in Minnesota for 2025? According to the most recent census data, Little Rock is the worst small town to live in Minnesota.
While many of these small towns have seen better days, they have wonderful communities and people. This report in no way means to knock the folks that call towns like Little Rock home. Everyone
Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.
And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in Minnesota or the worst places to live in Minnesota.
If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.
The 10 Worst Small Towns In Minnesota For 2025
1. Little Rock
Population: 1,075
Median Home Value: $34,100
Median Income: $51,719
Unemployment Rate: 14.2%
2. Red Lake
/10
Population: 1,506
Median Home Value: $136,000
Median Income: $55,092
Unemployment Rate: 13.9%
3. Sandstone
/10
Population: 2,538
Median Home Value: $137,500
Median Income: $50,288
Unemployment Rate: 5.5%
4. Redby
/10
Population: 1,175
Median Home Value: $109,500
Median Income: $53,846
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%
5. Mahnomen
/10
Population: 1,116
Median Home Value: $83,000
Median Income: $43,854
Unemployment Rate: 12.3%
6. Keewatin
/10
Population: 1,229
Median Home Value: $78,900
Median Income: $50,872
Unemployment Rate: 2.2%
7. Aurora
/10
Population: 1,897
Median Home Value: $88,700
Median Income: $42,406
Unemployment Rate: 6.5%
8. Winnebago
/10
Population: 1,247
Median Home Value: $106,500
Median Income: $58,438
Unemployment Rate: 6.7%
9. Bagley
/10
Population: 1,218
Median Home Value: $135,100
Median Income: $53,417
Unemployment Rate: 5.9%
10. Perham
/10
Population: 3,577
Median Home Value: $186,000
Median Income: $47,088
Unemployment Rate: 15.4%
Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in Minnesota is lousy or not?
To rank the worst small towns to live in Minnesota, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.
We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.
Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:
- Population Density (The lower, the worse)
- Highest Unemployment Rates
- Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
- Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
- Education (Number of high school dropouts)
- High Crime
We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 211 to be exact.
We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.
We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2025, which is our tenth time ranking the worst small places to live in Minnesota.
There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In Minnesota
If you’re analyzing teeny places in the North Star State with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.
The worst small towns in Minnesota are Little Rock, Red Lake, Sandstone, Redby, Mahnomen, Keewatin, Aurora, Winnebago, Bagley, and Perham.
If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Minnesota, according to science:
- Wayzata (Pop. 4,363)
- St. Bonifacius (Pop. 1,982)
- Deephaven (Pop. 3,835)
For more Minnesota reading, check out:
Worst Small Towns In Minnesota
| Rank | Town | Population | Unemployment Rate | Home Value | Median Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Rock | 1,075 | 14.2% | $34,100 | $51,719 |
| 2 | Red Lake | 1,506 | 13.9% | $136,000 | $55,092 |
| 3 | Sandstone | 2,538 | 5.5% | $137,500 | $50,288 |
| 4 | Redby | 1,175 | 4.5% | $109,500 | $53,846 |
| 5 | Mahnomen | 1,116 | 12.3% | $83,000 | $43,854 |
| 6 | Keewatin | 1,229 | 2.2% | $78,900 | $50,872 |
| 7 | Aurora | 1,897 | 6.5% | $88,700 | $42,406 |
| 8 | Winnebago | 1,247 | 6.7% | $106,500 | $58,438 |
| 9 | Bagley | 1,218 | 5.9% | $135,100 | $53,417 |
| 10 | Perham | 3,577 | 15.4% | $186,000 | $47,088 |
| 11 | Appleton | 1,360 | 4.7% | $71,300 | $40,117 |
| 12 | Hinckley | 1,665 | 6.0% | $165,200 | $41,979 |
| 13 | Wadena | 4,361 | 8.1% | $158,700 | $45,850 |
| 14 | Hilltop | 1,056 | 13.3% | $24,600 | $47,708 |
| 15 | St. James | 4,740 | 9.6% | $109,600 | $57,031 |
| 16 | Nashwauk | 1,035 | 7.6% | $102,400 | $58,533 |
| 17 | Crosby | 2,253 | 4.5% | $175,600 | $43,250 |
| 18 | Warroad | 2,067 | 8.0% | $195,000 | $50,685 |
| 19 | Fosston | 1,283 | 10.5% | $126,500 | $50,694 |
| 20 | Frazee | 1,595 | 6.2% | $166,800 | $49,000 |
| 21 | Park Rapids | 4,226 | 6.9% | $218,500 | $45,800 |
| 22 | Fairfax | 1,134 | 1.9% | $99,800 | $53,750 |
| 23 | Menahga | 1,292 | 5.9% | $145,800 | $56,000 |
| 24 | Mora | 3,708 | 4.3% | $180,300 | $53,704 |
| 25 | Babbitt | 1,420 | 4.7% | $96,000 | $54,318 |
| 26 | Braham | 1,674 | 8.8% | $191,600 | $55,417 |
| 27 | Hoyt Lakes | 2,074 | 15.7% | $90,700 | $64,514 |
| 28 | Granite Falls | 2,612 | 5.0% | $139,700 | $59,402 |
| 29 | Pine City | 3,339 | 7.8% | $181,800 | $51,654 |
| 30 | Eveleth | 3,470 | 2.1% | $91,800 | $47,721 |
| 31 | New York Mills | 1,319 | 4.1% | $144,900 | $51,696 |
| 32 | Pelican Rapids | 2,589 | 3.3% | $177,700 | $65,482 |
| 33 | Elbow Lake | 1,158 | 4.8% | $118,900 | $56,786 |
| 34 | Roseau | 2,728 | 3.9% | $130,000 | $60,185 |
| 35 | Mountain Lake | 1,833 | 4.9% | $118,900 | $59,115 |
| 36 | Parkers Prairie | 1,089 | 5.3% | $152,500 | $58,750 |
| 37 | Milaca | 3,033 | 3.5% | $184,900 | $49,063 |
| 38 | Clara City | 1,497 | 4.0% | $116,500 | $58,431 |
| 39 | Wheaton | 1,334 | 5.7% | $82,200 | $52,260 |
| 40 | Staples | 2,359 | 5.3% | $119,300 | $51,506 |
| 41 | Ortonville | 1,968 | 4.8% | $117,500 | $53,021 |
| 42 | Rush City | 3,262 | 4.9% | $199,000 | $58,543 |
| 43 | Ely | 3,239 | 2.7% | $150,800 | $46,042 |
| 44 | Breckenridge | 3,369 | 7.0% | $142,000 | $57,344 |
| 45 | Jackson | 3,298 | 4.0% | $118,900 | $57,328 |
| 46 | Gaylord | 2,074 | 6.3% | $163,300 | $60,500 |
| 47 | Moose Lake | 3,297 | 2.1% | $205,000 | $61,576 |
| 48 | Tyler | 1,019 | 2.4% | $143,300 | $60,417 |
| 49 | Pipestone | 4,165 | 3.9% | $102,000 | $61,442 |
| 50 | Foley | 2,685 | 4.2% | $192,600 | $58,092 |
| 51 | Spring Grove | 1,223 | 5.8% | $148,200 | $60,221 |
| 52 | Renville | 1,397 | 5.4% | $109,700 | $73,750 |
| 53 | Long Prairie | 3,683 | 6.3% | $130,100 | $57,139 |
| 54 | Eden Valley | 1,077 | 0.7% | $150,800 | $62,188 |
| 55 | Royalton | 1,092 | 6.8% | $201,500 | $64,643 |
| 56 | Hector | 1,111 | 3.7% | $124,100 | $59,762 |
| 57 | Sauk Centre | 4,589 | 7.9% | $196,000 | $65,763 |
| 58 | Blue Earth | 3,170 | 2.1% | $125,200 | $59,118 |
| 59 | Tracy | 1,869 | 2.0% | $110,900 | $60,682 |
| 60 | Springfield | 2,209 | 3.8% | $117,600 | $59,412 |
| 61 | Wells | 2,317 | 3.9% | $93,200 | $58,663 |
| 62 | Spring Valley | 2,357 | 4.0% | $149,100 | $64,500 |
| 63 | Buhl | 1,013 | 4.6% | $115,700 | $58,179 |
| 64 | Canby | 1,563 | 6.1% | $131,800 | $58,839 |
| 65 | Aitkin | 2,217 | 4.4% | $172,800 | $45,813 |
| 66 | Preston | 1,315 | 3.5% | $169,600 | $60,438 |
| 67 | Glenwood | 2,648 | 0.0% | $181,000 | $45,735 |
| 68 | Olivia | 2,243 | 3.6% | $156,600 | $62,683 |
| 69 | Le Sueur | 4,204 | 2.3% | $216,700 | $71,563 |
| 70 | Windom | 4,786 | 4.8% | $158,000 | $67,813 |
| 71 | Warren | 1,637 | 2.2% | $134,300 | $57,656 |
| 72 | Ada | 1,834 | 7.8% | $140,500 | $67,857 |
| 73 | Stacy | 1,992 | 3.6% | $222,800 | $76,875 |
| 74 | Annandale | 3,365 | 4.5% | $195,100 | $50,536 |
| 75 | Waterville | 1,778 | 5.9% | $216,700 | $67,721 |
| 76 | Melrose | 3,608 | 3.3% | $198,300 | $58,107 |
| 77 | Slayton | 2,089 | 2.4% | $160,400 | $65,724 |
| 78 | Le Center | 2,514 | 5.7% | $189,800 | $66,864 |
| 79 | Newport | 4,460 | 5.6% | $331,300 | $63,365 |
| 80 | Coleraine | 1,888 | 3.0% | $179,900 | $67,083 |
| 81 | Cokato | 2,780 | 3.1% | $216,100 | $71,090 |
| 82 | Plainview | 3,501 | 5.1% | $230,600 | $69,800 |
| 83 | Wabasha | 2,569 | 3.3% | $212,800 | $62,016 |
| 84 | Madelia | 2,380 | 3.0% | $158,300 | $77,500 |
| 85 | Truman | 1,223 | 0.8% | $100,200 | $59,095 |
| 86 | Dawson | 1,441 | 3.3% | $118,800 | $70,286 |
| 87 | Princeton | 4,988 | 1.5% | $212,200 | $52,450 |
| 88 | Goodhue | 1,261 | 3.5% | $230,300 | $86,731 |
| 89 | Adrian | 1,288 | 1.7% | $172,000 | $74,100 |
| 90 | Lexington | 2,616 | 4.7% | $282,000 | $72,955 |
| 91 | Pierz | 1,581 | 0.8% | $155,700 | $55,438 |
| 92 | Dassel | 1,332 | 0.0% | $218,900 | $59,750 |
| 93 | Kenyon | 1,811 | 4.7% | $184,500 | $74,643 |
| 94 | Caledonia | 2,825 | 2.5% | $148,500 | $69,792 |
| 95 | Two Harbors | 3,598 | 1.0% | $187,100 | $62,885 |
| 96 | Chisholm | 4,731 | 2.0% | $108,100 | $54,815 |
| 97 | Benson | 3,449 | 2.9% | $146,100 | $51,124 |
| 98 | Arlington | 2,298 | 1.7% | $181,600 | $66,458 |
| 99 | Edgerton | 1,207 | 1.1% | $132,800 | $66,739 |
| 100 | Minneota | 1,531 | 2.6% | $158,100 | $72,396 |
Lake Bronson is a mile away and connected with a paved walking trail, from a beautiful State Park and there is plenty to do there!
I find the folks very friendly at Lake Bronson Beautiful Park, Beach, Fishing, Hiking Trails, Extremely nice County Museum just to name a few things. They also have Nice clean grocery store, Brand New Gas Bar, A Bar, A Legion, Good Auto mechanic shop, etc. Whomever wrote the article no doubt has never visited the area. The place is a very busy tourist stop each summer
What are your “obvious’ reasons for not discussing Native American communties? Rice Lake and Ogema are Native American communities.
I believe whomever wrote this has never visited many of these places, I found greet people and many things to do in most of these towns listed along the HWY 59 stretch
You don’t even talk about the top 10 you list? Way to proof read….wow is all I can say. Not taking advice from someone like you.
Should check your facts before you publish. Darfur does not have two post offices. There is a bank there And fertilizer plant and gas station. They also have a library.
Get your facts straight before you publish about Darfur There are not two post Offices there. There is have a big fertilizer plant with a gas station. There is a library. There is a bank
Pretty sad about some of these. I doubt that they really looked into this. I life by De Graff and work at the Walmart. Sad article.
I think it’s interesting especially when you get to the bottom of the “article” and see the “Top 100” list and the top 3 are on a reservation but they decided to skip over them and go to the 3rd place on the list which is Brooks and go down from there, and that they don’t mention that Brooks is another retirement town that wouldn’t have tons of working people along with the low education levels is possibly due to the high average age of the community being from a time that a education wasn’t important.
If there was high speed internet, so you could work from home, some of those low home prices would be great places to live.Jo
Everyone knows that Bejou Rules! I think they actually need to visit the places before they put them on the Shit list. The list of towns mentioned doesn’t match match up with the list below.
Maybe the person who wrote this article should actually go visit the people in the towns they are referring to. Clearly, they didn’t because the picture from the town of Boyd isn’t even a picture of the town!! Complete moron!
Lol…one person’s opinion means nothing. What type of person would want to find fault where people call their home…sad.