Northfield makes Minnesota’s top 10 on 2 lists
Northfield is ranked on 36 lists against the 275 Minnesota towns with 2,500+ residents. It makes the top 10 on 2 and the top quarter on 12.
A podium finish, and more
Each list ranks every MN town with 2,500+ residents. Tap one to see the whole list with Northfield marked.
Younger than 99% of Minnesota
Not better or worse, just Northfield’s character, from the lists where neither end is the “good” one. The most distinctive come first.
Northfield lands in the top half on 16 of 23 lists
Each dot is Northfield’s spot on one list: the left end is #1 in MN, the right end is last. Areas where Northfield does best come first.
2 spots from the top 3 for affordable rent
Lists where Northfield sits just outside a milestone, and what it would take to get in.
Where Northfield lands in every MN ranking
41 lists from Census, school, health, library, crime, climate and land data. Tap any list to see every town on it.
Health
Healthiest#1 Deephaven · 100 / 100
#45
Lowest obesity#1 Edina · 23%
#48
Fewest smokers#1 Deephaven · 7%
#20
Most active#1 Deephaven · 14%
#80
Fewest uninsured#1 Deephaven · 4%
#89
Lowest depression#1 Crosslake · 20%
#15
Closest to a top hospital#1 Waconia · 0.1 mi
#18 Outdoors
Most conserved land#1 Orrock · 63.1%
#30
Most trails#1 Two Harbors · 4.8 mi / sq mi
#3
Most walkable#1 Robbinsdale · 140 / sq mi
#66 People
Most educated#1 Deephaven · 83.5%
#41
C
Youngest#1 Collegeville · 21.7
#4
Oldest#1 Crosslake · 61.0
#272
Most residents 65+#1 Crosslake · 40.1%
#174
Most kids#1 Lonsdale · 36%
#257 Getting around
Shortest commute#1 International Falls · 8.6 min
#45 Cost of living
Most affordable#1 Eveleth · 1.1 yrs
#145
W
Cheapest rent#1 White · $509/mo
#107
Lowest property tax#1 Eveleth · $690/yr
#234
N
Rent easiest to afford#1 North Mankato · 30.1%
#5 
Housing
Vacation-home towns#1 Crosslake · 57.2%
#161
Most new homes#1 Corcoran · 38.2 per 1,000
#176
Fastest-rising home prices#1 Crosslake · +76.3%
#113
Housing hasn't kept up#1 Brooklyn Center · 136.2 per home
The number on the right is Northfield’s spot. All of Minnesota’s rankings, with the map → · National lists and other states: all rankings.
Do the numbers ring true?
The lists count what can be counted. Neighbors know the rest.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
- 2,500+ residents. Census estimates for smaller towns carry margins of error too wide to rank fairly, so they sit out every MN list.
- One town, one row. A city that is both a city and a town in Census data, or a village inside a town, is counted once.
- Ties share a rank. Towns on one weather station, one school district or one CDC estimate share a figure, so they share a spot (T).
- No “worst” lists. Lists rank toward the good end, and share cards are made only for the top half. Age, snow and the like are character, not grades.
U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, 2010 and 2020 censuses, Building Permits Survey), U.S. Department of Education, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, CDC PLACES, Medicare Care Compare, IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FHFA House Price Index, NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020, USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. Each list explains its own method.