MNMinnesota rankings

Towns with the coolest summers in Minnesota

Ranked by the typical afternoon high in July, 1991–2020, from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for each town. Neighboring towns on the same 5 km grid square have the same numbers, so each square is listed once, under its largest town. 271 towns with 2,500+ residents.

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Minnesota · Coolest summers

Where Buffalo lands: #91 of 271

81.5° · Visit Buffalo →

#TownJuly highDays at 90°+July low
1 Two Harbors Two Harbors3,567 people 75.4° 1 54°
2 Duluth Duluth87,093 people 76.4° 3 56°
3 Proctor Proctor3,100 people 77.1° 2 55°
4 Map of Hermantown Hermantown10,218 people 77.3° 2 54°
5 Rice Lake4,153 people 77.3° 2 54°
6 Chisholm Chisholm4,712 people 77.7° 2 54°
7 Hibbing Hibbing16,057 people 77.8° 2 54°
8 Map of International Falls International Falls5,642 people 77.8° 2 54°
9 Grand LakeSt. Louis County · 2,715 people 77.8° 2 53°
10 Map of Cloquet Cloquet12,537 people 77.9° 6 54°
11 Virginia Virginia8,332 people 77.9° 2 53°
12 Thomson ThomsonCarlton County · 5,534 people 77.9° 6 55°
13 Ely Ely3,240 people 77.9° 2 53°
14 Eveleth Eveleth3,448 people 78.1° 2 53°
15 Map of Mountain Iron Mountain Iron2,860 people 78.1° 2 53°
16 WhiteSt. Louis County · 3,109 people 78.3° 1 53°
17 NorthernBeltrami County · 3,659 people 78.4° 4 56°
18 Bemidji Bemidji15,569 people 78.7° 4 57°
19 Grand Rapids Grand Rapids11,207 people 78.7° 6 56°
20 Bemidji BemidjiBeltrami County · 3,363 people 78.7° 4 57°
21 Harris HarrisItasca County · 3,332 people 78.7° 6 56°
22 Cohasset Cohasset2,703 people 78.7° 6 56°
23 Roseau Roseau2,736 people 78.9° 2 56°
24 Park Rapids Park Rapids4,270 people 79.1° 5 57°
25 Detroit Lakes Detroit Lakes10,025 people 79.2° 7 58°
26 Moose Lake Moose Lake2,863 people 79.2° 5 56°
27 Perham Perham3,627 people 79.3° 3 58°
28 Map of Thief River Falls Thief River Falls8,823 people 79.4° 6 57°
29 Wadena Wadena4,419 people 79.5° 3 58°
30 Map of Crosslake Crosslake2,521 people 79.7° 5 58°
31 Alexandria Alexandria14,735 people 79.8° 6 59°
32 La GrandDouglas County · 4,281 people 79.8° 6 59°
33 Long Prairie Long Prairie3,693 people 79.8° 5 59°
34 Alexandria AlexandriaDouglas County · 3,027 people 79.8° 6 59°
35 Breezy Point2,687 people 79.8° 5 59°
36 Pelican Rapids Pelican Rapids2,586 people 80.0° 5 59°
37 Brainerd Brainerd14,468 people 80.2° 5 59°
38 Map of Baxter Baxter8,966 people 80.3° 5 59°
39 SylvanCass County · 2,982 people 80.3° 2 59°
40 Mora Mora3,732 people 80.5° 5 59°
41 Fergus Falls Fergus Falls14,181 people 80.6° 8 59°
42 Map of Kasson Kasson7,050 people 80.6° 8 60°
43 Sauk Centre Sauk Centre4,621 people 80.6° 9 60°
44 Map of Dodge Center Dodge Center2,880 people 80.6° 8 60°
45 Crookston Crookston7,344 people 80.7° 7 58°
46 Stewartville Stewartville6,807 people 80.7° 5 60°
47 Milaca Milaca3,044 people 80.7° 5 59°
48 Albany Albany2,821 people 80.7° 9 60°
49 Map of Byron Byron6,646 people 80.8° 8 60°
50 Princeton Princeton5,274 people 80.9° 7 60°
51 Map of Foley Foley2,675 people 80.9° 9 60°
52 East Grand Forks East Grand Forks9,028 people 81.0° 7 58°
53 LivoniaSherburne County · 6,308 people 81.0° 7 61°
54 Map of Melrose Melrose3,671 people 81.0° 9 60°
55 Map of Pine City Pine City3,468 people 81.0° 9 59°
56 CollegevilleStearns County · 3,351 people 81.0° 9 60°
57 PokegamaPine County · 2,847 people 81.0° 5 59°
58 Map of Caledonia Caledonia2,820 people 81.0° 5 61°
59 Glenwood Glenwood2,633 people 81.0° 9 59°
60 Blue HillSherburne County · 2,571 people 81.0° 7 60°
61 St. Charles St. Charles4,037 people 81.1° 9 60°
62 BrockwayStearns County · 2,951 people 81.1° 9 60°
63 Owatonna Owatonna26,498 people 81.2° 9 61°
64 Austin Austin26,358 people 81.2° 6 60°
65 Map of Albert Lea Albert Lea18,330 people 81.2° 8 61°
66 Little Falls Little Falls9,121 people 81.2° 14 60°
67 Map of Zimmerman Zimmerman6,546 people 81.2° 7 60°
68 MarionOlmsted County · 4,105 people 81.2° 5 60°
69 Orrock OrrockSherburne County · 3,642 people 81.2° 7 60°
70 BradfordIsanti County · 3,473 people 81.2° 5 60°
71 WakefieldStearns County · 2,800 people 81.2° 9 61°
72 Sauk Rapids Sauk Rapids13,852 people 81.3° 9 60°
73 Cambridge Cambridge10,307 people 81.3° 5 60°
74 Map of Pine Island Pine Island3,580 people 81.3° 7 60°
75 Rush City Rush City3,295 people 81.3° 5 60°
76 Barnesville Barnesville2,762 people 81.3° 5 59°
77 Cambridge CambridgeIsanti County · 2,534 people 81.3° 5 60°
78 Paynesville Paynesville2,519 people 81.3° 10 60°
79 Monticello Monticello14,858 people 81.4° 6 61°
80 Map of Big Lake Big Lake12,367 people 81.4° 7 61°
81 Map of Waseca Waseca9,164 people 81.4° 10 61°
82 St. Joseph St. Joseph7,021 people 81.4° 9 60°
83 Cold Spring Cold Spring4,249 people 81.4° 9 61°
84 Map of Zumbrota Zumbrota3,914 people 81.4° 7 61°
85 Plainview Plainview3,500 people 81.4° 12 60°
86 PalmerSherburne County · 2,581 people 81.4° 9 60°
87 Map of Chatfield Chatfield2,559 people 81.4° 8 60°
88 Rochester Rochester122,330 people 81.5° 5 60°
89 St. Cloud St. Cloud70,629 people 81.5° 9 60°
90 Sartell Sartell19,758 people 81.5° 9 60°
91 Buffalo16,499 people 81.5° 6 61°
92 Map of Waite Park Waite Park8,399 people 81.5° 9 61°
93 Map of St. Francis St. Francis8,372 people 81.5° 4 61°
94 Isanti Isanti7,210 people 81.5° 5 61°
95 Becker BeckerSherburne County · 5,601 people 81.5° 7 61°
96 Becker Becker5,034 people 81.5° 7 61°
97 Map of Lonsdale Lonsdale4,896 people 81.5° 9 62°
98 WatabBenton County · 3,433 people 81.5° 9 60°
99 Annandale Annandale3,399 people 81.5° 3 61°
100 Monticello MonticelloWright County · 3,328 people 81.5° 6 61°
101 New London New LondonKandiyohi County · 2,936 people 81.5° 10 60°
102 Silver CreekWright County · 2,582 people 81.5° 6 61°
103 CorinnaWright County · 2,559 people 81.5° 6 61°
104 Map of Oakdale Oakdale28,585 people 81.6° 8 63°
105 Elk River Elk River26,793 people 81.6° 11 61°
106 Map of Otsego Otsego22,245 people 81.6° 11 61°
107 Litchfield6,576 people 81.6° 7 61°
108 Morris Morris5,128 people 81.6° 7 60°
109 Elko New Market Elko New Market5,002 people 81.6° 7 62°
110 St. Augusta3,625 people 81.6° 9 61°
111 Montgomery Montgomery3,434 people 81.6° 6 62°
112 CascadeOlmsted County · 2,826 people 81.6° 8 60°
113 Lakeville Lakeville74,354 people 81.7° 7 63°
114 Oak Grove Oak Grove9,130 people 81.7° 4 61°
115 Albertville Albertville8,207 people 81.7° 11 61°
116 Chisago LakeChisago County · 4,908 people 81.7° 11 60°
117 Rockford Rockford4,597 people 81.7° 8 61°
118 Nowthen Nowthen4,538 people 81.7° 11 61°
119 Map of New Market New MarketScott County · 3,556 people 81.7° 7 62°
120 Woodbury Woodbury78,305 people 81.8° 8 63°
121 Rogers13,685 people 81.8° 11 61°
122 Map of Corcoran Corcoran7,302 people 81.8° 9 62°
123 Scandia Scandia3,950 people 81.8° 14 61°
124 Montrose Montrose3,888 people 81.8° 8 61°
125 Hanover Hanover3,626 people 81.8° 8 61°
126 Rockford RockfordWright County · 3,407 people 81.8° 8 61°
127 Greenfield Greenfield2,894 people 81.8° 8 61°
128 Cokato Cokato2,782 people 81.8° 9 61°
129 MayWashington County · 2,637 people 81.8° 4 61°
130 Map of Le Center Le Center2,513 people 81.8° 11 62°
131 Map of Plymouth Plymouth79,220 people 81.9° 9 62°
132 Apple Valley Apple Valley55,679 people 81.9° 7 63°
133 Maplewood Maplewood40,695 people 81.9° 12 63°
134 Roseville Roseville35,802 people 81.9° 11 63°
135 Shoreview Shoreview26,714 people 81.9° 12 63°
136 Faribault Faribault24,631 people 81.9° 9 61°
137 Map of White Bear Lake White Bear Lake23,908 people 81.9° 12 63°
138 St. Michael20,010 people 81.9° 6 61°
139 Map of Hugo Hugo16,340 people 81.9° 12 62°
140 Hutchinson Hutchinson14,680 people 81.9° 10 61°
141 Lake Elmo Lake Elmo13,140 people 81.9° 8 63°
142 Vadnais Heights Vadnais Heights12,838 people 81.9° 12 63°
143 East Bethel East Bethel12,115 people 81.9° 4 61°
144 Map of North Branch North Branch11,565 people 81.9° 14 60°
145 White Bear White BearRamsey County · 10,656 people 81.9° 12 62°
146 Orono Orono8,195 people 81.9° 7 62°
147 Mahtomedi Mahtomedi8,133 people 81.9° 12 62°
148 Map of Medina Medina6,968 people 81.9° 9 62°
149 Delano Delano6,942 people 81.9° 8 61°
150 LinwoodAnoka County · 5,235 people 81.9° 14 61°
151 Watertown Watertown4,790 people 81.9° 8 61°
152 Dilworth4,713 people 81.9° 10 59°
153 Map of Stacy Stacy4,384 people 81.9° 14 61°
154 Map of Pipestone Pipestone4,129 people 81.9° 11 60°
155 Map of Grant Grant3,950 people 81.9° 12 62°
156 FranklinWright County · 2,904 people 81.9° 8 61°
157 Wabasha Wabasha2,587 people 81.9° 7 61°
158 Moorhead Moorhead45,036 people 82.0° 11 59°
159 Map of Andover Andover33,035 people 82.0° 10 62°
160 Ramsey Ramsey28,421 people 82.0° 11 62°
161 West St. Paul West St. Paul21,382 people 82.0° 8 63°
162 Map of Northfield Northfield20,742 people 82.0° 9 62°
163 Forest Lake Forest Lake20,729 people 82.0° 14 61°
164 Ham Lake Ham Lake16,702 people 82.0° 4 62°
165 Map of St. Anthony St. Anthony9,671 people 82.0° 11 63°
166 Map of Dayton Dayton9,095 people 82.0° 9 62°
167 Map of Minnetrista Minnetrista8,708 people 82.0° 7 62°
168 Wyoming Wyoming8,087 people 82.0° 14 61°
169 Lindstrom Lindstrom4,978 people 82.0° 14 61°
170 Windom Windom4,799 people 82.0° 13 61°
171 Map of Independence Independence3,694 people 82.0° 8 61°
172 Maple Grove Maple Grove71,173 people 82.1° 9 62°
173 Burnsville Burnsville64,463 people 82.1° 7 63°
174 Minnetonka Minnetonka53,064 people 82.1° 9 63°
175 Rosemount Rosemount27,562 people 82.1° 8 63°
176 Map of Farmington Farmington23,902 people 82.1° 7 62°
177 New Brighton New Brighton22,710 people 82.1° 11 63°
178 Lino Lakes Lino Lakes22,113 people 82.1° 12 62°
179 Willmar Willmar21,378 people 82.1° 8 61°
180 Map of Waconia Waconia13,434 people 82.1° 11 62°
181 Map of Mounds View Mounds View12,926 people 82.1° 11 63°
182 Victoria Victoria11,295 people 82.1° 7 62°
183 Map of Little Canada Little Canada10,514 people 82.1° 12 63°
184 Chisago City Chisago City5,899 people 82.1° 14 61°
185 Credit River5,551 people 82.1° 7 63°
186 North Oaks North Oaks5,179 people 82.1° 12 62°
187 Circle Pines Circle Pines4,968 people 82.1° 12 62°
188 Oak Park Heights Oak Park Heights4,756 people 82.1° 4 62°
189 Wayzata Wayzata4,354 people 82.1° 9 62°
190 Columbus Columbus4,248 people 82.1° 4 62°
191 West LakelandWashington County · 3,941 people 82.1° 4 62°
192 Centerville Centerville3,935 people 82.1° 12 62°
193 Map of Norwood Young America Norwood Young America3,849 people 82.1° 11 62°
194 Map of Deephaven Deephaven3,793 people 82.1° 9 62°
195 Spring Lake Spring LakeScott County · 3,478 people 82.1° 6 62°
196 Jackson Jackson3,287 people 82.1° 9 61°
197 Map of Eagle Lake Eagle Lake3,281 people 82.1° 10 62°
198 Empire3,092 people 82.1° 7 63°
199 Cedar LakeScott County · 3,061 people 82.1° 6 62°
200 Afton Afton2,957 people 82.1° 8 62°
201 Map of Excelsior Excelsior2,570 people 82.1° 7 62°
202 Blaine Blaine72,488 people 82.2° 11 62°
203 Eagan Eagan68,000 people 82.2° 13 63°
204 Map of Coon Rapids Coon Rapids63,468 people 82.2° 10 62°
205 Cottage Grove Cottage Grove40,992 people 82.2° 8 63°
206 Map of Inver Grove Heights Inver Grove Heights35,906 people 82.2° 8 63°
207 Champlin Champlin23,294 people 82.2° 9 62°
208 Columbia Heights Columbia Heights22,155 people 82.2° 9 63°
209 Golden Valley Golden Valley21,725 people 82.2° 9 63°
210 Anoka Anoka17,970 people 82.2° 10 62°
211 Map of Mound Mound9,107 people 82.2° 7 62°
212 Map of New Prague New Prague8,237 people 82.2° 6 62°
213 Spring Lake Park Spring Lake Park7,032 people 82.2° 9 63°
214 Falcon Heights Falcon Heights5,085 people 82.2° 11 63°
215 Cannon Falls4,227 people 82.2° 11 62°
216 Breckenridge3,349 people 82.2° 9 60°
217 Lexington Lexington2,770 people 82.2° 12 62°
218 Mayer Mayer2,518 people 82.2° 8 62°
219 St. Louis Park St. Louis Park49,594 people 82.3° 9 63°
220 Mankato Mankato45,473 people 82.3° 10 62°
221 Chaska Chaska28,706 people 82.3° 11 63°
222 Prior Lake Prior Lake28,016 people 82.3° 14 63°
223 Chanhassen Chanhassen26,006 people 82.3° 7 62°
224 New Hope New Hope21,181 people 82.3° 9 63°
225 Stillwater Stillwater19,355 people 82.3° 4 62°
226 Map of Hopkins Hopkins18,819 people 82.3° 9 63°
227 Map of Shorewood Shorewood7,647 people 82.3° 7 62°
228 Glencoe Glencoe5,695 people 82.3° 12 61°
229 Osseo Osseo2,584 people 82.3° 9 62°
230 Minneapolis Minneapolis427,246 people 82.4° 18 63°
231 Brooklyn Park Brooklyn Park83,876 people 82.4° 9 62°
232 Brooklyn Center Brooklyn Center32,479 people 82.4° 9 63°
233 Map of Fridley Fridley30,241 people 82.4° 9 62°
234 Map of Crystal Crystal22,476 people 82.4° 9 63°
235 Map of Red Wing Red Wing16,758 people 82.4° 11 62°
236 Robbinsdale Robbinsdale14,234 people 82.4° 9 63°
237 Jordan Jordan6,771 people 82.4° 6 62°
238 Map of St. Paul Park St. Paul Park5,457 people 82.4° 8 63°
239 Sleepy Eye Sleepy Eye3,444 people 82.4° 7 62°
240 Benson Benson3,441 people 82.4° 12 60°
241 Map of Lake Crystal Lake Crystal2,606 people 82.4° 10 62°
242 St. Paul St. Paul307,284 people 82.5° 8 63°
243 Eden Prairie Eden Prairie63,051 people 82.5° 14 63°
244 Edina Edina53,262 people 82.5° 9 63°
245 Hastings Hastings22,117 people 82.5° 8 63°
246 St. Peter12,185 people 82.5° 11 62°
247 Fairmont Fairmont10,296 people 82.5° 11 62°
248 Carver Carver6,239 people 82.5° 11 63°
249 Map of Goodview Goodview4,103 people 82.5° 12 62°
250 Map of Blue Earth Blue Earth3,165 people 82.5° 10 62°
251 Richfield Richfield36,642 people 82.6° 13 63°
252 Worthington13,780 people 82.6° 10 61°
253 Mendota Heights Mendota Heights11,612 people 82.6° 8 63°
254 Belle Plaine Belle Plaine7,423 people 82.6° 6 62°
255 St. James St. James4,767 people 82.6° 12 62°
256 Map of Bayport Bayport3,905 people 82.6° 4 62°
257 Bloomington Bloomington88,665 people 82.7° 13 63°
258 Shakopee Shakopee46,012 people 82.7° 14 63°
259 Savage Savage32,889 people 82.8° 14 63°
260 New Ulm New Ulm14,056 people 82.8° 7 62°
261 South St. Paul South St. Paul20,611 people 82.9° 12 63°
262 North Mankato14,211 people 82.9° 10 62°
263 Le Sueur Le Sueur4,215 people 82.9° 11 62°
264 Map of La Crescent La Crescent5,251 people 83.0° 18 62°
265 Lake City5,034 people 83.0° 12 61°
266 Luverne Luverne4,925 people 83.1° 19 61°
267 Winona Winona26,009 people 83.2° 12 62°
268 Map of Montevideo Montevideo5,315 people 83.2° 11 61°
269 Redwood Falls Redwood Falls5,068 people 83.3° 16 61°
270 Granite Falls Granite Falls2,685 people 83.4° 20 61°
271 Marshall Marshall13,896 people 83.6° 18 61°

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the typical afternoon high in July, 1991–2020, from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for each town. The lowest ranks first. The town with the lowest figure ranks #1. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast, and each town’s Climate page shows its whole year month by month.

Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded normals, about 5 km (3 miles) square, read at each town’s center, so hills and coastlines are built in. Towns whose centers fall in the same square have the same numbers, so only the largest of them is listed.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Climate: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states