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MNMinnesota rankings

Towns with the most conserved land in Minnesota

Ranked by the share of the town's area that is permanently protected: town forests, state and federal land, land-trust preserves and conservation easements (USGS PAD-US). 35 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

St. Cloud
Minnesota · Most conserved land

Where St. Cloud lands: #15 of 35

5.2% · Visit St. Cloud →

Circle Pines 1 Circle Pines 25.2% Conserved acres 310 Eden Prairie 2 Eden Prairie 15.8% Conserved acres 3,546 Map of Hastings 3 Hastings 13% Conserved acres 923
#TownConserved landConserved acresTrails
1 Circle Pines Circle Pines4,968 people 25.2% 310 2.3 mi
2 Eden Prairie Eden Prairie63,051 people 15.8% 3,546 37.3 mi
3 Map of Hastings Hastings22,117 people 13% 923 2.7 mi
4 Morris Morris5,128 people 12.2% 380 3.9 mi
5 Edina Edina53,262 people 11.7% 1,189 26.8 mi
6 Moose Lake Moose Lake2,863 people 11.5% 271 2.2 mi
7 St. Louis Park St. Louis Park49,594 people 10.5% 722 12.3 mi
8 Brooklyn Park Brooklyn Park83,876 people 10.4% 1,746 14.6 mi
9 Stewartville Stewartville6,807 people 10.4% 222 5.5 mi
10 Fergus Falls Fergus Falls14,181 people 9.8% 974 14.3 mi
11 North St. Paul North St. Paul12,570 people 8.8% 169 3.4 mi
12 Cottage Grove Cottage Grove40,992 people 8.3% 1,974 17.3 mi
13 Little Falls Little Falls9,121 people 7.5% 428 3.3 mi
14 Harris HarrisItasca County · 3,332 people 5.7% 1,308 1.0 mi
15 St. Cloud St. Cloud70,629 people 5.2% 1,361 16.4 mi
16 Moorhead Moorhead45,036 people 5.2% 733 21.7 mi
17 West St. Paul West St. Paul21,382 people 4.8% 153 5.9 mi
18 Blaine Blaine72,488 people 4.3% 926 19.3 mi
19 Stillwater Stillwater19,355 people 3.8% 222 6.1 mi
20 Crookston Crookston7,344 people 3.7% 121 4.5 mi
21 Albertville Albertville8,207 people 3.6% 107 0.8 mi
22 Grand Rapids Grand Rapids11,207 people 3.5% 533 24.5 mi
23 Map of Minnetrista Minnetrista8,708 people 3.2% 629 12.4 mi
24 Spring Lake Park Spring Lake Park7,032 people 3.2% 42 0.4 mi
25 Breezy Point2,687 people 2.8% 230 2.8 mi
26 Map of Pipestone Pipestone4,129 people 2.4% 63 0.4 mi
27 Centerville Centerville3,935 people 2.3% 35 0.0 mi
28 Map of St. Paul Park St. Paul Park5,457 people 2.2% 51 0.6 mi
29 Map of Independence Independence3,694 people 2.2% 473 9.1 mi
30 Map of Eagle Lake Eagle Lake3,281 people 2.1% 25 1.2 mi
31 Map of Dodge Center Dodge Center2,880 people 2.1% 33 2.2 mi
32 Belle Plaine Belle Plaine7,423 people 1.1% 44 3.2 mi
33 Chisago City Chisago City5,899 people 0.9% 111 3.2 mi
34 Bemidji BemidjiBeltrami County · 3,363 people 0.8% 110 6.1 mi
35 Big Lake Big LakeSherburne County · 8,147 people 0.4% 104 0.8 mi

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the share of the town's area that is permanently protected: town forests, state and federal land, land-trust preserves and conservation easements (USGS PAD-US). Easements protect land from development but are often private, so not all of it is open to visitors. The town with the highest figure ranks #1.

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. Trails, streets and parks: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Conserved land: USGS PAD-US. Measured within each town's Census boundary. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

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