How Rockford compares across Minnesota
Rockford is ranked on 31 lists against the 275 Minnesota towns with 2,500+ residents.
More year-round than 92% of Minnesota
Not better or worse, just Rockford’s character, from the lists where neither end is the “good” one. The most distinctive come first.
Rockford out-ranks 0 of its 6 ranked neighbors
Head to head on the lists where both towns are ranked: a point for each list where one town places higher. Tap a town for its own rankings.
Rockford lands in the top half on 8 of 18 lists
Each dot is Rockford’s spot on one list: the left end is #1 in MN, the right end is last. Areas where Rockford does best come first.
The lists Rockford does best on
Each list ranks every MN town with 2,500+ residents. Tap one to see the whole list with Rockford marked.
Every MN list, and where Rockford lands
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
#112
Lowest obesity#1 Edina · 23%
#138
Fewest smokers#1 Deephaven · 7%
#86
Most active#1 Deephaven · 14%
#80
Fewest uninsured#1 Deephaven · 4%
#89
Lowest depression#1 Crosslake · 20%
#118
Closest to a top hospital#1 Waconia · 0.1 mi
#189 
Cost of living
Most affordable#1 Eveleth · 1.1 yrs
#211
W
Cheapest rent#1 White · $509/mo
#157
Lowest property tax#1 Eveleth · $690/yr
#180
N
Rent easiest to afford#1 North Mankato · 30.1%
People
Most educated#1 Deephaven · 83.5%
#183
C
Youngest#1 Collegeville · 21.7
#208
Oldest#1 Crosslake · 61.0
#68
Most residents 65+#1 Crosslake · 40.1%
#131
Most kids#1 Lonsdale · 36%
#28 Outdoors
Most conserved land#1 Orrock · 63.1%
#251
Most trails#1 Two Harbors · 4.8 mi / sq mi
Most walkable#1 Robbinsdale · 140 / sq mi
#256 Getting around
Shortest commute#1 International Falls · 8.6 min
#269 Climate
Snowiest#1 Hermantown · 90 in
#149
L
Least snow#1 Lake City · 34 in
#110
Mildest winters#1 La Crescent · 8.7°
#170
Hottest summers#1 Marshall · 83.6°
#148
Coolest summers#1 Two Harbors · 75.4°
#126
Longest growing season#1 Winona · 180 days
#114
Wettest#1 Caledonia · 37 in
#175 Housing
Vacation-home towns#1 Crosslake · 57.2%
#254
Most new homes#1 Corcoran · 38.2 per 1,000
Fastest-rising home prices#1 Crosslake · +76.3%
#144
Housing hasn't kept up#1 Brooklyn Center · 136.2 per home
Libraries
Most-used libraries#1 Ely · 12.7 per resident
Most library borrowing#1 Stillwater · 22.8 per resident
Best libraries for kids#1 Ely · 65.1 per child
Safety
Safest#1 Montevideo · 0.0
The number on the right is Rockford’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.