Vernon isn’t ranked, but the towns around it are
Vernon has fewer than 2,500 residents, below the floor for Minnesota’s town rankings: Census estimates for a town this size carry margins too wide to rank fairly. Here’s what the towns around it are known for.
What the towns around Vernon are known for
None of the towns bordering Vernon reach 2,500 residents, so these are the nearest ranked towns, each with its best finish on a MN list.
#14 of 223
#5 of 275Every MN list
41 lists from Census, school, health, library, crime, climate and land data. Tap any list to see every town on it.
Climate
Snowiest#1 Hermantown · 90 in
L
Least snow#1 Lake City · 34 in
Mildest winters#1 La Crescent · 8.7°
Hottest summers#1 Marshall · 83.6°
Coolest summers#1 Two Harbors · 75.4°
Longest growing season#1 Winona · 180 days
Wettest#1 Caledonia · 37 in
Cost of living
Most affordable#1 Eveleth · 1.1 yrs
W
Cheapest rent#1 White · $509/mo
Lowest property tax#1 Eveleth · $690/yr
N
Rent easiest to afford#1 North Mankato · 30.1%
Getting around
Shortest commute#1 International Falls · 8.6 min
Health
Healthiest#1 Deephaven · 100 / 100
Lowest obesity#1 Edina · 23%
Fewest smokers#1 Deephaven · 7%
Most active#1 Deephaven · 14%
Fewest uninsured#1 Deephaven · 4%
Lowest depression#1 Crosslake · 20%
Closest to a top hospital#1 Waconia · 0.1 mi
Housing
Vacation-home towns#1 Crosslake · 57.2%
Most new homes#1 Corcoran · 38.2 per 1,000
Fastest-rising home prices#1 Crosslake · +76.3%
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
Outdoors
Most conserved land#1 Orrock · 63.1%
Most trails#1 Two Harbors · 4.8 mi / sq mi
Most walkable#1 Robbinsdale · 140 / sq mi
People
Most educated#1 Deephaven · 83.5%
C
Youngest#1 Collegeville · 21.7
Oldest#1 Crosslake · 61.0
Most residents 65+#1 Crosslake · 40.1%
Most kids#1 Lonsdale · 36%
Safety
Safest#1 Montevideo · 0.0
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.