How Watab compares across Minnesota
Watab is ranked on 32 lists against the 275 Minnesota towns with 2,500+ residents.
More vacation homes than 93% of Minnesota
Not better or worse, just Watab’s character, from the lists where neither end is the “good” one. The most distinctive come first.
Watab out-ranks 1 of its 2 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.
Watab lands in the top half on 10 of 19 lists
Each dot is Watab’s spot on one list: the left end is #1 in MN, the right end is last. Areas where Watab does best come first.
The lists Watab does best on
Each list ranks every MN town with 2,500+ residents. Tap one to see the whole list with Watab marked.
Every MN list, and where Watab lands
41 lists from Census, school, health, library, crime, climate and land data. Tap any list to see every town on it.
Cost of living
Most affordable#1 Eveleth · 1.1 yrs
#131
W
Cheapest rent#1 White · $509/mo
#71
Lowest property tax#1 Eveleth · $690/yr
#83
N
Rent easiest to afford#1 North Mankato · 30.1%
Health
Healthiest#1 Deephaven · 100 / 100
#156
Lowest obesity#1 Edina · 23%
#252
Fewest smokers#1 Deephaven · 7%
#167
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
#105 
Getting around
Shortest commute#1 International Falls · 8.6 min
#127 
People
Most educated#1 Deephaven · 83.5%
#178
C
Youngest#1 Collegeville · 21.7
#224
Oldest#1 Crosslake · 61.0
#53
Most residents 65+#1 Crosslake · 40.1%
#238
Most kids#1 Lonsdale · 36%
#79 Outdoors
Most conserved land#1 Orrock · 63.1%
#173
Most trails#1 Two Harbors · 4.8 mi / sq mi
#193
Most walkable#1 Robbinsdale · 140 / sq mi
#234 
Climate
Snowiest#1 Hermantown · 90 in
#130
L
Least snow#1 Lake City · 34 in
#136
Mildest winters#1 La Crescent · 8.7°
#220
Hottest summers#1 Marshall · 83.6°
#179
Coolest summers#1 Two Harbors · 75.4°
#98
Longest growing season#1 Winona · 180 days
#215
Wettest#1 Caledonia · 37 in
#220 Housing
Vacation-home towns#1 Crosslake · 57.2%
#20
Most new homes#1 Corcoran · 38.2 per 1,000
Fastest-rising home prices#1 Crosslake · +76.3%
#94
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 Watab’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.