A Hennepin County Sheriff's Office boat on Lake Minnetonka. (Melissa Turtinen/FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS - Livability compiled a list of the 50 best small cities in the U.S., and two Minnesota cities have made the cut. The quality of life website measured several data points to score the town's livability based on health, economy, safety, environment, transportation, education, housing, and amenities.
Minnetonka
Local perspective:
The highest-ranking best small city in Minnesota on the list was Minnetonka. The city came in at 22nd with a LivScore of 774 out of 1,000. This Twin Cities suburb was praised for its community features, quiet bays along the lake, regional trails, top-ranked school systems, and having access to major corporate headquarters for work.
Minnetonka scored the highest for its performance in health, education, and safety. Here are some other scores the small city received on a score out of 100:
- Amenities: 71
- Economy: 74
- Education: 85
- Enviornment: 42
- Health: 97
- Housing & Cost of Living: 69
- Safety: 84
- Transportation: 70
Livability also listed top reasons they would recommend for moving to Minnetonka.
- Easy commuting to the Twin Cities, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, and connections to the Southwest Rail Transit extension.
- Booming business with peaceful natural surroundings, as the city houses the world headquarters of Cargill, UnitedHealth Group operations, and corporate offices for other sectors.
- Embracing the water and outdoors: The city sits on the shores of Lake Minnetonka and has access to swimming beaches, kayaking, hiking, dog parks, and more.
- Shopping and dining: The city offers a myriad of options to go shopping and try different food and drinks right in town. It also has an outdoor amphitheater with different seasonal events.
- Good schools: Families might be drawn to the area by Minnetonka's education system, which performs well.
Some quick facts Livability listed about Minnetonka include:
- Median home value: $432,864
- Median Property Tax: $4,272
- Population: 53,720
- Average commute: 19 minutes
- Median household income: $115,502
- Median monthly rent: $1,416
Eden Prairie
By the numbers:
The other small Minnesota city that made the list was Eden Prairie. Eden Prairie ranked 26th on the list with a LivScore of 770 out of 1,000. The small city was praised for also being a connected Twin Cities suburb, having a good connection to nature, and a high quality of life.
Eden Prairie also scored highest for health, education, and safety. Here is how the city stacked up on other metrics:
- Amenities: 66
- Economy: 75
- Education: 86
- Enviornment: 44
- Health: 98
- Housing & Cost of Living: 65
- Safety: 85
- Transportation: 72
According to Livability, here are some top reasons to move to Eden Prairie:
- A great place for nature lovers: Eden Prairie has eco-friendly designs and green spaces, including a 2.4 mile boardwalk loop through a wetlands area. It also has hiking trails, lake beaches, and more.
- Great schools: Eden Prairie's education system is top-notch, ranking among the best in Minnesota.
- Economic hub: The city also has its own headquarters, including corporate centers for C.H. Robinson, Optum of UnitedHealth Group, Starkey Hearing Technologies, and Winnebago Industries.
- Entertainment: Eden Prairie has its own community center that hosts events, a lot of shopping, facilities like ice rinks and indoor sports courts, and an amphitheater that holds summertime events.
- Regional access: It's also easy to get around the region from Eden Prairie. The highways make the Twin Cities highly accessible, as well as close access to MSP Airport, and a Metro Green Line Light Rail extension that takes you across the area.
Some quick facts Livability listed about Eden Prairie include:
- Median home value: $451,909
- Median property tax: $4,756
- Population: 61,643
- Average commute: 19 minutes
- Median household income: $130,907
- Median monthly rent: $1,423
The full listing
Big picture view:
Livability's full list of the best small cities includes:
- Daphne, Alabama
- Madison, Alabama
- Homewood, Alabama
- Dublin, Ohio
- Chesterfield, Missouri
- Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
- Mason, Ohio
- Westfield, Indiana
- Pflugerville, Texas
- Friendswood, Texas
- Enterprise, Alabama
- Mequon, Wisconsin
- Edwardsville, Illinois
- Florence, Alabama
- Bergenfield, New Jersey
- Opelika, Alabama
- Downers Grove, Illinois
- Rockwall, Texas
- Wylie, Texas
- Fort Lee, New Jersey
- Cibolo, Texas
- Minnetonka, Minnesota
- Brookfield, Wisconsin
- Germantown, Tennessee
- Dothan, Alabama
- Eden Prairie, Minnesota
- Madison, Mississippi
- Brownsburg, Indiana
- Oro Valley, Arizona
- Collierville, Tennessee
- Huntersville, North Carolina
- Royal Oak, Michigan
- Wake Forest, North Carolina
- Lenexa, Kansas
- Milford, Connecticut
- Oviedo, Florida
- Shelton, Connecticut
- Novi, Michigan
- Bettendorf, Iowa
- Duluth, Georgia
- Waukee, Iowa
- Hendersonville, Tennessee
- Dover, New Hampshire
- Jenks, Oklahoma
- Papillion, Nebraska
- Marana, Arizona
- Bentonville, Arkansas
- Oak Park, Illinois
- West Des Moines, Iowa
- Tumwater, Washington
Livability's methodology
Dig deeper:
Livability used metrics they say are built differently than other sites to rank their best small towns. They focused on accessibility, economic sustainability, and real-world livability in their ranking.
They used a $550,000 housing ceiling, so that no town on the list had median home values above $550,000. They wanted to ensure that the places on their lists had attainable homeownership for the average buyer.
They also kept population parameters for the cities on the list between 15,000 and 75,000 people, which they believe is the ideal size where community and local support can flourish.
Livability sorted through over 2,000 places to determine its selection. They wanted to include diverse areas from coastal villages to mountain towns to Midwest hubs.
The Source: This story uses information from a ranking of small cities by Livability. It was reported from Eden Prairie, Minnesota.