Minnesota maintains a solid 55.8 composite score, comfortably exceeding the national median of 50.0. With all 87 counties reporting, the state demonstrates consistent quality of life across its diverse geography.

Exceptional Health and High Incomes Drive Growth

The North Star State shines in wellness with a dominant health score of 82.6 and an income score of 71.7. These figures reflect a robust workforce and access to top-tier medical care that outperform many national peers.

High Costs and Taxes Moderate Overall Gains

Prosperity comes with a price, as the state's tax score of 41.0 and cost score of 40.0 represent significant financial hurdles. Residents trade higher-than-average tax burdens and living expenses for the state's high-quality public services and infrastructure.

Northern and Rural Counties Lead the Rankings

Lake of the Woods County claims the top spot with a 74.3 score, followed closely by Red Lake at 73.1 and Murray at 72.7. These areas offer a superior balance of affordability and income that outranks the more expensive urban centers like Ramsey and Hennepin.

A Prime Choice for Career-Focused Families

Minnesota is an ideal destination for high-earning professionals and families who prioritize health outcomes and social stability over low taxes. While the urban core is expensive, the state's rural and northern counties offer some of the highest composite livability scores in the country.

All County Rankings in Minnesota

Search, sort, and filter all 87 ranked counties

Showing 1–25 of 87 counties

Rank
1	Lake of the Woods County	74.3	62.4	48.3	66.5	97.5	86.8	77.3	96.5	86	47.8	69.3	44.1
2	Red Lake County	73.1	41.1	67.5	80.9	90	88.9	67.4	97.9	86	47.1	91.8	66.9
3	Murray County	72.7	56.1	60.8	76.5	87.2	81.7	76.5	80.2	86	45.9	66.9	62.1
4	Jackson County	72.5	44.2	69.3	66.2	87.4	92.8	78.3	77.6	34.2	48	75.2	70.4
5	Lac qui Parle County	72.5	41.9	60.6	70.4	89.3	89	82	81.2	86	41.9	63.5	58.5
6	Rock County	70.7	60.8	58.1	68.2	79.4	85.6	69.3	90.6	86	42.2	75.1	55.4
7	Kittson County	69.5	44.1	69.3	65.4	84.6	78.3	62.6	95.2	86	45.2	69	55.1
8	Lincoln County	69.3	40.4	72.8	60.9	93	86.5	46	81.8	86	42.6	64.8	55.4
9	Marshall County	69.1	50.5	67.1	70.6	85.2	85.6	60.5	76.5	37.3	47	94.6	62.1
10	Big Stone County	68.8	48.2	72.4	55.9	67.1	78.6	75.6	91.5	86	51.1	68.4	64.5
11	Norman County	68.8	38.9	63.3	66	87.8	78	82.3	85.7	20.5	43.6	74	61.8
12	Traverse County	68.1	40.3	78.5	56.7	84.5	77.3	63.4	93.9	16	43.1	68.6	59.5
13	Pipestone County	66.9	44.5	68	57.1	88.2	75	50.4	85.3	86	45.9	69	62.2
14	Yellow Medicine County	66.5	34.9	64.2	70.4	82.8	81.2	70.8	70.1	51	40.5	65.1	58.9
15	Grant County	66.1	42.5	52.9	74	93.2	76.7	64.3	97	16.4	43.1	60.3	60.1
16	Stevens County	65.6	52.6	48.6	69	76.6	90.9	52.5	93	86	46.7	72.9	63.1
17	Lake County	65.4	57.5	30.9	78.1	79.6	88.5	72.4	66.1	86	48.6	62.6	42.6
18	Pope County	65.4	54.2	37.9	71.7	74.3	86.9	73.8	79.5	86	46	88.7	71.9
19	Wilkin County	65.3	56.6	69	65.5	56	78	60.4	94.7	86	48.1	67.9	59.8
20	Clearwater County	65.2	59.5	60	54.2	88.5	61.9	44.9	95.9	86	47.7	75.5	44.8
21	Swift County	65.2	48.5	50.8	47	90.4	71.4	64.7	75	86	43.5	67.7	65.1
22	Fillmore County	65.1	42	50.1	77.6	82.9	78.4	70.3	50.2	86	48.3	73.5	80.5
23	Lyon County	64.5	34.7	57.2	73.3	76.8	88.8	62.8	56.5	86	42.6	63.2	58.9
24	Wabasha County	64.4	32	41.8	84	81.4	96.1	68	54.5	86	46	73.1	79.1
25	Cottonwood County	63.2	29.2	61.2	62.3	64.9	73.9	83.5	72.3	86	47.9	73	73.1

Lake of the Woods County

62.448.366.597.586.877.396.58647.869.344.1N/A

74.3

Red Lake County

41.167.580.99088.967.497.98647.191.866.9N/A

73.1

Murray County

56.160.876.587.281.776.580.28645.966.962.1N/A

72.7

Jackson County

44.269.366.287.492.878.377.634.24875.270.4N/A

72.5

Lac qui Parle County

41.960.670.489.3898281.28641.963.558.5N/A

72.5

Rock County

60.858.168.279.485.669.390.68642.275.155.4N/A

70.7

Kittson County

44.169.365.484.678.362.695.28645.26955.1N/A

69.5

Lincoln County

40.472.860.99386.54681.88642.664.855.4N/A

69.3

Marshall County

50.567.170.685.285.660.576.537.34794.662.1N/A

69.1

Big Stone County

48.272.455.967.178.675.691.58651.168.464.5N/A

68.8

Norman County

38.963.36687.87882.385.720.543.67461.8N/A

68.8

Traverse County

40.378.556.784.577.363.493.91643.168.659.5N/A

68.1

Pipestone County

44.56857.188.27550.485.38645.96962.2N/A

66.9

Yellow Medicine County

34.964.270.482.881.270.870.15140.565.158.9N/A

66.5

Grant County

42.552.97493.276.764.39716.443.160.360.1N/A

66.1

Stevens County

52.648.66976.690.952.5938646.772.963.1N/A

65.6

Lake County

57.530.978.179.688.572.466.18648.662.642.6N/A

65.4

Pope County

54.237.971.774.386.973.879.5864688.771.9N/A

65.4

Wilkin County

56.66965.5567860.494.78648.167.959.8N/A

65.3

Clearwater County

59.56054.288.561.944.995.98647.775.544.8N/A

65.2

Swift County

48.550.84790.471.464.7758643.567.765.1N/A

65.2

Fillmore County

4250.177.682.978.470.350.28648.373.580.5N/A

65.1

Lyon County

34.757.273.376.888.862.856.58642.663.258.9N/A

64.5

Wabasha County

3241.88481.496.16854.5864673.179.1N/A

64.4

Cottonwood County

29.261.262.364.973.983.572.38647.97373.1N/A

63.2

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Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Minnesota

Common questions about county rankings and scores in Minnesota.

What is the best county in Minnesota?

Lake of the Woods County is the top-ranked county in Minnesota with a CountyScore of 74.3/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets.

How many counties are ranked in Minnesota?

Minnesota has 87 counties in total. Of those, 87 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.

What factors determine a county's score?

Each county is scored 0–100 across up to eight data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, and Water Quality. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever dimensions have data. Currently available dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate, Soil Quality, Lawn Care, Farmers Markets. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.

What is the average county score in Minnesota?

The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Minnesota is 56/100. The national average is 50/100, so Minnesota counties score 6 points above the national average.

How does Minnesota compare to other states?

Minnesota's average county score of 56/100 is 6 points above the national average of 50/100. You can compare Minnesota counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.

Explore County Data by Category

Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Minnesota.

TaxByCountyEffective property tax rate vs national benchmarks CostByCountyMedian rent, home values, and housing affordability IncomeByCountyMedian household income and per capita earnings CrimeByCountyViolent and property crime rates per 100K residents HealthByCountyLife expectancy, uninsured rates, and health access SchoolsByCountyGraduation rates, per-pupil spending, and attainment RiskByCountyFEMA National Risk Index — flood, fire, tornado, and more WaterByCountyEPA drinking water health violations and safety grades WeatherByCountyAverage temperatures, precipitation, and extreme weather events SoilByCountySoil composition, pH, drainage, and organic matter content LawnByCountyLawn difficulty score based on climate, soil, and grass suitability MarketsByCountyLocal market density, SNAP/EBT acceptance, and product variety

Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.

Best Counties in Minnesota — 2026 Rankings

Top Counties in Minnesota

Understanding County Scores in Minnesota

Minnesota Outpaces the National Livability Average