Sure, there's positives and negatives to everything (or everywhere), but is this really the worst place to live in Minnesota?

Everyone's got an opinion abut what's right and what's wrong with Central Minnesota. We live here, we work here, we judge everything around us here.

Some love their place on the map, and will defend it to the bitter end. Other's can't stand their corner of Minnesota -- and throw it under the bus every chance they get.

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In a story published on by Just Go on NewBreak, the author of the story 'The 5 Worst Places To Live In Minnesota,' reveals which cities and towns would be on the bottom of their list, based mostly on FBI crime and employment statistics.

Minnesota's largest cities did not make the 'naughty list.' Minneapolis, Saint Paul, Rochester, Bloomington, Duluth, Saint Cloud, Mankato -- they were all just fine.

These five cities and towns, not so much:

5 Worst Places To Live In Minnesota

Coming in as the 5th worst place to live in Minnesota <drum roll>: West Saint Paul. West St. Paul is just south of the City of Saint Paul, located in Dakota County. With a population of just under 20,000 gets thrown under the bus hard in the article.

There are many criminals in the area, and the economy is sluggish, making it one of Minnesota's least attractive places.

Easy, 'Just Go.' West Saint Paul has all like s of great parks and riverfront, but yeah, it's pretty high in crime per capita.


 

Coming in as the 4th worst place to live in Minnesota <another drum roll>: Brooklyn Center. The city is on the west bank of the Mississippi River on the northwest border of Minneapolis.With a population of just over 30,000 takes a hit from 'Just Go,' saying:

Crime rates are 70 percent higher in this region compared to the national average. The schools in the area are also below par, with no school achieving higher than a 5 out of 10.

I used to work in Brooklyn Center and it was lovely. Plus, Brookdale, right?


 

Coming in as the 3rd worst place to live in Minnesota <dramatic drum roll>: Virginia. The story refers to it as Little Virginia. (Wait, what?) Virginia is located on the Iron Range with a population of about 8,500. Virginia takes it's lumps from just Go,' saying:

The city ranks 25th for crime, income levels, home values, and unemployment rates.

They do throw Virginia a little love, adding that its schools are among Minnesota's top-rated in terms of student support and spending.


 

Coming in as the 2nd worst place to live in Minnesota <Paul & Babe drum roll>: Bemidji. Located in Beltrami County about two hours north of Saint Cloud, Bemidji (with a population a little over 15,000) is the largest commercial center between Duluth and Grand Forks. The 'Just Go' folks note:

According to the FBI database, the crime rate in the city is the 2nd highest per capita in the state. One in 12.7 residents in Bemidji was robbed in 2020.

How bad can a town or city be when it boasts Paul Bunyan, Babe the Big Blue Ox, and Kelly Cordes the graduate from Bemidji State University?


 

And the gold medal for the worst place to live in Minnesota <big, loud, triumphant drum roll>: Waite Park. WP has a population of about 8,000 folks -- and I will just say it, "In no way, shape, or form is Waite Park the worst place to live in Minnesota." I mean seriously. 'Just Go' begs to differ, saying:

Having the most crime per capita in Minnesota is weird for a tiny city like Waite Park. Its most serious problem is property crime. There were 119,000 reported thefts here in 2020.

Ok, two things: #1, 'Just Go' referred to Virginia as 'Little Virginia.' And #2, their story was written before The Ledge Amphitheater opened. Have you checked that out? I mean, would The Beach Boys play in the worst city in any state? OK, and #3, Quarry Park has been ranked as one of the Top-Ten swimming holes in America. Take that 'Just Go.'

The 25 Best Places to Live in Minnesota

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to live in Minnesota using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Cities, suburbs, and towns were included. Listings and images are from realtor.com.

On the list, there's a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.

10 Hilarious Bad Google Reviews of Central MN Landmarks

 

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