2021 Best Places to Live in Washington County

Woodbury

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 4.13 out of 5  209 reviews

Current Resident: I've lived in Woodbury for 5 years now and it has been a very enjoyable experience. The people are all very friendly and most neighborhoods are pretty connected. Since it is made up of developments for the most part, you'll really get to know your neighbors. There is also plenty of opportunity for activities and lots of trails and paths for walking and biking. It is very family friendly and there are lots of young and older families, so it's perfect for anybody. I think my favorite part about Woodbury is the sense of community everyone has. With the pandemic, I've seen people come together and support each other and local businesses, and it is really impressive.
Read 209 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 69,906 Population

Dellwood

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

• grade A+

• grade A

• 1,298 Population

Mahtomedi

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 4.42 out of 5  19 reviews

Current Resident: Mahtomedi is nice and has an active community, but is relatively limited in terms of diversity. It has an extremely good public school system with a highly developed technology and engineering department. The school also has a variety of athletic extracurriculars, but could be improved with more academic extracurriculars. The downtown area is quite small, but the abundance of surrounding suburbs fill what is missing. Additionally, nearby White Bear Lake makes many outdoor activities like swimming and boating very accessible.
Read 19 Reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

• 8,164 Population

Stillwater

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 4.23 out of 5  60 reviews

Current Resident: I enjoy living in Stillwater, Minnesota, because of the interesting history, the beautiful scenery, and the people. Stillwater is known as the birthplace of Minnesota. Because the St.Croix river runs through Stillwater, the river used to be a critical factor in the logging industry. Many of the people who contributed and had influential roles in logging built gorgeous houses by the river, which many of these houses are still there today looking over the river. With the river, downtown, the bridge, changing leaves in the fall, and more, Stillwater is filled with beauty. Some places of Stillwater have a city feel, and others have a small-town feel, which gives a good variety for all people. Stillwater is close to St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth, and more which gives tourists even more to see, and citizens access to the international airport.
Read 60 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• 19,341 Population

West Lakeland Township

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 4.11 out of 5  9 reviews

Niche User: I wouldn't want to grow up an any other area in the world. Having a 300-acre Wildlife Management Area butting up against my backyard was a place I could really mature on my own. It was an escape from the concrete jungle I called everyday life, and pressed me to learn things no textbook could ever teach me.
Read 9 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• 4,182 Population

Baytown Township

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

• grade A

• grade A

• 1,940 Population

Lake Elmo

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 4.02 out of 5  46 reviews

Current Resident: Lake Elmo offers a small town environment while providing easy access to commercial and metropolitan centers. Opportunities available at every turn, Lake Elmo accommodates a diverse and supportive community. This town holds numerous living styles that anyone may choose from. Although pricey, the expenses are definitely worth the quality of living.
Read 46 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• 8,969 Population

Stillwater Township

• Town in Minnesota
• Rating 4.4 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: Stillwater has been the place I call home for my whole life and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's located on the gorgeous St. Croix River that has sandy beaches almost all the way down. It's less than 30 minutes from the Twin Cities so it's close enough for all the big events that go on but also a nice quiet town to come home to. The downtown area is one of my favorite places in the city. It's a tourist area but all of the local businesses still know how to cater to the locals. The streets are lined with cute diners, candy stores, boutiques and so much more! It's also a very historic town, founded when loggers came down the St. Croix River and developed settlements. The locals are always extremely friendly and you can strike up conversation anywhere you go!
Read 15 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• 1,890 Population

Afton

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Afton is an amazing place to live and raise a family. It's close enough to the Twin Cities to make the commute manageable, but far enough to be quiet and offer a rural living experience.
Read 5 Reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• 2,999 Population

Bayport

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

• grade A

• grade A

• 3,723 Population

Lakeland

• Town in Minnesota
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: Have lived here and raised family for 35 years. Couldn't imagine a better place to live. 20 minutes max from anywhere you want to go.
Read 1 Review

• grade A minus

• grade A

• 1,799 Population

Cottage Grove

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 3.9 out of 5  102 reviews

Current Resident: I love Cottage Grove. I have lived here most of my life, went to school here, and made memories here. A lot of my family lives around here as well, so its easy to stay connected to everyone. Its a beautiful town with lots of fun things to do. whether you want to take your dog to the park, go fishing, or play around of golf at the beautiful local golf course. I'm grateful to have grown up in this amazing town. There isn't a lot I would change about this tow, but the town itself is changing everyday. Its growing and new things are always being added.
Read 102 Reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• 36,602 Population

Oakdale

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 3.98 out of 5  65 reviews

Current Resident: Oakdale is an amazing place to live! There are so many places to shop, eat, and explore right here in the city. I attend Tartan High School, which is also in Oakdale, and I have had such a great experience at Tartan.
Read 65 Reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• 27,963 Population

Grant

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Current Resident: Grant is a wonderfully quaint town and it has many wonderful features. It has great people and a charming area unmatched by any other town. It doesn't have much t improve on, and that which it does is only because it lacks the funding other towns have.
Read 1 Review

• grade A minus

• grade A

• 4,100 Population

Lake St. Croix Beach

• Town in Minnesota

• grade A minus

• grade A

• 1,058 Population

Hugo

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 3.72 out of 5  39 reviews

Current Resident: Pretty area to live. Lots of green and even some farms. Lots of families live in the area with all aged children. There is one grocery store in the area and a small shopping center. There are also two coffee shops. There is a Dunn Brothers and a Dunkin Donuts. Hugo is located right on 35E so there is very easy freeway access.
Read 39 Reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

• 14,767 Population

Denmark Township

• Town in Minnesota
• Rating 3.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Niche User: I have lived here for 20 years and there has been no crimes that I have heard of. The worst that has happened is a horse gets lose on occasion.
Read 5 Reviews

• grade A minus

• grade A

• 1,660 Population

Forest Lake

• Town in Minnesota
• Rating 3.68 out of 5  47 reviews

Current Resident: Forest Lake is a great town. Many conveniences for shopping, being that everything is close! The lakes and parks are beautiful. The 4th of July celebration is truly one of the best in the state. And it is not far to the cities to the south or for more country to the north and east. The schools are great and so are the people. People smile, hold doors and say hello. Love this community!
Read 47 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• 20,004 Population

Newport

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: Newport is a peaceful relatively quiet neighborhood. Residents are friendly and my kids have other kids to place with. The location makes the commute to a lot of surrounding areas easy and convenient.
Read 2 Reviews

• grade B+

• grade A minus

• 3,532 Population

St. Paul Park

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 4.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Former Resident: I lived in St Paul Park my whole childhood. Such a great community to raise a family. There was always lots of kids on my street. I loved all my schools. And there’s a good mix of incomes/diversity, so I felt it gave me a great opportunity to meet people unlike myself (in school especially). You can ride your bike around without worrying or ever feeling unsafe. Quiet tree lined streets, lots of parks, and nice neighbors. Close to Cottage Grove which has all the stores, but also not too far from St Paul. Part of the town is right by the Mississippi. There is the refinery close by…but it was never an issue. If I could, I’d raise my own family there. I cant say enough about it just LOVE!!
Read 2 Reviews

• grade B

• grade B

• 5,356 Population

Oak Park Heights

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN
• Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Niche User: I want to live in this town when I graduate from college, or find a town that is similar. This city has everything anyone would ever need whether it be shopping, restaurants, activities for the summer or winter, a downtown area, and also the typical suburban living. It's perfect for any type of person!
Read 3 Reviews

• grade B

• grade A

• 4,889 Population

Scandia

• Town in Minnesota
• Rating 5 out of 5  2 reviews

Niche User: I love living in a small town of less than 4,000 people. It's quiet and refreshing, and just a short 45 minute drive from the Twin Cities. I love that so much of the town is centered around out door activities. Running, biking, camping, fishing, swimming, etc. All things that many people get to enjoy in the summer. And with a beautiful fall, it's an amazing place to enjoy the warmth of friends and family in the cool autumn air while apple picking, or enjoying a bonfire. It's truly a splendid place to grow up close to nature and a happy community.
Read 2 Reviews

• grade B minus

• grade B+

• 4,112 Population

Pine Springs

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

• grade A

• grade A

• 444 Population

Birchwood Village

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

• grade A

• grade B+

• 957 Population

Lakeland Shores

• Town in Minnesota

• grade A minus

• grade A

• 347 Population