2023 Best Places to Retire in Minnesota

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

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  Rating 4.8 out of 5  15 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in Mendota Heights for about 5 years now, and I believe it is a great place to raise a family. The community is very open and friendly. We enjoy being close to so many parks and trails, and love how many trees there are. There is just a general sense of everything being open, natural, and safe. We are a short walk from the river, and often use the many bike trails around here as well, even though there are quite a few hills! There is also a relatively small commute time to school and work, while not feeling we are in the middle of a crowded city.... Read 15 reviews

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• Population 11,681

• Town in Minnesota

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: It is a small and welcoming community where everyone knows everyone! There is a lot of support from everybody. We are located on a beautiful lake and waterskiing was invented here!... Read 7 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 5,120

• Suburb of Minneapolis, MN

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  Rating 3.99 out of 5  83 reviews

Current Resident: Edina is a city that keeps its citizens well informed and taken care of. The streets are plowed in the winter and promptly re-paved in the summer when needed. The schools are excellent and provide kids with all levels of learning. However it is in great need of more diversity and inclusiveness of all people. Having a history with anti-semitism, a great majority of white citizens, and being a wealthy area, Edina has upheld its stereotypes of being a rich and privileged city. This aside, it is a relatively safe place and many people come here to raise families.... Read 83 reviews

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• Population 53,059

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

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  Rating 4.25 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: Having lived here for a little while, I can say it’s a great city to live in. You are close enough to everything you should need. Close to downtown Stillwater. The parks and trails are a great plus and the city cares about improving them for their residents.... Read 4 reviews

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• Population 4,720

• Suburb of Minneapolis, MN

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  Rating 4.54 out of 5  13 reviews

Current Resident: I really like the neighborhoods and the businesses here. Everyone is also very nice and usually friendly! Only problem is a little bit of traffic that can get hectic when there is frequent road construction, but overall a great place to live!... Read 13 reviews

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• Population 4,367

• Town in Minnesota

• grade B minus

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 1,443

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

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  Rating 4.36 out of 5  22 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 22 reviews

• grade A

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• Population 8,041

• Town in Minnesota

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade A

• Population 1,523

• Town in Minnesota

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  Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: What I like about Coleraine is that it is a small town where everyone knows everyone. It might not have huge attractions, except for the highly known golf course, but it is everything you want in a small town. There are parks, beaches, gas station, the only thing left would be a little grocery store and we would be set. Overall, I would recommend anyone to move to Coleraine today.... Read 3 reviews

• grade B

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• grade A

• Population 1,715

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

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  Rating 4 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: It is a very safe and quiet neighborhood. Located very close to a middle school. It is near a lake with hiking trails, a beach, a golf club, and tennis courts. There are also many parks and open fields for recreational purposes, and in the winter there is an ice rink. The people in the neighborhood are mostly very nice and friendly.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

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• Population 5,204

• Town in Minnesota

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  Rating 3.79 out of 5  14 reviews

Current Resident: I love my small town of Crosby! It is such a welcoming community full of wonderful people. During the summer, many people from the cities come up here to bike, swim, and camp. The downtown is growing exponentially with new business and opportunities every year!... Read 14 reviews

• grade B

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• Population 2,677

• Suburb of Minneapolis, MN

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  Rating 4.67 out of 5  18 reviews

Current Resident: I think Excelsior is a vibrant city that offers wonderful experiences for individuals of all ages. Whether it be gathering in downtown Excelsior in the Commons for a concert or eating at Maynard, the city of Excelsior is a wonderful place to grow up. Not only is the social scene exceptional, the school district of Minnetonka schools is absolutely exceptional. The education is second to none. The nightlife is also great, with restaurants such as Lago Tacos and Maynards staying open for extended periods of time and offering tasty food!... Read 18 reviews

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• Population 2,389

Current Resident: Stillwater is a unique place to live. Downtown Stillwater has some really fun places to shop and eat. Living right next to the St.Croix makes hiking, fishing, and kayaking an easy thing to do. Both the local schools and charter schools are great. They have really great programs and teachers that help educate children. St. Croix Prep is especially good. The Middle School recently one the Blue Ribbon award for excellence. The high school has lots of rigor and really prepares students for college. The diversity in the area is growing, but it does not mirror what you would find in an urban setting. This is a very family-friendly area. However, in general, the houses are rather expensive and it is difficult for first-time home buyers to live in this area. This is an ideal place to live if you work in St. Paul, Woodbury, or Hudson. Commuting to Minneapolis would take much longer and can be a headache. There is not a lot of public transportation in the area.... Read 17 reviews

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• grade A minus

• Population 1,801

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

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  Rating 4.39 out of 5  66 reviews

Current Resident: This beautiful community is known for its abundant parks, lakes, and natural areas, which offer residents a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities year-round. The people here are friendly, welcoming, and always ready to lend a helping hand. Shoreview is also home to a thriving business community, with a variety of shops, restaurants, and other local businesses that contribute to the local economy and provide job opportunities for residents. The community is conveniently located near major highways and transportation options, making it easy to commute to other parts of the Twin Cities metro area.... Read 66 reviews

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• Population 26,871

• Town in Minnesota

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  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade B

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• grade A minus

• Population 3,310

• Town in Minnesota

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  Rating 5 out of 5  1 review

Former Resident: They had a wonderful town hall that we have used as a recreational spot to play inside ball or gym like activities during the cold winter months. We have also used it for wedding receptions family reunion and gatherings.... Read 1 review

• grade B minus

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• grade A minus

• Population 1,180

• Town in Minnesota

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  Rating 3.4 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: I love this town and have lived here all my life! They have an excellent school district and strong community! Lots of local restaurants and many events throughout the year!... Read 5 reviews

• grade B

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• grade A minus

• Population 2,834

• Town in Minnesota

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  Rating 3.89 out of 5  9 reviews

Former Resident: Benson is a great small town to live in. Restaurants, golf course, outdoor community swimming pool, movie theater, and many others. People are friendly and greet you by name.... Read 9 reviews

• grade B

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• grade A minus

• Population 3,381

• Town in Minnesota

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  Rating 4.2 out of 5  5 reviews

Nearby Resident: Great little small town in central Minnesota. Minnesota nice thrives here! Great small businesses on main street. School has great teachers and staff that help kids with whatever they need.... Read 5 reviews

• grade A minus

• grade B+

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• Population 2,769

• Suburb of Minneapolis, MN

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  Rating 4.38 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: Lauderdale is a little, family-oriented city that is tucked away between Roseville (nice city to live in as well) and Minneapolis. After living here for over 3 years, I have come to appreciate all the positive aspects of the city. These include, safe environment (what crime? and law enforcement regularly patrols the area due to them stopping at the city hall to convene), lovely parks (one large one has everything you could want=basketball, tennis courts, playground, sand volleyball, baseball diamond, street or ice hockey enclosed space, space for parties, birthday events for children or just grilling out, archery options, dog park and an amazing layout of trees for hammocking) and overall the people are friendly and supportive. It is located within distance to major freeways/highways so getting to Minneapolis (downtown or the University of Minnesota) or St Paul is easily accessible. Not too high of rents either. Overall a hidden gem... Read 8 reviews

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• Population 2,479

• Suburb of Minneapolis, MN

• grade B minus

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 1,921

• Town in Minnesota

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• Population 1,379

• Town in Minnesota

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  Rating 3.31 out of 5  13 reviews

Nearby Resident: For a small town, Blue Earth holds up pretty well it terms of opportunities. It has a good school and plenty of available jobs for people to look into. The housing market is decent also, with affordable and attractive homes in quiet areas of town.... Read 13 reviews

• grade B

• grade B minus

• grade A minus

• Population 3,252

• Suburb of St. Paul, MN

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  Rating 4.04 out of 5  48 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 48 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A minus

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• Population 11,237

• Suburb of Minneapolis, MN

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  Rating 4.25 out of 5  20 reviews

Current Resident: St. Anthony is a small suburb bordering Minneapolis. Even with the current social climate of Minneapolis and St. Anthony being a bordering suburb, it feels like you're mile away and in a completely different setting.... Read 20 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A

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• Population 9,145