Highest Poverty in Minnesota

Top 100 cities ranked by highest poverty

Best Minnesota Cities

Composite rankings combining multiple weighted metrics — 4 topics from climate and air quality data.

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All Countries · United States · Minnesota

Highest Poverty — Minnesota

1 Virginia 18.3%

2 Waite Park 15.1%

3 Brainerd 13.5%

4 Marshall 13.5%

5 Montevideo 13.4%

6 Grand Rapids 12.8%

7 Spring Lake Park 12.6%

8 Bemidji 12.1%

9 St. Cloud 11.9%

10 St. Paul 11.3%

11 Redwood Falls 11.2%

12 Faribault 11.1%

13 Cloquet 11.1%

14 Columbia Heights 11.0%

15 Worthington 11.0%

16 Zimmerman 11.0%

17 Willmar 10.9%

18 Crookston 10.8%

19 Little Falls 10.7%

20 St. Joseph 10.6%

21 Mankato 10.1%

22 North St. Paul 9.8%

23 Austin 9.7%

24 Red Wing 9.6%

25 Minneapolis 9.4%

26 Hutchinson 9.2%

27 New Hope 8.9%

28 Baxter 8.5%

29 Mounds View 8.2%

30 Brooklyn Center 8.0%

31 St. Peter 7.7%

32 Brooklyn Park 7.6%

33 Moorhead 7.6%

34 Duluth 7.5%

35 Thief River Falls 7.5%

36 Fridley 7.4%

37 International Falls 7.4%

38 Cambridge 7.3%

39 Waseca 7.3%

40 East Grand Forks 7.3%

41 Robbinsdale 7.1%

42 West St. Paul 7.0%

43 Hibbing 7.0%

44 Little Canada 6.7%

45 Minnetrista 6.6%

46 Byron 6.4%

47 Winona 6.3%

48 Albert Lea 6.3%

49 Burnsville 6.1%

50 Maplewood 6.1%

51 New Brighton 5.9%

52 Monticello 5.9%

53 Coon Rapids 5.8%

54 Litchfield 5.7%

55 Rochester 5.6%

56 Bloomington 5.6%

57 Anoka 5.5%

58 Fairmont 5.5%

59 Glencoe 5.4%

60 Morris 5.4%

61 Hopkins 5.3%

62 New Ulm 5.3%

63 Golden Valley 5.2%

64 Fergus Falls 5.1%

65 Mound 5.1%

66 Crystal 5.0%

67 South St. Paul 5.0%

68 Arden Hills 4.9%

69 St. Francis 4.9%

70 North Branch 4.8%

71 Buffalo 4.7%

72 Jordan 4.7%

73 North Mankato 4.6%

74 Blaine 4.5%

75 Alexandria 4.5%

76 Shorewood 4.5%

77 Richfield 4.4%

78 Owatonna 4.4%

79 Northfield 4.4%

80 Vadnais Heights 4.4%

81 Falcon Heights 4.4%

82 Forest Lake 4.3%

83 Eden Prairie 4.2%

84 Shoreview 4.2%

85 Stillwater 4.2%

86 Woodbury 4.1%

87 Big Lake 4.1%

88 White Bear Lake 4.0%

89 North Oaks 3.9%

90 Apple Valley 3.7%

91 St. Louis Park 3.7%

92 Oakdale 3.7%

93 Waconia 3.7%

94 Roseville 3.6%

95 Sartell 3.6%

96 Lake City 3.4%

97 Chaska 3.3%

98 Champlin 3.2%

99 Detroit Lakes 3.2%

100 Isanti 3.2%

Cities with the highest poverty rates in Minnesota face deep economic challenges affecting a significant portion of their population. Virginia has a poverty rate of 18.3%.

High poverty rates impact communities in multiple ways: reduced access to healthcare and healthy food, lower educational outcomes, higher crime rates, and deteriorating infrastructure. These challenges are interconnected and require comprehensive solutions.

Addressing poverty in these cities requires a multi-pronged approach including economic development, affordable housing, quality education, healthcare access, and workforce training programs targeting underserved populations.

Did You Know?

1. In Virginia, 18.3% of residents — roughly 1 in 5 people — live below the poverty line.
2. Child poverty rates in these cities are often even higher than the overall rate, sometimes exceeding 40%.
3. Poverty is measured by household income relative to family size — the threshold varies from $15,060 for an individual to $31,200 for a family of four.

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