There are some great places to live in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. However, there is one small town that is considered the worst small town in the entire state of Minnesota.

Hopefully, this small town isn't your hometown, because no one wants to be number one on a list of the worst small towns in the entire state.

What exactly makes a small town? The U.S. Census Bureau defines small towns as incorporated areas with 5,000 residents or fewer. Midsize cities have between 5,000 - 10,000 people, and big cities are noted for having populations of 50,000 or more. So I'm not entirely sure what the name is for towns that have between 10,000 - 50,000 people are considered.

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The website Road Snacks put together research to come up with the worst small towns in Minnesota. They used "science" to put the ultimate list together. In other words, they used FBI crime data and Census data. Here is what the study was based on:

  • Adjusted Median Income
  • Education (high school dropouts)
  • High Crime
  • Highest Unemployment Rates
  • Low Housing Costs
  • Population Density

What is the worst small town in Minnesota?

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Redby

This town had a population of 1,334 at the 2010 census, and the town derives its name from nearby Red Lake. The unemployment rate is 17.5%, and the median home value is $1,000.

Redby to Duluth is just over a 3-hour drive if you'd like to go check out the town for yourself. Just for fun, let's see what the top ten worst small towns in Minnesota are:

  1. Redby
  2. Red Lake
  3. Appleton
  4. Keewatin
  5. Mahnomen
  6. Crosby
  7. Aurora
  8. Sandstone
  9. Hilltop
  10. Hinckley

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