Olmsted County Now One of Minnesota’s Best Places to Live for 2026

Alright, be honest, where do you think Olmsted County ranks when it comes to the best places to live in Minnesota? Top 10? Top 5?

A new 2026 ranking is out, and the results are definitely worth a look, e

A new 2026 ranking is out, and the results are definitely worth a look, especially for Southeast Minnesota, with Olmsted County leading the pack in our neck of the woods.

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The rankings come from Niche, which looked at things like public schools, cost of living, job opportunities, and local amenities using data from sources like the U.S. Census and CDC.

Let's take a peek at the other counties in Southeast Minnesota to see where they land before we talk about just how high on the list Olmsted fell:

#16. Winona County - home to Winona, St. Charles, Lewiston, and more.

#22. Wabasha County - where you'll find towns like Mazeppa, Lake City, Zumbro Falls, and more.

#24. Dodge County - home to Kasson, Mantorville, Dodge Center, etc.

#26. Goodhue County - home to Red Wing, Zumbrota, Cannon Falls, Goodhue, etc

Coming in at 31st best in Minnesota - Fillmore County home to Preston, Fountain, Spring Valley, and Lanesboro, just to name a few.

#33. Mower County - Austin, Grand Meadow, Lyle, and more.

Not a bad showing for Southeastern Minnesota, am I right? So, where did Olmsted County come in?

Olmsted County Now One of Minnesota’s Best Places to Live for 2026:

Olmsted County was named the second best in the entire state. Earning high marks thanks to a strong mix of homeownership, highly rated public schools, and plenty of local amenities.

If we came in second, who claimed the top spot??

The only county that ranked higher was Hennepin County, home to Minneapolis, Bloomington, Maple Grove, and more.

Still, landing at #2 out of all 87 counties in Minnesota is pretty impressive! I'll take it.

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