Yesterday we gave you the best places to raise a family, but what if you’ve been there, done that? If you’re looking to retire, whether you’re an adventurer, a bookworm, a foodie, or a little bit of everything, there’s a perfect retirement town in Minnesota for you. Niche did the research and ranked towns based on number of retirees and percent that are new, weather (which is all pretty low ranking in Minnesota as we know), safety, monthly housing costs, and access to healthcare and entertainment. Northfield took #1 in the country according to Money Magazine, so it’s time to give everyone else a try based on these different parameters, and here are the new winners:

  1. Crookston

Facebook/Crookston Chamber and Visitor’s Bureau Crookston scores the last spot on our list with a monthly housing cost of $667, a low crime rate, and decent access to recreation, libraries, doctors, and restaurants.

  1. New Ulm

Facebook/City of New Ulm/New Ulm Public Utilities With amazing restaurants and recreation, New Ulm is a great first stop for retirement, but the access to doctors and grocery stores is slightly lower than other areas.

  1. Thief River Falls

City of Thief River Falls With 17.8% of current residents retired and a monthly housing cost of $587, Thief River Falls is one of the most affordable places to retire, and the safest.

  1. Fairmont

City of Fairmont Fairmont gets top ratings for safety, access to golf, doctors, recreation, and restaurants.

  1. Brainerd

Visit Brainerd

We all love Brainerd for the recreation, and it’s no different with its retiree population (15.6% of current residents). There is slightly less access to doctors and other amenities however, keeping Brainerd at 13th on the list.

  1. Grand Rapids

Facebook/Grand Rapids, Minnesota Fan Page Grand Rapids has a monthly housing cost of $714, and great ratings in safety and healthcare.

  1. Litchfield

City of Litchfield Litchfield is attracting more and more retirees each day with its amazing recreation and top ratings for safety.

  1. Bemidji

Wikimedia/Doc Searls Bemidji has phenomenal recreation, including some great golf, and a low monthly housing cost of $700, but slightly lower access to grocery stores, doctors, and libraries.

  1. Albert Lea

Albert Lea Convention & Visitors Bureau

Albert Lea is very safe with low crime rates and good healthcare. There are also some great restaurants and a low cost of living ($612 per month on average).

  1. Redwood Falls

City of Redwood Falls Redwood Falls has great recreation, but it doesn’t include much golf! It does have a very established retiree community with low housing costs.

  1. Alexandria

City of Alexandria Alexandria has good access to recreation like golf, and doctors, but less access to libraries, grocery stores, and slightly higher crime rates.

  1. Little Falls

City of Little Falls With 22.6% of residents already retired and a monthly housing cost of only $657, Little Falls is the perfect place to settle down, unless you’re a big golfer.

  1. Virginia

Wikimedia/Bjoertvedt Virginia is the place to be if you’re all about living a long and healthy lifestyle with a lot of outdoor activity because of high access to restaurants, grocery stores, golf, fitness facilities, and doctors. But if you’re a bookworm it might not be the best choice, with lower ranked access to libraries.

  1. Fergus Falls

Fergus Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau Fergus Falls has a low crime rate and an established retiree population, a low cost of living, and good access to recreation and restaurants.

  1. Cambridge

Facebook/Cambridge City Hall, Minnesota Cambridge is safe and has great access to restaurants and recreation, but slightly lower access to doctors and grocery stores.

  1. Detroit Lakes

Facebook/Visit Detroit Lakes MN With good access to all the necessities and 22.9% of residents currently retired, Detroit Lakes takes 2nd in the state.

  1. Lake City

City of Lake City Lake City takes top spot in this years list because of its high population of retirees (24.4% of the current residents), low monthly housing cost, low crime rate, good access to doctors. great access to golf, grocery stores, libraries, recreation and fitness, and restaurants.

If you made it through the list, tell us which one of the aspects evaluated is most important to you for retirement in the comments!

Facebook/Crookston Chamber and Visitor’s Bureau

Crookston scores the last spot on our list with a monthly housing cost of $667, a low crime rate, and decent access to recreation, libraries, doctors, and restaurants.

Facebook/City of New Ulm/New Ulm Public Utilities

With amazing restaurants and recreation, New Ulm is a great first stop for retirement, but the access to doctors and grocery stores is slightly lower than other areas.

City of Thief River Falls

With 17.8% of current residents retired and a monthly housing cost of $587, Thief River Falls is one of the most affordable places to retire, and the safest.

City of Fairmont

Fairmont gets top ratings for safety, access to golf, doctors, recreation, and restaurants.

Visit Brainerd

We all love Brainerd for the recreation, and it’s no different with its retiree population (15.6% of current residents). There is slightly less access to doctors and other amenities however, keeping Brainerd at 13th on the list.

Facebook/Grand Rapids, Minnesota Fan Page

Grand Rapids has a monthly housing cost of $714, and great ratings in safety and healthcare.

City of Litchfield

Litchfield is attracting more and more retirees each day with its amazing recreation and top ratings for safety.

Wikimedia/Doc Searls

Bemidji has phenomenal recreation, including some great golf, and a low monthly housing cost of $700, but slightly lower access to grocery stores, doctors, and libraries.

Albert Lea Convention & Visitors Bureau

Albert Lea is very safe with low crime rates and good healthcare. There are also some great restaurants and a low cost of living ($612 per month on average).

City of Redwood Falls

Redwood Falls has great recreation, but it doesn’t include much golf! It does have a very established retiree community with low housing costs.

City of Alexandria

Alexandria has good access to recreation like golf, and doctors, but less access to libraries, grocery stores, and slightly higher crime rates.

City of Little Falls

With 22.6% of residents already retired and a monthly housing cost of only $657, Little Falls is the perfect place to settle down, unless you’re a big golfer.

Wikimedia/Bjoertvedt

Virginia is the place to be if you’re all about living a long and healthy lifestyle with a lot of outdoor activity because of high access to restaurants, grocery stores, golf, fitness facilities, and doctors. But if you’re a bookworm it might not be the best choice, with lower ranked access to libraries.

Fergus Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau

Fergus Falls has a low crime rate and an established retiree population, a low cost of living, and good access to recreation and restaurants.

Facebook/Cambridge City Hall, Minnesota

Cambridge is safe and has great access to restaurants and recreation, but slightly lower access to doctors and grocery stores.

Facebook/Visit Detroit Lakes MN

With good access to all the necessities and 22.9% of residents currently retired, Detroit Lakes takes 2nd in the state.

City of Lake City

Lake City takes top spot in this years list because of its high population of retirees (24.4% of the current residents), low monthly housing cost, low crime rate, good access to doctors. great access to golf, grocery stores, libraries, recreation and fitness, and restaurants.

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