Best place to raise kids in Minnesota: Cokato
Nearby city: Minneapolis
Population: 2,810
Median family income: $66,473
Runner-up: Dassel
With a country club, library, and award-winning schools, Cokato stands a step above most small towns. More than an hour from Minneapolis, Cokato shares many amenities with nearby (and runner-up) Dassel, including schools and a performing arts center. Cokato also boasts a museum and photography studio built in 1905 that is on the National Register of Historic Places.