Two Small Minnesota Cities Are Top 10 For Starting a Business

Minnesota is known for its lakes and outdoor life, but now it's known as a top state for starting a business.

According to a new ranking from the website Chamber of Commerce, Minnesota has two small cities in the top 10 cities for starting a business.

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Rochester, with a metro population of 227,000, takes the number 5 spot. The website states that Rochester is known as a place with, "big city amenities and a small town feel." It helps that Rochester is the home of the world-famous Mayo Clinic which drives economic activity.

Coming in at number 8 is St. Cloud with a metro population of 200,000. The city is home to St. Cloud State University and has a strong healthcare sector. In 2019, St. Cloud was named one of the country's "most liveable cities."

Mankato barely missed the top 10, coming in at lucky number 13.

The complete top 10 looks like this:

1. Appleton, WI
2. Fargo, ND
3. Midland, TX
4. Bismarck, ND
5. Rochester, MN
6. Burlington, VT
7. Iowa City, IA
8. St. Cloud, MN
9. Charlottesville, VA
10. Bend-Redmond, OR