The Public Wealth Institute is currently secret shopping public assets and services for best of the region nominations. The nomination process will run through June 30, 2026.
Each community is unique, with rivers, lakes, parks, trails, and downtown public spaces shaped by local history and culture. These assets are not interchangeable; they reflect the place itself and the values of the people who steward them. When communities recognize, invest in, and connect these distinctive assets, they build public wealth that strengthens quality of life, supports economic vitality, and ensures long-term resilience rooted in what makes each place singular and irreplaceable.
Midwest - Twin Cities Western Suburbs
Nominations in Process (listed alphabetically as of 2/22/26)
Category | City Population 10K-50K | City Population 2K-10K | Description | Notes |
Public Assets | ||||
Connected Community | Buffalo, MN Waconia, MN | Delano, MN Excelsior, MN Wayzata, MN | Connected public assets - downtown, trails, featured park, library | |
Downtown | Delano, MN Wayzata, MN | Central, walkable, overall feel | ||
Public Library | Wayzata, MN | Library facility and features | ||
Public Park - Multi-Purpose | Buffalo, MN Waconia, MN | Excelsior - Excelsior Commons | Multi-purpose park within walking/biking distance of downtown | |
Tech Center | ||||
Trail System | Buffalo, MN | Delano, MN | ||
Public Beach | Buffalo, MN Waconia,, MN | Excelsior - Excelsior Commons | ||
Community Center / Senior Center | ||||
Fitness / Rec Center / Sports Training | ||||
Arts and Performance Center | ||||
Coworking Space / Business Support Services | Delano - The Forum | |||
Other Community | Chaska - Curling & Event Center Delano - The Edge (indoor soccer training) | |||
Spotlights | ||||
Public Services | ||||
Technology | ||||
Community Education, Training & Personal Enrichment |
Communities
Name | Population | Population Range | Community Motto | Natural Asset Resource | Comprehensive Plan | Public Wealth Opportunities | Notes |
Eden Prairie | 64,600 | Live, Work, Dream. | Eden Prairie Center / City Center area | ||||
Minnetonka | 54,850 | No designated downtown | |||||
Chaska | 29,739 | A Quality Small Town | River town | Community Center built in 1991, 120,000 sq. ft. | |||
Chanhassen | 25,807 | A Community for Life | Downtown Chanhassen / City Civic Center area Chan Rec Center builit in 1995- plans for new Bluffs Community Center $80M, 300,000 sq ft | ||||
Buffalo | 16,611 | Buffalo Lake | HB, Inc, Michael Lamb Consulting Bolten & Menk Northwest Associated Consultations https://www.ci.buffalo.mn.us/584/Plans | ||||
Waconia | 13,223 | Lake Waconia | |||||
Victoria | 12,570 | City of Lakes and Parks | Hoisington Koegler Group Inc. Focus Engineering, Inc. SRF https://www.victoriamn.gov/development/development_services/comprehensive_plan.php | Limited and small downtown | |||
Minnetrista | 9,100 | No central downtown | |||||
Orono | 8,315 | The Lakeshore City | No central downtown historic district | ||||
Medina | 7,388 | No centrol downtown | |||||
Carver | 6,772 | River town | |||||
Delano | 6,500 | Railroad town; Crow River | |||||
Rockford | 4,500 | River and railroad town; Crow River | |||||
Wayzata* | 4,434 | The Gateway to Lake Minnetonka | Lake Minnetonka | City of Wayzata SRF Consulting Van Meter Williams Pollack (VMWP) | |||
Norwood Young America | 4,092 | Railroad town | |||||
Independence | 3,755 | No central downtown | |||||
Mayer | 2,581 | A Rising Community | Railroad town | Municipal Development Group, Inc Bolten & Menk https://www.cityofmayer.com/?SEC=B7FF0323-3953-4A12-A164-B02A843A8B60 | |||
Excelsior* | 2,400 | ||||||
Long Lake | 1,700 | Serves as small downtown for Orono |
Population based on 2020 Census information available in the commons and online sources.
Note: Content summarized with assistance from ChatGPT. ChatGPT can make mistakes-- check important information.