Southern Minnesota’s Best Elementary Schools for 2025

Niche, known for helping parents find schools their fit their families and kids, is out with it's annual rankings of elementary schools in America. Here are the tops in southern Minnesota.

While a school can have great general practices, programs, and facilities -- the bottom line is that you can't beat a great teacher. The best school can't make up for a bad teacher, and a great teacher is far more important than a great school. Here's to all the great teachers!

I would bet that no matter your age, you can still name all of your elementary school teachers. Mrs. O'Connor, Mrs. Banbury, Mrs. Skar, Mrs. Dunlap, Mrs. Larson, Mr. Kopelman, and on and on.

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Top-25 Elementary Schools in Southern Minnesota for 2025

1. Springfield Elementary School - Springfield, Minnesota
   • Overall Niche grade: A, Grades K-6, 302 students
2. Franklin Elementary School - Mankato, Minnesota
   • Overall Niche grade: A, Grades K-5, 414 students
3. Bridges Community Elementary School - Mankato, Minnesota
   • Overall Niche grade: A, Grades K-5, 233 students
4. Bridgewater Elementary School School - Northfield, Minnesota
   • Overall Niche grade: A, Grades K-5, 527 students
5. Jefferson Elementary School - Mankato, Minnesota
   • Overall Niche grade: A, Grades K-5, 204 students
6. Folwell Elementary School - Rochester, Minnesota
   • Overall Niche grade: A, Grades K-5, 315 students
7. Byron Intermediate School School - Byron, Minnesota
   • Overall Niche grade: A, Grades 3-5, 553 students
8. Ridgeway Community School - Houston, Minnesota
   • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 91 students
9. Prairie Creek Community School - Northfield, Minnesota
   • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 177 students
10. Jefferson Elementary School - Rochester, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 525 students
11. Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School - Beaver Creek, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 145 students
12. Luverne Elementary School - Luverne, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 524 students
13. Spring Grove Elementary School - Spring Grove, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-6, 195 students
14. Spring Creek Elementary School - Northfield, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 462 students
15. Eagle Lake Elementary School - Mankato, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 301 students
16. Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial Elementary School - Lake Crystal, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 439 students
17. West Elementary School - Slayton, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-6, 386 students
18. Kasson-Mantorville Elementary School - Kasson, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-4, 794 students
19. Longfellow Choice Elementary School - Rochester, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 340 students
20. Caledonia Elementary School - Caledonia, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 288 students
21. Roosevelt Elementary School - Mankato, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 333 students
22. Greenvale Park Elementary School - Northfield, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 596 students
23. Bonner Elementary School - Stewartville, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-2, 438 students
24. Montessori at Franklin - Rochester, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-5, 181 student
25. Plainview-Elgin-Millville Elementary School - Plainview, Minnesota
    • Overall Niche grade: A-, Grades K-3, 437 student

I don't think I ever received a reports card in elementary school that didn't have a note attached that said 'Peter talks too much,' and now I'm getting paid for it. Take that Mrs. Larson. :)