Olivia, MN

Set along Highway 212 in southwestern Minnesota, Olivia is a quiet agricultural town of about 2,300 residents. You will spot its claim to fame right away, thanks to a 50-foot corn cob sculpture rising high over town. Known as the Corn Capital of the World, Olivia is a major center for crop science and seed research, offering a surprisingly solid local job base alongside a relaxed pace of life and affordable homes.

ATTRMcGhiever / CC BY-SA 3.0

The community also has some entertaining history. Back in the 1890s, Olivia fought a fierce rivalry with neighboring Beaver Falls to become the county seat. The feud peaked when four locals tried to haul the official county records away in a wagon in the middle of the night. They were caught and briefly jailed, but Olivia permanently won the courthouse in 1901. That stubborn local pride still lives on in events like Corn Capital Days and the welcoming, neighborly feel throughout town.