Austin is one the best, affordable places to live in the U.S., according to an online ranking.

Realtor.com named Austin No. 5 on its list of “Top 10 Affordable Small Towns Where You’d Actually Want to Live.”

“A small town with an international presence, Austin is home to Fortune 500 company Hormel Foods, which owns Skippy, Spam and 30+ food brands. Mayo Clinic Austin, another leading employer, provides 900 job opportunities for medical professionals as well as excellent health care for Austin residents,” the website stated.

The ranking also stated that the renowned Hormel Institute and it’s cancer research adds to the international appeal.

The website stated Austin’s median home list prices is $108,000, while unemployment is at 2.9 percent.

Albert Lea, Austin’s neighbor to the west, ranked No. 3 on the list.

“Known as “the land between lakes” (six of them, actually), Albert Lea offers opportunities for boating, fishing, and canoeing. Top employers include the local medical center, area schools, and Albert Lea Select Foods (a pork processing plant). A median household earns about $47,715 every year,” the website read.

Oskaloosa, Iowa, was No. 1 on the list.

Despite the strong ranking on the Realtor.com report, Mower County was ranked in August among the most undesirable places to live, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A Washington Post story published on Monday ranked every county in the continental U.S. according to a set of USDA-created measurements to rank a place’s natural characteristics.

The worst so-called county to live in is Red Lake County in northwestern Minnesota. Mower ranks at 3,106 out of 3,111. Read that story at www.austindailyherald.com/?p=648297.

Realtor.com’s ‘Top 10 Affordable Small Towns Where You’d Actually Want to Live’

1. Oskaloosa, Iowa

2. Decatur, Indiana

3. Albert Lea, Minnesota

4. Newton, Iowa

5. Austin, Minnesota

6. Spencer, Iowa

7. Wahpeton, North Dakota/Minnesota

8. New Ulm, Minnesota

9. Lexington, Nebraska

10. Dumas, Texas

Read the full report at www.realtor.com/news/trends/top-10-affordable-small-towns-you-actually-want-to-live/