The Complete List of Iowa – Minnesota Bordering Towns
There are no towns that meet a strict definition of “Iowa – Minnesota Bordering Towns.”
Define the rule strictly (towns with municipal boundaries that sit directly on or are bisected by the Iowa–Minnesota state line). Under that rule, no incorporated place qualifies. Towns and cities in this region sit entirely in one state or the other. Municipal boundaries, state law, and historic survey lines keep incorporated places inside single-state jurisdictions.
Understand why this happens. Much of the Iowa–Minnesota line is a surveyed straight line or a river edge that separates whole townships and counties. States incorporate towns inside their own boundaries. The result is many towns very near the border, but none whose legal municipal limits cross the line. Near matches include towns that sit a short distance from the line, river-paired towns that face each other across water, and unincorporated settlements whose local use areas may blur the edge. Use Census, GNIS, and state DOT maps to find these near-border places.
Consider alternatives that do exist and will be useful. Look for Iowa towns within a set mile-radius of the Minnesota line, Minnesota towns just north of the border, river-crossing towns and official state highway crossings, and county-seat lists for border counties. Check maps and DOT crossing lists to pair nearby towns on opposite sides of the line instead of looking for municipalities that formally straddle it.
