Chanhassen and two other Twin Cities suburbs made Money Magazine's latest list of the best small towns to live in.

Minnesota wound up with one community in the top five among the 50 most highly rated nationally when Chanhassen jumped from 10th place in 2011 to fourth this year.

Apple Valley wound up at 17 and Savage at 21, a big jump in the case of the latter from 51st in 2011.

In fact, this year the magazine chopped its list in half, from 100 to 50, so if Savage hadn't moved up, it wouldn't have been honored at all.

The list covers places with 10,000 to 50,000 population and takes account of such ­factors as local incomes, crime rates and schools, as well as such amenities as Savage's new sports dome and its "quaint, walkable downtown."

Of Chanhassen, it said:

"The area school district recently provided $700,000 in grants for classroom tech projects and is now rolling out Wi-Fi on all school buses."

In its entry on Apple Valley, the magazine mentioned the new Cedar Avenue bus rapid transit service that started this year, as well as the Minnesota Zoo.

Topping the list was Sharon, Mass.

DAVID PETERSON