diff --git a/server/services/datacommons.py b/server/services/datacommons.py
index 5893399046..b01209660f 100644
--- a/server/services/datacommons.py
+++ b/server/services/datacommons.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import collections
 import json
 import logging
+import math
 from typing import Dict, List
 
 from flask import current_app
@@ -459,18 +460,25 @@ def _get_all_values(resp, dcid, prop, key='dcid'):
 
 
 def _get_best_type(types_list):
-  """Selects the best type from a list of types based on PLACE_TYPE_RANK."""
+  """Selects the most specific place type from a list of types.
+
+  Prioritizes types with a lower non-zero rank in PLACE_TYPE_RANK (e.g. City
+  over State over Place), prioritizes standard names over 'AdministrativeArea'
+  names, and puts unrecognized types last.
+  """
   if not types_list:
     return ''
 
-  # Sort types by rank (highest rank first)
+  # Prefer known types over unknown types.
+  # Within known types, prefer smaller rank (more specific, e.g. City (30) < State (80) < Place (150))
   # If ranks are tied, prefer types that don't start with 'AdministrativeArea'
   def sort_key(t):
-    rank = PLACE_TYPE_RANK.get(t, 0)
+    raw_rank = PLACE_TYPE_RANK.get(t, 0)
+    rank = raw_rank if raw_rank > 0 else math.inf
     is_admin = 1 if t.startswith('AdministrativeArea') else 0
-    return (rank, -is_admin)
+    return (rank, is_admin)
 
-  return sorted(types_list, key=sort_key, reverse=True)[0]
+  return min(types_list, key=sort_key)
 
 
 def get_place_info(dcids: List[str]) -> Dict:
diff --git a/server/tests/migration_verification_test.py b/server/tests/migration_verification_test.py
index c67c37d3f3..6d83065f74 100644
--- a/server/tests/migration_verification_test.py
+++ b/server/tests/migration_verification_test.py
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ def side_effect(url, data, api_key=None, log_extreme_calls=False):
                           "typeOf": {
                               "nodes": [{
                                   "dcid": "Country"
+                              }, {
+                                  "dcid": "Place"
+                              }, {
+                                  "dcid": "SomeCustomType"
                               }]
                           }
                       }
@@ -55,6 +59,10 @@ def side_effect(url, data, api_key=None, log_extreme_calls=False):
                           "typeOf": {
                               "nodes": [{
                                   "dcid": "State"
+                              }, {
+                                  "dcid": "Place"
+                              }, {
+                                  "dcid": "SomeOtherCustomType"
                               }]
                           }
                       }