Finest Locations to Stay in Minnesota

The state of Minnesota will get its identify from the Dakota phrases for “clear water”—a becoming description, because the state is famously referred to as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” And surrounding these lakes are miles and miles of lovely inexperienced forests. However don’t fear . . . there’s loads of metropolis life for these looking for the comforts of the fashionable world.

In the event you’re interested by relocating to the North Star State, or possibly even imagining your self establishing on the shoreline of a type of 10,000 lakes, we’ll “betcha” that you simply’ll discover some good place to name house on our record of the perfect locations to stay in Minnesota.

10,000 Lakes and A lot Extra

It’s true that Minnesota affords its residents a reasonably good life—and it begins with the individuals. Sure, “Minnesota good” is an actual factor. Minnesotans are recognized for his or her friendliness and willingness to assist full strangers. You’ll see plenty of smiling faces once you go grocery purchasing, and you’ll anticipate good conversations together with your neighbors on the common. You’ll additionally discover loads of church buildings on Minnesota road corners, including to the close-knit group really feel. Minnesotans are so social that there’s additionally such a factor as an extended Minnesota goodbye!

All that friendliness and group turns out to be useful year-round. See, Minnesota offers with each humid summers and bitter winters. The summer season brings an invasion of mosquitos and flies that’s usually surprising to newcomers. And temps in the course of the winter fall nicely under freezing, bringing icy circumstances (and the additional north you go, the colder it will get). However Minnesota residents bear all of it collectively—sharing their bug spray and rescuing their neighbors when their vehicles get caught within the snow.

All that snow can result in one other headache. There’s an previous saying that Minnesota actually has solely two seasons: winter and street development. For the reason that winters are so chilly, all of the street upkeep is completed in the course of the hotter months. And that may result in visitors snarls—particularly within the cities. So be sure to have a automobile that may face up to the chilly temps in addition to the clunkety-clunk of roadwork.

The excellent news is that Minnesota’s community of roads and freeways are nicely laid out, with crews ready for all of the dangerous climate. They even identify their snowplows (who wouldn’t love a plow named Taylor Drift?).

However Minnesotans will let you know that each one the attractive pure surroundings and contemporary air make every part value it. With 10,000 lakes, a number of massive rivers (together with the headwaters of the Mississippi), and the shore of Lake Superior, water is a lifestyle in Minnesota—boating, fishing, kayaking and the like. The forests surrounding all these waterways are filled with trails for mountaineering, mountain biking, tenting and extra. And the out of doors enjoyable doesn’t cease within the winter. Ice skating, ice fishing, sledding and cross-country snowboarding are simply a few of the methods Minnesotans cross the time in colder months.

Minnesota has extra than simply her seems going for her. New residents are additionally interested in the booming job market. Many cities have unemployment charges at round 2%. And several other massive, progressive firms name the state house, together with Goal, Finest Purchase, United Well being and 3M. After all, your paycheck must take care of the state revenue tax, which is among the many highest within the nation (must pay for all these snowplows by some means).¹ However there’s no gross sales tax on garments, in order that’ll turn out to be useful once you’re purchasing to your winter layers.

The Finest Locations to Stay in Minnesota

One thing to recollect: All “finest locations” lists are subjective, together with this one. Whereas we did use some information factors, a “finest place to stay” stays purely opinion and can in the end rely in your private likes and dislikes. For instance, some individuals love the vitality of town, whereas others favor a quiet place within the nation.

And so as to add a bit of extra authenticity to our record, we requested a number of tremendous good Minnesotans what they thought too!

Alexandria

Trying on the 28-foot-tall Viking statue within the heart of city, it’s apparent that the residents of Alexandria love their native historical past and heritage. And Large Ole (that’s the statue’s identify) has town’s motto on his defend: “The Birthplace of America.” See, the story goes {that a} native farmer found a Scandinavian runestone that supposedly dates to the 1300s—nicely earlier than Christopher Columbus got here to the New World.

The thriller of the runestone continues to be debated in the neighborhood to today (in a “Minnesota good” manner, after all). And Alexandria (or “Alec” to the locals) has plenty of locations to benefit from the dialogue like fantastic eating places, breweries, wineries and extra. Along with all the standard Minnesota out of doors enjoyable, you’ll discover year-round actions all through the Alexandria Lakes Space, such because the Large Splash Indoor Water Park, stay theater, museums (one in every of which shows the well-known runestone), festivals, and a downtown filled with distinctive outlets. The job market could be very robust, with manufacturing, well being care, and hospitality among the many hottest industries.²

^{*Metro space inhabitants numbers embody the citytogether with the encircling city and suburban areas.
**Median month-to-month hire quantity is predicated on a complete of all condo varieties.
***Unemployment charge is for all of Douglas County.}

Duluth

Parked on the southwest shore of Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, Duluth is the state’s fifth-largest metropolis and a significant worldwide port city.⁹ The town runs parallel with the shore and affords stunning views of the water irrespective of the place you reside. Throughout the summers, the nice lake’s offshore winds give much-needed reduction to the warmth and humidity, which is why Duluth is typically known as “The Air-Conditioned Metropolis.” However those self same cooling winds additionally make the winters extraordinarily harsh, with windchills down nicely under freezing.

Except for the freight, delivery, and different marine-based industries related to Lake Superior, Duluth additionally has thriving well being care, manufacturing and aviation sectors. The guts of the group is Canal Park on the lake shore, which has a warehouse-turned-retail district with stylish outlets and eating places, in addition to the attractive Lakewalk and the Nice Lakes Aquarium. Lake Superior itself has loads of water-based recreation, together with browsing in the summertime because of these winds!

^{*Metro space inhabitants numbers embody the citytogether with the encircling city and suburban areas.
**Median month-to-month hire quantity is predicated on a complete of all condo varieties.}

Owatonna

It’s a river, not a lake, that cuts straight by way of the guts of Owatonna (and it’s known as the “Straight River,” by the best way). There’s a legend that town was named for a Native American princess who was healed by the waters of the Maple Creek pure springs. However the identify really comes from the Dakota phrase for “straight” (which is the place the river will get its identify). So now you realize the straight story.

Title video games apart, Owatonna (pronounced “oh-wah-taun-ah”) has tons extra historical past to discover, just like the Nationwide Farmers’ Financial institution Constructing—the primary “jewel field” designed by Louis Sullivan, the daddy of the skyscraper. Different sights embody the Village of Yesteryear, Minnesota State Public Faculty Orphanage Museum, and the Reptile and Amphibian Discovery Zoo. Owatonna can also be house to the Steele County Free Truthful, the most important county truthful within the state. The town’s industrial base contains manufacturing and insurance coverage, in addition to headquarters for well-known firms like Jostens, Cybex and Wenger.¹⁶

^{*For every metropolis, the metro space inhabitants numbers embody the citytogether with the encircling city and suburban areas.
**“Median Month-to-month Hire” quantity is predicated on a complete of all condo varieties.}

Rochester

The general vibe of Rochester is wellness, each in physique and spirit. The town, which is the third largest in Minnesota, is the house of the Mayo Clinic—the world-famous medical analysis hospital the place individuals come from throughout for hope and therapeutic. The Mayo Clinic can also be one of many prime employers in Rochester, together with know-how and manufacturing companies.²³

Nice meals to feed the physique will be present in Rochester’s many fantastic eating places and breweries, in addition to a year-round farmer’s market. For the spirit, Rochester has a wholesome assortment of arts and cultural spots like galleries, artwork studios, gardens, stay theater and festivals. The pure great thing about the mild bluffs, parks, lakes and rivers additionally contribute to town’s constructive vitality.

Couple all this good things with the niceness of Minnesotans and it’s no marvel that Rochester is constantly named one of many prime locations to stay in not simply Minnesota, however the entire nation.

^{*For every metropolis, the metro space inhabitants numbers embody the citytogether with the encircling city and suburban areas.
**“Median Month-to-month Hire” refers to two-bedroom flats.}

Twin Cities

The true heart of cultural and financial exercise in Minnesota is the Twin Cities area, anchored by the (spoiler alert) two cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Fifteen Fortune 500 firms name the world house, together with Goal and Finest Purchase, along with companies within the manufacturing and well being care sectors.³⁰ There’s a pleasant rivalry between the 2 cities, with St. Paul being the older, extra skilled sibling (it’s additionally the state capital) in comparison with Minneapolis—the fashionable, energetic child sister—with its fashionable tradition and plenty extra glass-walled skyscrapers.

In the event you’re a real metropolis dweller, that is the place to be within the North Star State. Not solely does the world boast an amazing public transportation system and proximity to a significant airport, however there’s additionally a thriving arts and music scene. The Mall of America, the largest mall within the U.S., comprises an indoor amusement park and the busiest transit hub within the state. The North Loop (also called the Warehouse District) has stylish outlets, meals halls, and eating places to draw the youthful set—particularly college students from the close by College of Minnesota campus. The First Avenue Nightclub is without doubt one of the nation’s premiere music venues, and Hennepin Avenue affords many stay theater reveals. And you’ll root for sports activities groups from all the foremost professional leagues: the Twins (MLB), Vikings (NFL), Wild (NHL) and Timberwolves (NBA).

^{*For every metropolis, the metro space inhabitants numbers embody the citytogether with the encircling city and suburban areas.
**“Median Month-to-month Hire” refers to two-bedroom flats.}

Finest Suburbs of the Twin Cities

Minneapolis and St. Paul are surrounded by suburbs that ring the Twin Cities like planets orbiting twin suns. Hundreds of thousands of individuals stay in these suburbs and commute into town, placing the steadiness between being shut sufficient to make the most of big-city conveniences, however far sufficient away to keep away from a few of the extra disagreeable realities of metropolis life (like crime and homelessness). And being within the suburbs means Minnesota’s stunning lakes and forests are that a lot nearer.

Listed here are some nice suburbs within the Twin Cities metro space.

Chanhassen

About 20 miles southwest of Minneapolis is Chanhassen, which will get its identify from the Dakota phrase for the sugar maple tree. And it is a fairly candy place to stay—an amazing mixture of suburban tracts and multiacre rural property surrounded by 12 lakes, 30 parks, and 90 miles of mountaineering and biking trails. The job market is extra white-collar with the most important industries being skilled companies like insurance coverage, banking, and well being care.³⁸ And with top-rated colleges and near-100% commencement charges, Chanhassen can also be an amazing place to boost youngsters.

There’s plenty of distinctive issues to do to maintain you occupied in Chanhassen. The lake life actions are a given, after all. Chanhassen is most well-known for the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, which options high-caliber productions of Broadway hits, stand-up comedy and extra. Paisley Park, the house and recording studio of music legend and longtime Twin Cities resident Prince, is within the metropolis and affords guided excursions. And the Minnesota Panorama Arboretum—birthplace of the Honeycrisp apple—is a wonderful spot in full bloom in the course of the summer season.

^{*“Median Month-to-month Hire” quantity is predicated on a complete of all condo varieties.
**Unemployment charge is for all of Carver County.}

Lakeville

Instantly south of Minneapolis within the outer rim of the Twin Cities metro is town of Lakeville. Not like lots of the Twin Cities suburbs, Lakeville could be very unfold out with pockets of neighborhoods in between its many parks, inexperienced areas, and the 2 foremost lakes: Lake Marion and Orchard Lake. Though town dates to the mid-1800s and was integrated within the Sixties, many of the properties in Lakeville have been constructed within the final 20 years—giving the group a extra fashionable really feel. And town is constant to develop, with new development of properties and colleges to satisfy demand.

The expansion of Lakeville is because of its industry-centered outlook. Dwelling to one of many state’s largest industrial parks, the city attracts employers in fields like manufacturing, retail, training, meals service and well being care.⁴³ However Lakeville isn’t all work—there’s loads of play too. There are stunning parks, golf programs, and artwork festivals all year long. However the greatest occasion within the metropolis is the Panorama of Progress (or Pan-O-Prog) that mixes the Fourth of July with a celebration of town’s ongoing growth with a big road truthful, fireworks and enjoyable.

^{*“Median Month-to-month Hire” quantity is predicated on a complete of all condo varieties.}

Shakopee

The town of Shakopee is a traditional instance of an older metropolis with a youthful soul. Based in 1857 and named for a Dakota Native American chief, Shakopee nonetheless retains its roots as a farming group with bigger residential tons and a smaller downtown. However the metropolis has additionally embraced the long run, courtesy of an Amazon success heart that opened there in 2016. Shakopee has been rising ever since, including fashionable facilities and job alternatives in a number of sectors, together with manufacturing, well being care {and professional} companies.⁴⁸

Shakopee has plenty of distinctive issues to do inside its metropolis limits (and continues to be comparatively near the Twin Cities). The highest draw to town is Valleyfair, an amusement park the place you’ll find some wild curler coasters and meet Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the remainder of the Peanuts characters. Canterbury Park is a well-known racetrack recognized for not simply horseracing however corgi and llama races as nicely (who doesn’t like an excellent corgi race?). And you’ll “huzzah” and feast your manner by way of the annual Minnesota Renaissance Competition.

^{*“Median Month-to-month Hire” refers to two-bedroom flats.}

Different Nice Suburbs of the Twin Cities

Listed here are a number of different examples of some nice suburbs situated within the Twin Cities metro space:

Burnsville
Eagan
Eden Prairie
Edina
Lauderdale
Maple Grove
Minnetonka
Stillwater
Woodbury

Finest Locations to Stay in Minnesota for Households

Minnesota is constantly rated as among the finest states to boost a household. Most of the faculty districts are extremely rated, with highschool commencement charges nearing 100%. Listed here are a number of extremely beneficial cities households can name house.

Alexandria
Chanhassen
Detroit Lakes
Lakeville
Mahtomedi
Shoreview
St. Michael
Victoria

Finest Locations to Stay in Minnesota for Younger Professionals

Younger, single, employed, and in search of a spot with an arts and tradition scene to fill your weekend? There are many nice locations in Minnesota that supply nice nightlife and/or actions geared to youthful people.                

Columbia Heights
Dellwood
Minneapolis
Richfield
St. Paul
Waconia
White Bear Lake

Finest Locations to Stay in Minnesota for Retirees

The North Star State can also be an amazing place for retirees who need a slower tempo of life however nonetheless wish to be shut sufficient to town to profit from facilities like fashionable drugs. Minnesota is understood all through the nation and world wide for its high quality well being care {industry} and analysis hospitals—with the Mayo Clinic and College of Minnesota being probably the most notable.

Alexandria
Duluth
Eagan
Edina
Northfield
Plymouth
Rochester

Able to Transfer to Minnesota?

Itching to maneuver to Minnesota and get out on a type of 10,000 lakes? An actual property agent could make the transition as straightforward as, nicely, leaping in a lake. However you don’t need simply any actual property agent—you want one you’ll be able to belief. For a quick and straightforward method to discover native Minnesota brokers, look no additional than our community of RamseyTrusted brokers.

You betcha we solely suggest brokers who know the world and are fully devoted to serving to you discover the right “Minnesota good” neighborhood to name house.