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How has Minneapolis-St. Paul compared to where you came from?
Came from Dallas/Ft. Worth. The only similarities are the 2 major cities side by side and the freeway layout, with I-35 splitting to go through the two cities and then coming together again on the other side. Everything else is an entirely different world.
Do you live within city limits or in a nearby suburb?
Lakeville, in the southern suburbs.
Are you happy with your housing? Please say whether you are an apartment dweller or homeowner.
Duplex renter in Lakeville. We were blessed to even find anything, because we moved here May 1st and nearly everything was being rented from June 1st out. It's a nice place, though, with 3 levels, fireplace, big driveway & garage, and beautiful green backyard we share with the neighbors. The only thing I'm not happy with is the price, but the landlords can pretty much call their own shots in the current market.
a. How would you describe the experience of getting around in the city for shopping and work, and accessibility of stores/services/businesses you need? Please share whether you have a car or use public transportation.
Car. Traffic here is a breeze, and I say that because I've previously lived in some of the worst traffic cities in America, such as Atlanta and Chicago. We have everything we need within 20 minutes of our home, such as hospitals, shopping, restaurants, parks, lakes, etc. Lakeville is wonderfully located in that regard. I work in Edina, and the commute is an absolute non factor.
b. If you do use public transportation, whether regularly or occasionally, how would you rate the system(s) there, and how does it compare to where you lived before?
Haven't used it here yet, but would like to at least occasionally. Loved using the T in Boston and CTA in Chicago.
Have you been happy with the move you made? Do you think you'll stay put long-term?
Very happy so far. We do plan on staying long term, and are hoping to buy a home next year.
How would you rate the arts and cultural offerings (museums, theaters, galleries, concerts, etc.) in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
Haven't had a chance to experience these yet, but looking forward to it.
Please share your opinion on the cost of living there. In your experience and from what you've observed, do you think salaries in the Twin Cities keep pace with the COL?
It's a tad more expensive coming from Texas, but cheaper than Chicago. The property taxes in Texas and especially Illinois are high, but Texas gives you good bang for your buck because of the high wages, no state income tax, cheap gas, etc. I've found the MN and TX wages to be similar, but the MN state income tax for my bracket (7%) hurts, and unfortunately my current employer is charging much more for my benefits than my previous one in Texas did, so we're having to adjust for that. Car insurance is much cheaper here in MN, though, and although home prices here are still a bit higher, we will benefit from the lower property taxes at some point.
What do you like best about the Twin Cities?
The scenic beauty, particularly in correlation with the park systems and abundance of natural lakes. There are almost no natural lakes in the southern U.S. They are an absolute treasure to us. It's wonderful to be able to swim in a lake without fear of snakes or alligators (yes, there are gators in the big Dallas area reservoirs). Also - NO FIRE ANTS! Woo hoo! We a love the cooler climate, too, as we do not tolerate prolonged and excessive heat well. We're true blue Midwesterners, and this is true blue Midwest.
What do you like least?
The agenda driven, leftist media, but that's the case in every big town now.... even Dallas.
Last edited by Tyryztoll; 05-29-2017 at 08:17 AM..
1. How has Minneapolis-St. Paul compared to where you came from? Came from Eastern Europe almost 2 years ago. Basically different world.
2. Do you live within city limits or in a nearby suburb? Northwest suburb.
3. Are you happy with your housing? Please say whether you are an apartment dweller or homeowner. Rent an apartment. I'd say it's good enough for the money.
4 a. How would you describe the experience of getting around in the city for shopping and work, and accessibility of stores/services/businesses you need? Please share whether you have a car or use public transportation. I drive a car. Commute is pretty easy almost everywhere. Except rush hours: 30 min commute could easily be 1 hour and even more (not to mention snow storms).
b. If you do use public transportation, whether regularly or occasionally, how would you rate the system(s) there, and how does it compare to where you lived before? Public transport here... I hardly can imagine who uses it. Because I came from the city which has a huge system and you could easily live without a car. But it's a different world, you remember.
5. Have you been happy with the move you made? Do you think you'll stay put long-term? I'm happy to move to USA, but Minnesota... I'm not so sure. There is always a feeling that you should move somewhere else.
6. How would you rate the arts and cultural offerings (museums, theaters, galleries, concerts, etc.) in Minneapolis-St. Paul? I've been to a couple of underground concerts, so I can't say for the whole package. I believe you can find pretty everything for your taste.
7. Please share your opinion on the cost of living there. In your experience and from what you've observed, do you think salaries in the Twin Cities keep pace with the COL? Since I came from a different world, cost of living here is higher. But I can afford it.
8. What do you like best about the Twin Cities? Summer and Fall
9. What do you like least? Winter and cold for the most part of the year. Location: everything interesting is too far away.
City Chick, loved your question and love reading responses, here goes:
How has Minneapolis-St. Paul compared to where you came from?
I previously lived in L.A., San Francisco, Alaska, southern New Jersey and Michigan.
The Twin Cities has surpassed all of these places for mostly the job opportunities that are available. I am really content that the economy is so strong here. Also I love the fact that there are so many high quality and accessible medical services available pretty much anywhere you live. The fact that the Mayo Clinic is a couple of hours away is comforting to know, my daughter had a successful surgery there and we that and my husband's family was here, and the fact that it's a great place to raise a family, and good schools were our main reasons for moving here initially. Twin Cities planners thought of pretty much everything for a high quality of life so that makes it pretty easy to live here, and you appreciate that. The Twin Cities is not the most glamours city but when you have a child those things matter and I would think if you don't have any children these reasons may be pretty darn important too!
Do you live within city limits or in a nearby suburb?
We moved here about 6 years ago and have lived in Eden Prairie, South Minneapolis, Mendota Heights, Eagan and now live in a small town that we really like that is near suburbs.
Are you happy with your housing? Please say whether you are an apartment dweller or homeowner.
We lived in an apartment previously, bought and then sold a house, and now we are renting a house which is our perfect solution.
a. How would you describe the experience of getting around in the city for shopping and work, and accessibility of stores/services/businesses you need? Please share whether you have a car or use public transportation. Since we live in a smaller town, it's super easy to get around and that was a big reason why we moved here. We previously lived in suburbs and the city and it just wasn't for us. The times we have taken the light rail was fine, we just don't want to take it on a regular basis. Transportation by car is pretty easy but I would high recommend if you decide to move here to FIND A PLACE TO LIVE CLOSE TO YOUR WORK. (it'll save you a lot of headaches in the wintertime and well worth the extra effort)
b. If you do use public transportation, whether regularly or occasionally, how would you rate the system(s) there, and how does it compare to where you lived before? (N/A)
Have you been happy with the move you made? Do you think you'll stay put long-term? After we were here for 6 years we are now FINALLY happy with were we live, primarily because of the smaller town that we live (but we were still close to the city and suburbs so we can easily get there) However, it took us 6 years to find that perfect place to live, and there were definitely times where we seriously considered moving out of Minnesota during that time.
How would you rate the arts and cultural offerings (museums, theaters, galleries, concerts, etc.) in Minneapolis-St. Paul? We don't have tons of time available but from what we have seen we are impressed. (but nothing will compare to NYC of course)
Please share your opinion on the cost of living there. In your experience and from what you've observed, do you think salaries in the Twin Cities keep pace with the COL?
I honestly think that people need to be brutally honest with where they pick to live. We were not initially and bought a house in the suburbs that we simply couldn't maintain mortgage payments on. Luckily, we were able to sell it quickly. But of course more affordable housing would be nice. But I wouldn't wait for the government to step in there. If you are diligent and most importantly very honest with yourself about your budget, you can do it. But it's really tempting once people start "house hunting" keeping up with the Joneses and then they end up with something they really can't afford and it goes downhill from there. For us, a small family with one child, renting a small house has been the perfect solution.
What do you like best about the Twin Cities? I kind of think of it as healthy eating and having a healthy lifestyle. It's not glamorous, but what it does provide is important. (i.e. I miss living in California for the great weather and food, but I am more thankful and appreciative that our family has jobs and health care)
What do you like least? Yep, you guessed it, long cold winters (you will definitely need cable tv living here!) and actually the summers are super humid and hot. As someone that loves to walk our dog, that is an issue. I am used to much better weather with the places I have lived, but for me personally it's a sacrifice that's worth it. And I could certainly be better about finding things to do in the wintertime rather than sitting at home complaining!
I hope that this is enough information. My favorite part of the Twin Cities is the fact that you can easily be in the country, the city, suburbs, or anything in between in pretty much no time, whatever you are in the mood for. ALSO- the Minneapolis parks system alone is an amazing reason to live here. Tons of beautiful, classic parks all over the city.
Last edited by Sunbrite; 06-15-2017 at 05:51 PM..
Reason: typo
City Chick, loved your question and love reading responses, here goes:
How has Minneapolis-St. Paul compared to where you came from?
I previously lived in L.A., San Francisco, Alaska, southern New Jersey and Michigan.
The Twin Cities has surpassed all of these places for mostly the job opportunities that are available. I am really content that the economy is so strong here. Also I love the fact that there are so many high quality and accessible medical services available pretty much anywhere you live. The fact that the Mayo Clinic is a couple of hours away is comforting to know, my daughter had a successful surgery there and we that and my husband's family was here, and the fact that it's a great place to raise a family, and good schools were our main reasons for moving here initially. Twin Cities planners thought of pretty much everything for a high quality of life so that makes it pretty easy to live here, and you appreciate that. The Twin Cities is not the most glamours city but when you have a child those things matter and I would think if you don't have any children these reasons may be pretty darn important too!
Do you live within city limits or in a nearby suburb?
We moved here about 6 years ago and have lived in Eden Prairie, South Minneapolis, Mendota Heights, Eagan and now live in a small town that we really like that is near suburbs.
Are you happy with your housing? Please say whether you are an apartment dweller or homeowner.
We lived in an apartment previously, bought and then sold a house, and now we are renting a house which is our perfect solution.
a. How would you describe the experience of getting around in the city for shopping and work, and accessibility of stores/services/businesses you need? Please share whether you have a car or use public transportation. Since we live in a smaller town, it's super easy to get around and that was a big reason why we moved here. We previously lived in suburbs and the city and it just wasn't for us. The times we have taken the light rail was fine, we just don't want to take it on a regular basis. Transportation by car is pretty easy but I would high recommend if you decide to move here to FIND A PLACE TO LIVE CLOSE TO YOUR WORK. (it'll save you a lot of headaches in the wintertime and well worth the extra effort)
b. If you do use public transportation, whether regularly or occasionally, how would you rate the system(s) there, and how does it compare to where you lived before? (N/A)
Have you been happy with the move you made? Do you think you'll stay put long-term? After we were here for 6 years we are now FINALLY happy with were we live, primarily because of the smaller town that we live (but we were still close to the city and suburbs so we can easily get there) However, it took us 6 years to find that perfect place to live, and there were definitely times where we seriously considered moving out of Minnesota during that time.
How would you rate the arts and cultural offerings (museums, theaters, galleries, concerts, etc.) in Minneapolis-St. Paul? We don't have tons of time available but from what we have seen we are impressed. (but nothing will compare to NYC of course)
Please share your opinion on the cost of living there. In your experience and from what you've observed, do you think salaries in the Twin Cities keep pace with the COL?
I honestly think that people need to be brutally honest with where they pick to live. We were not initially and bought a house in the suburbs that we simply couldn't maintain mortgage payments on. Luckily, we were able to sell it quickly. But of course more affordable housing would be nice. But I wouldn't wait for the government to step in there. If you are diligent and most importantly very honest with yourself about your budget, you can do it. But it's really tempting once people start "house hunting" keeping up with the Joneses and then they end up with something they really can't afford and it goes downhill from there. For us, a small family with one child, renting a small house has been the perfect solution.
What do you like best about the Twin Cities? I kind of think of it as healthy eating and having a healthy lifestyle. It's not glamorous, but what it does provide is important. (i.e. I miss living in California for the great weather and food, but I am more thankful and appreciative that our family has jobs and health care)
What do you like least? Yep, you guessed it, long cold winters (you will definitely need cable tv living here!) and actually the summers are super humid and hot. As someone that loves to walk our dog, that is an issue. I am used to much better weather with the places I have lived, but for me personally it's a sacrifice that's worth it. And I could certainly be better about finding things to do in the wintertime rather than sitting at home complaining!
I hope that this is enough information. My favorite part of the Twin Cities is the fact that you can easily be in the country, the city, suburbs, or anything in between in pretty much no time, whatever you are in the mood for. ALSO- the Minneapolis parks system alone is an amazing reason to live here. Tons of beautiful, classic parks all over the city.
A very nice post. Not honeymoon level gushing nor bitter resentment. Just a, seemingly balanced view from someone who has seen enough of what other cities have to offer to know what works for their family. Thanks, - Chet
I moved to Minneapolis from Iowa about three years ago.
How has Minneapolis-St. Paul compared to where you came from?
I grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, and moved here after high school! There are some things I prefer about Iowa--the people are more outgoing and a little more down to Earth, but overall I prefer the MSP area to Des Moines. There's far more things to do, and the scenery is gorgeous! The public transportation is much, much better than Des Moines's.
Do you live within city limits or in a nearby suburb?
I live in SE Minneapolis!
Are you happy with your housing? Please say whether you are an apartment dweller or homeowner.
I rent! Though our apartment is spacious, I feel like our rent is too much to not have laundry, a dishwasher, or air conditioning.
a. How would you describe the experience of getting around in the city for shopping and work, and accessibility of stores/services/businesses you need? Please share whether you have a car or use public transportation.
I use public transportation, and often have to leave the house an hour before my shift starts to make it to work on time. I give myself two hours if I have to get anywhere that requires a bus transfer. The light rail is usually reliable, but with all of its summer construction, the times have been very spotty. I also wish it ran more often after 12AM. As someone who works at a bar, I often have to wait alone for up to an hour for the late night train.
b. If you do use public transportation, whether regularly or occasionally, how would you rate the system(s) there, and how does it compare to where you lived before?
Minneapolis public transit is much, much more robust than Des Moines's, but that's not saying much.
Have you been happy with the move you made? Do you think you'll stay put long-term?
I've had mixed feelings about my move. While I love my job, I've had a really hard time making friends here. Many of the Minnesotans I know already have tight-knit circles of highschool friends and don't really seem interested in getting to know new people. And my Minnesotan friends are constantly bailing on plans, but maybe I just know a lot of flaky young people, haha. Most of my close friends here are also transplants, but most of them are planning to move away.
I'm looking to move NE in the next year or two.
How would you rate the arts and cultural offerings (museums, theaters, galleries, concerts, etc.) in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
Really great! There's always tons of concerts and house shows going on, and the theaters are constantly putting on independent productions.
Please share your opinion on the cost of living there. In your experience and from what you've observed, do you think salaries in the Twin Cities keep pace with the COL?
I think so!
What do you like best about the Twin Cities?
I really love the restaurant scene here! I also really like having lakes so close by, and being able to walk along the Mississippi. The natural beauty here is very nice.
What do you like least?
I wish people were more open here!
How has Minneapolis-St. Paul compared to where you came from?
I was madly in love with where we lived before. Moved here for better schools, lower cost of living and a great job opportunity. I'm surprised how much I like it here despite still adjusting (here about 6 mos).We were in the SF Bay Area before and DC area before that. We miss the fairly comprehensive racial/cultural diversity throughout the cities we were in before. Also, people frequently do not assume we are a family here as they have in previous cities (we are a multiracial same-sex couple). This doesn't really bother us, but it does lend a bit to feeling more like outsiders. I would also say the people we interact with a more consistently churchgoing than other places we have lived. I think these folks skew more towards moderate centrist to slightly progressive where previous cities we were more often surrounded by more progressive to liberal folks.
I think I could go on and on about food differences, but will say this. There is delicious food here. We haven't explored as much as we have in other cities, but we have found some wonderful places. So far, there has been a major difference in the density of options, but we lived in the Bay Area and in no way expected it to be the same here. So far, there is also a difference in how robust the fresh produce options are as well. Again, we've gone from daily access to farmers to occasional. But it's more than possible to find all we need here.
Schools were not the slam dunk we expected. The school we landed in did a terrible job working with students with special needs. Much worse than where we were before, but with more of the trappings of a school with more resources (extracurriculars, etc.). I'd say Oakland is way ahead of the game on using restorative justice in the schools and has stronger special education - but a new school is proving to be substantially better.
The parks system in Minneapolis is amazing and worth replicating in other cities.
Do you live within city limits or in a nearby suburb?
South Minneapolis.
Are you happy with your housing? Please say whether you are an apartment dweller or homeowner.
Very happy. We have considerably more space than in previous places we have lived and crime is much lower. We're not sure we will stay in our neighborhood longterm though. We may do better in a neighborhood with a little retail, restaurant, area.
a. How would you describe the experience of getting around in the city for shopping and work, and accessibility of stores/services/businesses you need? Please share whether you have a car or use public transportation.
We use cars and have found it so easy to get around here. Traffic is exponentially easier than all the cities I have lived in (Bay Area, DC, Austin, Atlanta).
b. If you do use public transportation, whether regularly or occasionally, how would you rate the system(s) there, and how does it compare to where you lived before?
It's tough to compete with the public transportation system in DC. The Metro goes all over and the bus system connects throughout too. Bay Area is slightly less good than that. I don't have much use for public transport here, so hard to say much. I don't see that the train system is that extensive.
Have you been happy with the move you made? Do you think you'll stay put long-term?
Yes. I think the social aspects of being here are tough. Our teen hasn't met many kids who bring him along or want to build a friendship. They are nice, but seem to be quite set in their groups. But people are friendly and we feel we can unravel this over time.
How would you rate the arts and cultural offerings (museums, theaters, galleries, concerts, etc.) in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
For it's size, the Twin Cities is remarkably arts-centered. We have barely dug in and always feel like there are many options. I'm a fan of some very specific kinds of art and see plenty of ways to view/participate enjoy those here.
Please share your opinion on the cost of living there. In your experience and from what you've observed, do you think salaries in the Twin Cities keep pace with the COL?
The cost of living where we were was 60% higher. One of us works considerably less here and can focus on some family needs in ways we couldn't before. Salaries seem to be about 25% lower in much of our field.
What do you like best about the Twin Cities?
The balance of space, cost of living, the arts, and opportunities. I love the seasons, the park system, and there are good opportunities for public schools. It is easy to get around and we are eating well.
What do you like least?
This is tough. We're very happy here. I think we are going to have to make more effort in a few areas than we have in many years. For our teen to find ways to connect that work is going to take us doing more work. The groups we have connected to and activities he has been in (sports/theater) don't default to building connections among the kids. Where we've been before there were more pizza get togethers, hangouts, etc. Activities that were seasonal ended in a party, contact information was exchanged, etc. That's not the case in the activities he has participate in, but we know our sample size is small. Stated most broadly, we don't see that there is a cultural expectation that building social connections is part of youth activities.
critical,
I think the other thing is a lack of broad racial and ethnic integration as well as GLBTQ integration. When we talk about this, we often hear "no one will have a problem" or "people are accepting." On the whole that is true and all is well. But there is a difference between being accepted and being represented or reflected. This is a numbers thing to a certain point and also relates to where we chose to live, but we haven't lived anywhere in quite a while where some of the places we go are so homogenous.
Last, and this is minor, we find (broadly speaking) folks to be less direct here. Again, such a small sample to work with, but that is an adjustment.
Wow this sounds a bit like us. We are a biracial (hetero) couple with kids and have lived in SF, DC area (Maryland) and now Hawaii. We’re considering moving to St Paul in a couple years for an immersion charter.
I’m bummed to hear about the religious and segregated comments... since you posted this 4 years ago, what are your feelings now?
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Happy with TC
