Leaving MPLS - which suburb should we head to? (Minneapolis: transplants, violent crime)

[Moirarose]

Hi - We live in SW MPLS and have three elementary aged kids in Minneapolis Public Schools. There are many, many things we love about city living, but between the crime, the taxes and the struggling public schools, we are giving serious thought to heading out to the suburbs.

We would love recommendations; we are thinking west and are considering Edina, West Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, possibly even Chanhassen.

What's important to us are the quality of the schools, walkability (if there is such a thing in the suburbs) and sense of community. I fear ending up in Trumpland. I'd say that we are politically left of center and very much "city people" and we are hoping for independent stores, restaurants, etc. I'm not sure if that's even realistic.

Appreciate any thoughts you might have. Thanks.

[nokomie]

The suburbs swung the election to Biden, so please stop with the all suburbs are conservative narrative.

Richfield may be what you are looking for or even east Edina (if you afford it). I believe Hopkins has a somewhat walkable downtonwn.

[snebarekim]

Originally Posted by Moirarose

Hi - We live in SW MPLS and have three elementary aged kids in Minneapolis Public Schools. There are many, many things we love about city living, but between the crime, the taxes and the struggling public schools, we are giving serious thought to heading out to the suburbs.

We would love recommendations; we are thinking west and are considering Edina, West Bloomington, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, possibly even Chanhassen.

What's important to us are the quality of the schools, walkability (if there is such a thing in the suburbs) and sense of community. I fear ending up in Trumpland. I'd say that we are politically left of center and very much "city people" and we are hoping for independent stores, restaurants, etc. I'm not sure if that's even realistic.

Appreciate any thoughts you might have. Thanks.

Ok, here is my thoughts

The crime, taxes, and "struggling" schools are all directly related to those in Minneapolis with left of center politics/voting.

Stuff like this in the Mpls schools system is treated as if it is a good idea, despite the utter failure of it right next door in Saint Paul.

https://www.startribune.com/undiscip...ree/477145923/


I feel your your kids, but you should stay put.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by nokomie

The suburbs swung the election to Biden, so please stop with the all suburbs are conservative narrative.

Richfield may be what you are looking for or even east Edina (if you afford it). I believe Hopkins has a somewhat walkable downtonwn.

The votes in the suburbs are evenly split between the two parties as opposed to Minneapolis, which is 75% Democrat, half of which are extreme leftists, so please stop with the narrative that suburbs are just as liberal as Minneapolis.

If the OP wants a suggestion, I say go to Edina. It’s full of limousine liberals who fled the consequences of their politics in SW Minneapolis, and the quality of the schools has just started to deteriorate as they have implemented their social justice curriculum. It will take a few years for them to fail, and by the time his kids are through school, it will be another Berkeley and he can move on to ruin another area.

[Rhody2Mn]

You might consider Excelsior, Wayzata, Edina, Chaska, or Chanhassen on the west/southwest side of the cities. If you are open to the east side, White Bear Lake is a great location. While I can't comment on the quality of schools, all of these suburbs have walkable downtowns (with the exception of Chanhassen) with unique shops and restaurants.

[Moirarose]

Wow, what helpful responses.

For the record, we are relatively new transplants to MN - and very few of my chosen candidates won their respective city council/school board/state races (as you may have gleaned from my "left of center" comment). But let's not let the truth interrupt a good story.

Thank you, Rhody2MN, for your suggestions.

[TXRunner]

I’m in the Plymouth, Wayzata, Minnetonka area and it’s fairly progressive. It’s not Trumpland, but there are definitely more conservatives like myself. This area used to be more conservative in the past, but that seems to have changed. The good thing is that all the schools are good, while Bloomington is hit or miss.

Excelsior definitely gives you that vibe of small town with some local shops. I have friends in Eden Prairie and they like it there as well.

However, you are getting a suburb. People are going on power walks or walking their dogs or cycling on road bikes, they aren’t walking to work or carrying bags of groceries home from Hy-Vee. You’re also going to have to get on a highway to go places most of the time.

I like Plymouth, but I think Minnetonka is great as well. I just don’t get the same sense of community from Eden Prairie, but that’s just my opinion.

Bloomington and Edina would keep you closer to the city if that’s what you’re looking for.

[Moirarose]

Thank you so much, TXRunner. I think you understood what I was getting at. Conservative - fine. Extreme right-wing, Trump-flag waving, not so much. I hadn't thought about Plymouth, so I appreciate that.

[snebarekim]

Originally Posted by Moirarose

Wow, what helpful responses.

Hopefully this has taught you something.

As you seek to escape the conditions in Minneapolis that progressive actions have created (high taxes, "struggling" schools, and violent crime) keep in mind that there are good people in the areas you seek refuge in that do not appreciate you taking those "left of center" ideologies along with.

[Teak]

I am curious why the OP would want to leave Minneapolis so soon?

Breaking news: A People's Budget was released just this week, and signed by more than 60 organizations. The budget proposes to cut $84.3 million from the Minneapolis police budget of $193 million. In place of police, there would be a panoply of new programs. These programs would be "life affirming institutions" and include:

$12 million for mental health and substance abuse programs
$50 million for affordable housing
$11.6 million for community outreach
$10.7 million for cultural institutions and the arts
$1.45 million for the "sex worker community", including $700,000 to start a worker-owned strip club co-operative

Sounds like a liberal utopia; why leave Minneapolis now?

https://alphanewsmn.com/leftist-grou...police-budget/