***How is the Princeton, Monticello, Zimmerman areas for retirement?

[r_shackleford]

If you were a young family with kids, I'd tell you to run like hell from that area and pretend you never even considered it. For retirement, it may be okay for your purposes. Do you have any particular connection or attraction to that area? Or are you just looking for affordable country real estate in northern climate with access to a VA? If you've chosen it arbitrarily, you can do better.

That said, it could suit you. You could live in the country, relax at home among pleasant wooded scenery, and head to town now and then when you need something. If you want to be in the country, I wouldn't get too hung up on one town or the other. In rural Sherburne County, you'll be no more than 15 miles from any of them. There are enough hooligans out and about that you should definitely lock your door and probably consider a security system, but nothing serious. It's cold and snowy in the winter. They generally do a good job clearing the roads. With all the trees, snow drifts are less of an issue.

The charms that area had are quickly fading. Low gas prices and cheap housing drew Twin Cities sprawl into Princeton. That growth poisoned some its small-town charm as downtown business closed and the city lost its identity. Then, gas prices went up, the new people moved closer to their jobs, and left a shell of the town they'd moved to. And don't blame Wal-Mart. Throughout this time, they refused to open a store in Princeton because it "wouldn't get enough traffic." Meanwhile, Zimmerman has transformed from a sleepy little outpost into a bedroom community.

You could definitely live a quiet and affordable country life in that area. It's just not where I'd go if I have the whole country to choose from. Do you want to be in a wooded area? If not, you might want to check rural areas near Mankato. Winters in southern Minnesota are slightly milder and the towns and cities just seem generally nicer than in central Minnesota.

[folkguitarist555]

ok thanks yea the motivator was housing costs, and nice ones at that...and also culturally, cause I am a Seattle-ite.....and a New Englander. Plus the higher quality of life in the state of MN, I thought. Similar to WA state.....drove thru MN a few times, really like Winona, cause the bluffs.....the state seemed clean, and well kept....I will look at Mankato again...just that it is far from any VA I believe....Mankato would give me a long drive to the VA though...

[old fed]

Originally Posted by starrider434

ok thanks yea the motivator was housing costs, and nice ones at that...and also culturally, cause I am a Seattle-ite.....and a New Englander. Plus the higher quality of life in the state of MN, I thought. Similar to WA state.....drove thru MN a few times, really like Winona, cause the bluffs.....the state seemed clean, and well kept....I will look at Mankato again...just that it is far from any VA I believe....Mankato would give me a long drive to the VA though...

mankato has a VA CBOC for many of your needs. if you are seeing a specialist you're right, you'd have to travel to minneapolis

[folkguitarist555]

yea but I think Mankato is pretty isolated, might be best to be on the outskirts of St Cloud somewhere...I am just worried about those brutally cold long winters...I spent time in Fargo, and those winters there were brutal, had to plug my car in, every night...

[davephan]

Originally Posted by starrider434

ok thanks yea the motivator was housing costs, and nice ones at that...and also culturally, cause I am a Seattle-ite.....and a New Englander. Plus the higher quality of life in the state of MN, I thought. Similar to WA state.....drove thru MN a few times, really like Winona, cause the bluffs.....the state seemed clean, and well kept....I will look at Mankato again...just that it is far from any VA I believe....Mankato would give me a long drive to the VA though...

The housing costs drop off quite a bit when you get more than an hour commuting distance from the Twin Cities. The property taxes in the outlying areas are a lot cheaper than the Twin Cities area.

I haven't heard of any VA problems with long wait times at the VA hospital in Minnesota. Perhaps the wait time scandal did not effect the Minnesota VA locations. In general, medical facilities are rates very highly in Minnesota. It's a good place to live if you have a lot of medical problems.

Minnesota is considered to be one of the worst places in the U.S. for retirement taxes. If you have a significant retirement income stream, it will cost you a lot to live in Minnesota. Some people move away from Minnesota in retirement because of the high taxes. Some people snowbird in no tax states, such as Florida or Nevada for six months plus one day, away from Minnesota to avoid the high retirement income taxes in Minnesota. The governor talked about changing the snowbirding tax laws to discourage the snowbirding people who avoid paying the Minnesota income taxes. The proposed changes to the snowbirding tax laws fell flat on their face and got nowhere.

If you have low or no income, Minnesota is very generous. Many people think Minnesota is too generous, handing out millions of dollar in cash and benefits to the poor. Some of the poor could work, but choose not to work and stay on the dole for their whole lives. Some of the poor deserve the benefits, some are just scamming the system.

[r_shackleford]

Originally Posted by starrider434

I am just worried about those brutally cold long winters...I spent time in Fargo, and those winters there were brutal, had to plug my car in, every night...

I like winter. Just last weekend while I was mowing my lawn, I was fantasizing about how I'd rather be shoveling snow. But if that's how you feel about winter, then I can't recommend anywhere in Minnesota to you on a clean conscience. It's cold, snowy, dark, and windy. It won't change for you. Southern Minnesota is slightly less extreme, but not by nearly enough to tip the scales.

Sometimes, people post on here that they're thinking of moving to Minnesota. They rattle off that they're house, job, commute, recreation, kids' schools, and general lifestyle will be better than their current situation. But they're thinking of staying put because they're not sure about winter. In that case, I recommend to suck it up and put on some layers. You're looking for cheap land near a VA and legitimately worried about winter. Unless there is some particular unique selling point about Minnesota, I encourage you to look elsewhere.