Northern Cali Vs Minnesota (Minneapolis, St. Paul: cliquey, rent, house)

[Masonsmamma3]

My husband and my 3 yr old son and i are looking to relocate from Northern California to Minnesota this jan or april. We know that the winters are very miserable long and cold in mn and thats one of the reasons we decided on mn. We dont get winter here in northern cali. We get droughts and fires non stop. We get about 2 weeks of rain the 100 plus degree weather year round it seems. I would like to get any over all advice since we have not lived in mn before nor have we visited before. Also looking on advice for town to live in on the outskirts of the twin cities? All advice is much needed thank you

[AtlasTraveler]

The fact no one replied to this comment tells you all you need to know about Minnesoata: passive aggressive, icy cold weather and icy people. They're all rolling their eyes at you while smiling. You seem.... Interesting. If you'd like to spend years trying to break into cliques formed in kindergarten, Minnesota will suit you well.

My .02

[fromupthere]

Originally Posted by Masonsmamma3

My husband and my 3 yr old son and i are looking to relocate from Northern California to Minnesota this jan or april. We know that the winters are very miserable long and cold in mn and thats one of the reasons we decided on mn. We dont get winter here in northern cali. We get droughts and fires non stop. We get about 2 weeks of rain the 100 plus degree weather year round it seems. I would like to get any over all advice since we have not lived in mn before nor have we visited before. Also looking on advice for town to live in on the outskirts of the twin cities? All advice is much needed thank you

I think we need a little more information, like do you have jobs yet and where are they and if not, what fields are you looking at? How far do you want to be from Minneapolis/St. Paul? Just a little more specific info would be helpful to give you ideas of where to live and anything else you need.

[BryaninMSP]

Don't listen to Atlas. My wife and I returned to Minnesota after living elsewhere. We could have lived anywhere, but we came home because we never found its equal (and I've lived in four states and three countries).

A lot of where you'll want to live depends on where you're working and what your priorities for housing are. I would highly suggest making a quick visit and looking around — trying to pick a location based on what others tell you on an internet forum will only make your transition more frustrating. Best to see it all in person.

And I disagree that Minnesotans are more "cliquey" than people anywhere else. We have major companies and a large immigrant population — so new people coming to town isn't exactly like Little House on the Prairie.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by AtlasTraveler

The fact no one replied to this comment tells you all you need to know about Minnesoata: passive aggressive, icy cold weather and icy people. They're all rolling their eyes at you while smiling. You seem.... Interesting. If you'd like to spend years trying to break into cliques formed in kindergarten, Minnesota will suit you well.

My .02

Alternative explanation: we have better things to do between 11:30 pm and one o'clock in the morning than respond to yet another "miserable winter" troll thread.

[rogead]

Originally Posted by AtlasTraveler

The fact no one replied to this comment tells you all you need to know about Minnesoata: passive aggressive, icy cold weather and icy people. They're all rolling their eyes at you while smiling. You seem.... Interesting. If you'd like to spend years trying to break into cliques formed in kindergarten, Minnesota will suit you well.

My .02

Less than an hour and a half after the OP, you decide that "The fact no one replied to this comment tells you all you need to know about Minnesoata[sic]". You then go on to disparage both the weather and the people.

If you think this is worth two cents, you greatly overvalue your contribution to the thread.

[rogead]

Originally Posted by Masonsmamma3

My husband and my 3 yr old son and i are looking to relocate from Northern California to Minnesota this jan or april. We know that the winters are very miserable long and cold in mn and thats one of the reasons we decided on mn. We dont get winter here in northern cali. We get droughts and fires non stop. We get about 2 weeks of rain the 100 plus degree weather year round it seems. I would like to get any over all advice since we have not lived in mn before nor have we visited before. Also looking on advice for town to live in on the outskirts of the twin cities? All advice is much needed thank you

The weather is what it is. Most people, including many from Sub-Saharan Africa adapt quite easily. Throughout the state, and particularly in the MSP metro area, the infrastructure and services are designed to minimize the impact of the few extreme weather days we have during any given year.

Minnesota is obviously not as geographically large as California. However, there are big differences between various parts of the state. The plains of Southwestern Minnesota are nothing like the woods of Northeastern Minnesota, and the MSP metro area is quite unlike either of those less urbanized regions. The political and cultural tones of different parts of the state are equally distinct.

I live downtown and have been a city-dweller all of my life, so my ability to knowledgeably recommend specific exurban communities is limited. From what I've seen of Northfield (south of Minneapolis), I tend to like the area. On the other hand, some commuter areas to the north of Minneapolis tend to have a more North Woods feel to them.

[mn shutterbug]

Originally Posted by Glenfield

Alternative explanation: we have better things to do between 11:30 pm and one o'clock in the morning than respond to yet another "miserable winter" troll thread.

Agreed. Pretty lame.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by Masonsmamma3

My husband and my 3 yr old son and i are looking to relocate from Northern California to Minnesota this jan or april. We know that the winters are very miserable long and cold in mn and thats one of the reasons we decided on mn. We dont get winter here in northern cali. We get droughts and fires non stop. We get about 2 weeks of rain the 100 plus degree weather year round it seems. I would like to get any over all advice since we have not lived in mn before nor have we visited before. Also looking on advice for town to live in on the outskirts of the twin cities? All advice is much needed thank you

What do you like - a real town? A suburb? New construction, pre-war home, something else, don't care? Do you have jobs already, or will you be looking (or can you work from home)? What's your budget? Too many variables to give you any kind of decent recommendation, otherwise. I'd rent first, not buy, as it's an expensive mistake to buy in the wrong neighborhood (or to decide that you miss CA too much).

[chessgeek]

Originally Posted by AtlasTraveler

The fact no one replied to this comment tells you all you need to know about Minnesoata: passive aggressive, icy cold weather and icy people. They're all rolling their eyes at you while smiling. You seem.... Interesting. If you'd like to spend years trying to break into cliques formed in kindergarten, Minnesota will suit you well.

My .02

Would have been nice if you had allowed more than a mere hour and 28 minutes after the OP opened the thread to pass by before commenting. Could understand maybe a full day, but an hour and a half!! All this post does is reflect negatively on you (and tells anyone all we need to know about Atlas Traveler), not any Minnesotans or anyone else IMO. Just my .02.

There are plenty of friendly and welcoming people in Minnesota. Don't be deterred by the naysayers, OP. If you want to move to a state without drought issues, that is your right. I am hoping the predictions for more rain in CA this winter prove to be true, but am not betting on it.

As for outskirt towns around or near the TC, I think Northfield, Stillwater, Bayport, and Excelsior would be worth checking out if your budget is not too limited. Northfield, Stillwater and Bayport are alongside rivers (Northfield on the Cannon River; Stillwater & Bayport on the beautiful St. Croix River). Excelsior is on the shores of beautiful Lake Minnetonka. As you are moving from northern California, I am assuming you can probably afford towns that are above the MN average. Telling us your budget will be helpful in providing information/opinions.