Confused about Duluth. (Minneapolis, Maple Grove, Woodbury: 2009, health insurance, crime)

[demtion35]

Best thing about living in Duluth?? Only two and a half hours away from the BWCAW!!

[demtion35]

Originally Posted by stormchaser

I'm not sure if you've got this all cleared up yet and are settled there or not. I can maybe give you a little perspective from a ND Native (Williston) who went to Duluth for college. Personally I loved living there.

As far as safety goes, for the most part Duluth is a pretty good city with a community feel. I felt pretty safe most places there. I lived on campus for a year, and off for 3 years in a less than ideal (not bad, but not good either) neighborhood for awhile (on 1st street a few blocks east of the hospital). Driving around downtown by the hospital area by day you won't see much but some people looking down on their luck. At night you might see some women working the corners a bit farther west. I've heard of people seeing dealers, but I never did. The Western part of the city has some rougher areas but it really isn't necessary to go into them for any reason either. I'd say safety is only an issue after dark in most places. I think anyone who has good common sense can avoid most issues with safety. I will say for the record that I don't have kids though I'm not sure it'd be an issue for me if I did.

As for Hermantown, I had a professor/ research advisor who lived there. He raved about how great the schools were. His kids were elementary school aged. One of my friends also lived with two other girls renting a townhouse up in Hermantown. It was a nice 3 bedroom with 2 bathrooms. The living room wasn't huge, but the complex had a playground and some other nice features. The rent was $900/month total for the place. I'd say cost of living would be the biggest downfall for Duluth. I'd also agree that the Cloquet area seemed nice as well on my trips through there.

The recreational opportunities were incredible though. Head up the North Shore and check out Gooseberry Falls, Grand Marais, all the little scenic stops on the way. Way up the shore is Grand Portage with some nice hiking and another beautiful water fall. Hit skyline parkway to check out Hawk Ridge, and Enger Tower. My favorite restaurants include Bellisio's (pricey) and Taste of Saigon. The college offers great outdoor program activities open to community members as well as students. I did whitewater kayaking, rafting, and ice climbing. They also have rock climbing hiking, harbor kayak tours, fly fishing, bird watching, and even sailing. I think that's posted on the U's rec sports/outdoor program website. You can also take the family for a little walk or blading or cycling trip along parts of the Munger Bike Trail (Paved) for some scenic activity.

I moved away for more school, but I'd definitely consider living there again.

Dont forget the winter surfboarding and wind sailing on Lake Superior.

[demtion35]

Originally Posted by demtion35

Dont forget the winter surfboarding and wind sailing on Lake Superior.

Also Geocacheing
Hiking the SHT through the city and beyond
Mountoin bike trails
Birding
Northern Minnestoa
Lake Superior storms...
the power of the waves that destroyed portions of the Lake Walk a few years ago, and damaged the War Memorial slightly
camping
drinking water from a flowing artesian well
Hawks ridge
The lift bridge
Mn. Point
Enger Tower
The Depot
The wilderness only minutes away in any direction
The wildlife
The many rivers and streams flowing through the city

[aluminumpork]

Originally Posted by chakita123

I was born and raised in Hermantown and still live there today. Hermantown is by far one of the safest areas of the duluth suburbs. You can walk a dog at 2am and be fine. The only places I would say to not even think about moving to in Duluth would be Lincoln Park, West Duluth, and Central Hillside all of those areas are very high in crime and are not good areas to raise children at all. Lakeside, Hermantown and the Piedmont area are your best bets. Any other questions let me know

I would say you're not giving enough areas credit. Yes, Lakeside, Piedmont and Hermantown are great area. But you can't blindly blanket West Duluth as a high crime area. There are some great neighborhoods there. Also, there's Woodland, Duluth Heights, Park Point and Congdon that are all quite safe.

[taysantanamama]

I would not worry about crime in Duluth, it still isn't anywhere nearly as bad as many other cities its size. There are bad areas, as noted, but more good, family neighborhoods. If I had to live in Duluth again, because I love Duluth for Duluth, wouldn't consider Hermantown of Cloquet or Proctor, because they just aren't Duluth, I would live in Lakeside( Lester Park, Congdon(all east duluth, congdon mansion area) Hunters Park orWoodland(umd area, then goes out more country.) The public schools for those areas are very good. I lived in Denfeld(more west, near Denfeld School, kind of a small enclave of nice surrounded by not so)for 3 years, a great house, mostly families, but we had a rental right next door to us, and that was trouble. Also, I wasn't impressed with the elementary and middle school for that area, and charter schools don't appeal to me. So regardless where you live, I would find out if the homes on your street are lived in by the owners or rentals. Especially in Woodland, since it is so close to the colleges. My husband is very partial to Duluth Heights(on the hill, mall area) since he grew up there, and there are some nice areas, very hidden and out of the way, I didn't even know they were there until I met him, 6 years after I moved to Duluth. I also prefer older homes, so that area doesn't personally appeal to me, move as a matter of taste, the homes are newer.

I like to check on the real estate market there(I am the opposite of you, I think Duluth homes are very reasonable, having had to move to other ares with much higher home costs. I like Duluth, MN Real Estate Homes Properties and Lots because it gives you the option of searching by the neigborhoods in duluth we mentioned, as well as Hermantown, Cloquet and Esko.

Now as far as a place to stay, when my family would come to visit, they would stay at the Comfort Inn on 40th Ave. West. It has nice rooms and is(was)reasonable. And there is an AmericInn in Carlton that was nice as well, or if you venture to Superior, the Best Western at the foot of the bridge was nice. But it was five years ago or more that I would have family visit in Duluth.

I guess in a nutshell, you unfortunatly are not going to get a nice home for under 140k in Duluth nicer areas or surrounding areas. You will not get a new home for under probably 250k, and that would be in the country. But you can get a nice, quaint, older home for under 200k in nice areas. And really, with a 30 year mortgage, it isn't going to be much more a month than a 140K loan. I don't know what taxes are like in ND, but imo, they weren't bad in even the nicest neighborhoods in Duluth proper. Good luck with your move, I hope you are able to find a great place to live.

[tvdxer]

Originally Posted by aluminumpork

I would say you're not giving enough areas credit. Yes, Lakeside, Piedmont and Hermantown are great area. But you can't blindly blanket West Duluth as a high crime area. There are some great neighborhoods there. Also, there's Woodland, Duluth Heights, Park Point and Congdon that are all quite safe.

True! West Duluth is a large area of the city with several neighborhoods, many of them quite nice. If you live in the very pretty Denfeld area, your kids can walk to high school and you can at least bike to most other errands.

[brandy77]

Crime is average and completely blown out of proportion by right wingers who are desperate to have some control because this is a left wing city. The schools are average. The quality of life is excellent. So much to do. Parks are great. Duluth is consistently mentioned as one of the nation's top outdoor towns. Duluth has some good times ahead. I moved here from Minneapolis for the recreation and quality of life and I know of many others are moving here for similar reasons. Duluth's economy is slowly improving compared to the rest of the nation. There is a lot of negative propaganda by the right wingers about this place. Maybe it's their way of keeping the place a secret because it has the potential to be great and I believe it's heading that way slowly.

[aluminumpork]

Originally Posted by brandy77

Crime is average and completely blown out of proportion by right wingers who are desperate to have some control because this is a left wing city. The schools are average. The quality of life is excellent. So much to do. Parks are great. Duluth is consistently mentioned as one of the nation's top outdoor towns. Duluth has some good times ahead. I moved here from Minneapolis for the recreation and quality of life and I know of many others are moving here for similar reasons. Duluth's economy is slowly improving compared to the rest of the nation. There is a lot of negative propaganda by the right wingers about this place. Maybe it's their way of keeping the place a secret because it has the potential to be great and I believe it's heading that way slowly.

I'm glad to hear somebody finally say that! It seems there are so many residents here that say they "love" this city but continually bash it. I have no problem with being honest about the city's faults (which of course it has), but too many people have negative attitudes ("well it -is- Duluth after all") about the city that stunt it's growth. People never expect anything out of Duluth and therefore everything will stay the same. Be positive people!

[newcastle]

I know! Duluth has a lot of potential and is improving. The economy is picking up and I am excited to see the prospect of high speed rail coming to Duluth. The DECC will get funding this year which will further improve downtown.

The Range is beginning to boom and its economic upswing will only positively impact Duluth. Especially with diversified mining (nickel, copper, platinum, gold) along with traditional iron ore, and new processing techniques, the range may actually diversify its economy and stabilize itself.

I think good times are ahead for a change.

[nateduluthnative]

I don't think it is true that "right-wingers" are blowing crime out of proportion.
I believe that left-wingers are the ones who want to control everyone by
taxing people into oblivion, taking peoples property, forcing everyone into
mass transit and high-rise public housing and telling everyone what they can
or cannot eat, smoke or drink all in the name of being "compassionate",
"caring" and being "green". Crime has gotten worse in Duluth and in many
other urban areas because people are more concerned about punishing
"politically correct" crimes like smoking bans than punishing real crimes like
murder, rape and robbery. Why do you think people are moving to Herman-
town, Woodbury and Maple Grove and away from their core cities? It's
because people are more free and safe and that makes it more attractive
for them to live in. If the State of Minnesota and the City of Duluth do not
start embracing free enterprise, low taxes and private property than it
can expect to keep losing people, jobs and money. This is the USA, not
the Soviet Union!