Help! Should I Move to Minneapolis or Denver? (rent, neighborhood) - City-Data Forum

DannyBanany · 03-31-2009, 12:22 PM

Here's my situation: I'm 20 and I'm finally able to move out on my own. I plan on going to school either this next fall or in the next year. I've narrowed down my choices to two cities, Denver and Minneapolis. Both are great cities with a lot to offer and I enjoy visiting both frequently.

Denver is my favorite city ever and it's always felt like home. I love the mountains, dry air, laid-back attitude and how close it is to where I live now (Rapid City) if I ever wanted to visit people back home. Also, my mom is planning an early retirement in Denver so she would be closeby too. We're very close and it would be nice to be close to family.

However, Denver would be much more expensive for me to live in than Minneapolis. I'd probably have to work two jobs to get by. I might not even be able to afford a car. I don't know a soul in the entire city, and I'd have to wait another year to start school so I could get in-state tuition.

Minneapolis is also a very fun city and I have a lot of friends up there that would like me to come live with them. I would be able to go to school right away too because MN gives SD in-state tuition rates. Also, rent would be cheaper than in CO, my car is already registered in MN so that saves a lot of money, and wages are higher than they are in CO. I could easily get by just working one job.

However, Minneapolis is damn cold in the winter, I'd be far away from family, and I'd miss the mountains. I'm also worried that I'd just party with my friends all the time. Minneapolis has never felt like a city I'd care to live in but the opportunities are just too good to pass up.

If there was a way I could put Minneapolis' opportunities into Denver's setting I'd move in a heartbeat!

Any advice??? And thanks for reading this long post!

TexasTheKid · 03-31-2009, 12:28 PM

Go to school in Minneapolis and move to Denver after. That's not too difficult. Life's not a sprint. You've got time to do both, and you'll be better enriched for doing so.

atlantagreg30127 · 03-31-2009, 12:43 PM

This is actually more appropriate in the General U.S. room since you are asking specific relocation questions. Moving to that room.

WILWRadio · 03-31-2009, 01:07 PM

Go to Minneapolis. Common sense says that you'll be better off there until you finish school. After that if you want to live in Denver, start looking for work in the Front Range. Be practical right now and do what is best for your future career.

uptown_urbanist · 03-31-2009, 02:55 PM

I am biased, of couse, as I much prefer Mpls to Denver, but it sounds like for you specifically it does sound like you should move to Minneapolis now. I agree with the others that you're only 20 - it's not like your decision on where to live now (and go to school) is going to mean that you need to live there for the rest of your life. I think most people benefit from some time spent in different places. Save money, finish school, then move to Denver post-graduation if you want.

iPwn · 03-31-2009, 03:02 PM

Mini-apple-less

JoshB · 03-31-2009, 06:03 PM

I'd do Minneapolis as well. Also living in Minnesota your not to far from the Boundary waters, and Sawtooth Mountains all located right in Minnesota.

Also Denver seems so isolated if you ask me.

EastSideMKE · 03-31-2009, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DannyBanany

Here's my situation: I'm 20 and I'm finally able to move out on my own. I plan on going to school either this next fall or in the next year. I've narrowed down my choices to two cities, Denver and Minneapolis. Both are great cities with a lot to offer and I enjoy visiting both frequently.

Denver is my favorite city ever and it's always felt like home. I love the mountains, dry air, laid-back attitude and how close it is to where I live now (Rapid City) if I ever wanted to visit people back home. Also, my mom is planning an early retirement in Denver so she would be closeby too. We're very close and it would be nice to be close to family.

However, Denver would be much more expensive for me to live in than Minneapolis. I'd probably have to work two jobs to get by. I might not even be able to afford a car. I don't know a soul in the entire city, and I'd have to wait another year to start school so I could get in-state tuition.

Minneapolis is also a very fun city and I have a lot of friends up there that would like me to come live with them. I would be able to go to school right away too because MN gives SD in-state tuition rates. Also, rent would be cheaper than in CO, my car is already registered in MN so that saves a lot of money, and wages are higher than they are in CO. I could easily get by just working one job.

However, Minneapolis is damn cold in the winter, I'd be far away from family, and I'd miss the mountains. I'm also worried that I'd just party with my friends all the time. Minneapolis has never felt like a city I'd care to live in but the opportunities are just too good to pass up.

If there was a way I could put Minneapolis' opportunities into Denver's setting I'd move in a heartbeat!

Any advice??? And thanks for reading this long post!

Wow. I would totally recommend looking at some of my posts in the Denver forum. I just moved back to Milwaukee after living in Denver for 5 years. I moved out there when I was 21, specifically to attend CU-Denver's Music Industry Studies Program. I paid out-of-state tuition for one semester, but they jacked it up almost 50% between semesters. I, like you, assumed after living in the state for a year I would qualify for in-state tuition. How wrong I was. As long as you are under age 23 and your parents still live in another state, it doesn't matter how long you live in Colorado for, you still won't receive in-state tuition. I ended up dropping out of school and working full-time until I was 24.

I agree that Denver was very expensive compared to Milwaukee. Jobs pay about the same as they do in Milwaukee, but everything (rent, parking, restaurants) costs way more in Denver. I probably would have moved back much sooner than I did, but it took me forever to save up enough money. I definitely wouldn't recommend Denver to anybody who wasn't absolutely nuts for skiing or snowboarding, as it leaves a lot to be desired from a city of nearly 3 million. IMHO the Twin Cities offer a lot more city than Denver does. Also a car is a must if you ever plan on going to the mountains.

CU-Denver, Metro State College of Denver, and the Community College of Denver are the 3 schools that share the Auraria Campus. Auaria is basically a commuter campus for older, working adults and young persons with lower grades/incomes. The classes are extremely dumbed down and the professors are all adjunct faculty or grad students who could really care less about being there. The campus lacks a nearby neighborhood for students. This makes forming friendships impossible as everyone you meet in your classes will live all over the Denver Metro area. I really hated my time at Auraria, but now I'm very content at my new college in Milwaukee. Better professors, better neighborhood, better overall educational experience.

For anybody looking for the genuine college experience, I would highly discourage them from going to school in Denver. Denver is the kind of place you move to after you earn a college degree. If you really enjoy Colorado that much you may want to consider Boulder or Fort Collins. However, judging by everything you wrote, especially the in-state tuition part, Minneapolis is the way to go.

Katiana · 03-31-2009, 07:25 PM

What makes you think Denver is way more expensive than Minneapolis?

XXclimberX · 03-31-2009, 07:43 PM

DENVER!!!

Having been and lived in Minneapolis for a short stint I would say Denver is much better. The downtown is more vibrant, and its alot closer to the mountains.

The weather in Denver is alot nicer as well. No humidty in the summer! And lots of dry days.... Plus the skiing is da bomb. Minneosta sucks if you like to ski. No offense to Minnestoans.

One of the appeals of living in Denver is the isolation from the Eastern 1/3 of the U.S.