neighborhoods and cities/towns for young family with children (Minneapolis: best neighborhood, houses)

[newtoMPLS]

We may be moving to Minneapolis this summer. We are trying to find the best neighborhood or cities/towns for our needs, which are:

1. great schools at the K-3 grade levels (older grade levels not as important to us)
2. likelihood of meeting other young families with young (ages 0-3) kids, especially for (stay at home) mom to meet other moms (especially others who might be new to the area and so are not in a clique or defined social circle)
3. walking proximity to playground, pool, library, or other similar feature for the kids
4. ability to resell for same or higher price
5. commute time to Minnetonka (30 minutes or less preferably, the closer the better)
6. homes that are comfortable for a growing family to spend sheltered for the winter (we are not used to the cold)
7. diversity (this may be hard to find given the criteria above).

We are thinking 600K or so for home price and have some flexibility for the right place (especially if resale value likely strong), though lower is better.

We have initially looked mostly at Plymouth (Wayzata school district), Chanhassen (including a subdivision called Longacres), and Eden Prairie. We also saw some things in Victoria, Wayzata (proper), Minnetonka that might work.

Any thoughts on what we're missing, if any, and more specific suggestions?

[golfgal]

Chaska would be where I would start. Waconia would be another possibility. Your price range is going to be very doable pretty much everywhere. Where ever you land, sign up for the Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) classes. Fantastic way to meet people with kids the same age. Also, embrace the cold, buy warm clothing, take up cross country skiing, go sledding with the kids, etc. It's really a lot of fun and only a few months out of the year.

[WendyRLee]

You might want to consider Edina. Homes tend to hold their values there.

[uptown_urbanist]

Would also consider SW Minneapolis or St. Louis Park. SW Minneapolis has excellent schools, very walkable, TONS of kids, and a lot of families who have also relocated from elsewhere, and a lot of stay-at-home parents. It's not particularly diverse, but the same can be said of most of the other areas suggested. It's a very popular area, and you wouldn't need to worry about selling. (FWIW, the houses around here have been selling VERY fast this spring)

I second the ECFE suggestion. You'll find ECFE classes anywhere you go, and they are wonderful. Also check out Meetup groups.

My friends in Minnetonka haven't had an easy time meeting neighbors, but some of that likely depends on the street. They like it there, and there are ample opportunities to meet other parents and families beyond just hanging out on the block.

Edina is also a good suggestion. Some neighborhoods are far more walkable than others, but choose right and your kids will be able to safely walk to nice playgrounds, etc. The schools have an excellent reputation and the suburb is almost certain to remain desirable for years to come. I wouldn't worry about resale value there.

[ocsid]

I would suspect that one reason it's tougher to meet neighbors in Minnetonka, is that the population there is aging (we moved there last year). Many older people who are original homeowners and tend to be kind of set in their ways. I expect to see a lot of turnover in housing in the area in the next ten years.