Minneapolis-St. Paul Ranked #4th Snobbiest City. (Minnetonka, Edina: unemployment, school, university)

[chessgeek]

Originally Posted by WILWRadio

When I lived in the Twin Cities I found that I got along far better with the local people than the transplants. I'm originally from Connecticut. Currently living in the Kansas City area and hate it. People here are not very friendly and only like others that behave like they do and share the same personality or character deficiencies. In contrast, I had few problems with most of the people that I worked with or lived near while in the Twin Cities.

Some areas of New England are similar. People build friendships during their school years and maintain them until they pass away. My late mother had friends from her grade school years right up until the time she passed away at the age of 79 years old. I'm quite a bit younger than that but I too have friends that I still see and also stay in contact with going back as far as Kindergarten. If someone from outside of the state or country moved to our town, they generally were accepted and made friends after a while.

I think Minnesota is probably similar in that respect. People have made friends during their younger years and are content to be with the same people into adult hood. I strongly suspect this trait probably lends itself well to solid marriages as well. So while I did find a few people in the Twin Cities to be snobby or turn their nose up at me, it was far fewer than I've encountered in Kansas City which I've found to be more stuck up with an attitude than ANY other city including NYC, Boston or the Twin Cities.

I would never have imagined that about Kansas City. The image most people including me conjure up is people that love good BBQ and are down to earth. They love their Chiefs (hate to even say who they beat in that Super Bowl in 1970) and have memories of the Royals when George Brett lead them to a World Series win. Snobby is the last thing that comes to mind. I have never been there and you lived there, so thanks for the info and that is too bad. It is not like people are dying to live or visit there, so you would think the people would be friendlier and more welcoming!

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by chessgeek

I would never have imagined that about Kansas City. The image most people including me conjure up is people that love good BBQ and are down to earth. They love their Chiefs (hate to even say who they beat in that Super Bowl in 1970) and have memories of the Royals when George Brett lead them to a World Series win. Snobby is the last thing that comes to mind. I have never been there and you lived there, so thanks for the info and that is too bad. It is not like people are dying to live or visit there, so you would think the people would be friendlier and more welcoming!

You are not missing very much. The Twin Cities has KC beat in every category and it isn't close. KC is also at a geographical and cultural dividing zone that tends to be a bit more unusual as well. It is at the very southwest edge of the Midwest, the eastern periphery of the Great Plains, and close to the upland South (Ozarks). Therefore, it doesn't really have a very strong identity other than being put in the generic "Midwest" category and does not fit into the South or North at all. It gets just as hot/humid there in the Summer as many places in the South, but has milder Winter temperatures than just about anywhere in the Midwest. KC also has many transplants from the Southwest with more influences culturally from Texas and California. This is definitely different from the Great Lakes region without a doubt. Also, most KC residents "freak out" over a few inches of snow which is very amusing.

[green_mariner]

Here is one question to consider. What are the criteria to be considered a snobby place?

[moving123456]

Originally Posted by green_mariner

Here is one question to consider. What are the criteria to be considered a snobby place?

I think the criteria used to define "snobby" for this list was dumb... but maybe that is just me being "snobby"...

To determine which city has the biggest nose in the air, we factored in some traditional staples of snobbery: a reputation for aloof and smarty-pants residents, along with high-end shopping and highbrow cultural offerings like classical music and theater.

But we also considered 21st-century definitions of elitism: tech-savviness, artisanal coffeehouses, and a conspicuous eco-consciousness (say, the kind of city where you get a dirty look for throwing your coffee cup in the wrong bin).

[Teddybentherars]

It depends, If I go to Woodbury or Eden Prairie it's more snobby then Bloomington or South Minneapolis

just My opinion

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by moving123456

I think the criteria used to define "snobby" for this list was dumb... but maybe that is just me being "snobby"...

I will say this. I've associated being snobby with looking down on others for not having certain things, not so much what people have. Personally, I am the type of person who cares more about quality rather than "trendiness". I like coffeehouses and eco-friendliness. However, I'm the type of person who isn't always up to the latest stuff. I tend to do my own thing. I adopt things based on whether or not

1) If it's worth the money
2) If I genuinely want it.

[green_mariner]

The trends of kids and parents in MN are driven by what is accepted in the MN culture whether its buying a boat, truck, clothes, boots, shoes, or the best fishing reel available. It's snobby because they do the same thing LA does, just about different crap. I mean let's get real, I like MN for the way its spreadout for a big city, but traffic and the weather is horrid. Yet, every person in MN will defend its state that it is the best place to live bar none. Get over it peeps.

I hear plenty of that stuff living in Georgia. It depends on where you are and who you are around. I remember in high school kids talking about what truck they were going to get or other stuff they were getting. Trends are driven by culture here to, depending on where you are. Atlanta is also spread out(probably much worse than the Twin Cities seeing as Atlanta is the poster child of sprawl). There are people who will swear that Georgia is the best place to live. Education in this state is terrible. Summers here are ugly. Unemployment rates are horrible here.

You can find snobby behavior almost anywhere. It depends on what is culturally accepted though.

[Katarina Witt]

Hello! I just dropped over here b/c my daughter just moved to St. Paul. My take on this?

First-I think these lists are bunk. I think this even when my city is highly rated, which it is for some things.

Second-I think a lot of these responses are rather snobby. Take this as a "See ourselves as others see us" POV.

[iama30something]

I grew up and lived in Minneapolis for 25 years and now have been living in Los Angeles for almost 4 years.

Even though I would say people from the Twin Cities are friendlier, they are much more snobbier, too. Minnesotans can't stop bragging about silly things like the Twins Stadium, 10,000 lakes, "Minnesota Nice", amazing springs, amazing summers, amazing falls, how great the State Fair is, etc… No one cares Prince is from Minnesota, except for Minnesotans.

LA has the exact opposite problem. No one cares about anything about this city including: the ocean, mountains, entertainers or weather.

[chessgeek]

Originally Posted by iama30something

I grew up and lived in Minneapolis for 25 years and now have been living in Los Angeles for almost 4 years.

Even though I would say people from the Twin Cities are friendlier, they are much more snobbier, too. Minnesotans can't stop bragging about silly things like the Twins Stadium, 10,000 lakes, "Minnesota Nice", amazing springs, amazing summers, amazing falls, how great the State Fair is, etc… No one cares Prince is from Minnesota, except for Minnesotans.

LA has the exact opposite problem. No one cares about anything about this city including: the ocean, mountains, entertainers or weather.

There are entire TV variety shows dedicated to their entertainers. I will let the producers of those shows know that no one really cares.

I am sure you have heard Angelenos boast at various times about Dodger Stadium; some coastal locales (ex: Venice Beach, Santa Monica, Malibu), maybe certain places (Pink's for hot dogs; ethnic foods and especially tacquerias); Beverly Hills, Westwood, Hollywood (Oscar awards/Walk of Fame), etc. Its downtown has been mentioned more recently, too. There is still a lot of caring/attention bestowed upon it.

A more accurate assessment is that LA, SF, NYC and Chicago are now having to share the "stage" with cities like Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Denver, Minneapolis and a few others that have been offering a lot in the last 20-30 years and are now finally being recognized. People may be a little less obsessed with LA now in the sense that some other cities are included in the conversation now and that is a good thing. It still gets plenty of attention.