What kind of people live in Linden Hills, Kingfield, CARAG, ECCO (Isle: sales, apartments)

[queenswake]

What is the typical makeup of these neighborhoods? And for the neighborhoods on the east side of the lake, I am interested in the areas west of Lyndale. I'm guessing that Linden Hills is more families since it's more towards the southwest. Are the rest the typical younger Uptown roommates renting out houses or is it more professional couples or even familieis who rent or own? I have a good grasp of the Uptown neighborhoods north of Lake, but don't have much experience with the others.

Just trying to get a handle on the vibe of each one so I have a good chance of moving into one that fits me best. I know the amenities of each of them but I am most curious about who actually lives there. I like being able to talk with neighbors so want to find a neighborhood where that is a better possibility.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by queenswake

What is the typical makeup of these neighborhoods? And for the neighborhoods on the east side of the lake, I am interested in the areas west of Lyndale. I'm guessing that Linden Hills is more families since it's more towards the southwest. Are the rest the typical younger Uptown roommates renting out houses or is it more professional couples or even familieis who rent or own? I have a good grasp of the Uptown neighborhoods north of Lake, but don't have much experience with the others.

Just trying to get a handle on the vibe of each one so I have a good chance of moving into one that fits me best. I know the amenities of each of them but I am most curious about who actually lives there. I like being able to talk with neighbors so want to find a neighborhood where that is a better possibility.

CARAG: a blend of single family houses, duplexes, and apartments of varying sizes. Specific makeup varies by block; closer to Calhoun Square is heavy on the apartment buildings with studios, 1- and 2-bedroom apartments, so more singles, couples, and young people. Move a bit towards the interior of the neighborhood and you have more duplexes and single family houses and while you still have the singles, couples, and young people, there are also more families with kids. It's still a majority rental neighborhood, but you'll find plenty of people who have owned their places for years (decades, even). Some of the houses are roommate situation houses, but most aren't. The vibe is, I think, more laid-back than ECCO. There's a wider range of people. It's my favorite neighborhood of the areas listed (although I am biased as I grew up there), as you get the benefits of still being an easy walk to Lake Calhoun (and Harriet too, for that matter) and to the Hennepin/Lake core, but you're also easy walking distance to things closer to Lyndale. Given that Lyn-Lake has so much to offer these days, that's a real plus. Or, for that matter, even smaller commercial hubs like 36th and Bryant or 34th and Lyndale.

ECCO: Still lots of renters, but more older homeowner-dominated. Quieter, but that's in part because there's no commercial activity within the neighborhood -- just along the edges. Easy proximity to Lake Calhoun is great. For what it's worth, I've met someone who moved to CARAG from ECCO and found CARAG to be a friendlier neighborhood. But I wouldn't let that keep you away from ECCO if you find the right place. To me, ECCO seems like a quieter version of East Isles, while CARAG is a more family-friendly partner to the Wedge. CARAG also seems to be a little more crunchy and community-minded, but that may also just be in part because they have Bryant Square and so have a venue right there in the neighborhood to have lots of activities.

Linden Hills: Haven't lived there, but have spent a great deal of time in the neighborhood. Definitely family-dominated, although plenty of people without kids live there, too, as well as lots of empty nester baby boomers. There's a mix of renters and owners.

You can look up specific demographics online, too, for something more official. For unofficial, check out the neighborhood's respective facebook pages or read their online newsletter. Or for what I think is the absolute best way to get a sense of the place, hit up garage sales; they should start up in May, and each of these neighborhoods has an official neighborhood garage sale. CARAG's is always in May, ECCO's in June; Linden Hills might also be in May. It's not a perfect representation of who lives there, but you can learn a lot about a place by seeing everyone out in their yard or garage selling their stuff!

[Stillnew]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

CARAG:
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You can look up specific demographics online, too, for something more official. For unofficial, check out the neighborhood's respective facebook pages or read their online newsletter. Or for what I think is the absolute best way to get a sense of the place, hit up garage sales; they should start up in May, and each of these neighborhoods has an official neighborhood garage sale. CARAG's is always in May, ECCO's in June; Linden Hills might also be in May. It's not a perfect representation of who lives there, but you can learn a lot about a place by seeing everyone out in their yard or garage selling their stuff!

What a great idea -Checking out garage sales to get a feel of a neighborhood! Love it!