Diversity (Minneapolis, Eagan, Maple Grove: house, safe area, to buy)

[Nick155]

I'm going to move to Minnesota and I'd like to know in which community there diversity of races, We're a latino family with 2 children , 6 and 12 years old. Also I'd like to know how tolerate are the Minnesota community about diversity.

thanks

[Justabitoff]

It's hard to say without knowing your budget where you can afford to live, but the neighborhood I'm moving to, NE Minneapolis, is very diverse. Latinos, African-Americans, Muslims along with white families. The diversity is one of the reasons we were attracted to the area and want to raise our kids there.

[golfgal]

It doesn't matter where you live for the most part. You will find people in MN very tolerant. What type of town do you want, what activities are your kids involved with? Where will you be working?

[jzeig104]

I live in Eagan and our neighbors are Pakistani, Caucasian, American Indian, African, Iranian, and African-American. The outer ring suburbs are less diverse than inner ring suburbs and city.

[Mr. In-Between]

Yeah, tell us more about where you'd like to live - the Twin Cities area, for example, or a smaller town in rural Minnesota. If you're thinking of the metro area, would you prefer living in the city itself, or the suburbs? Do you know where you'll be working? Do you need access to public transportation? What's your budget? The more you tell us, the more information we can give you.

[Nick155]

I'll be working in Blaine and I'd like to live around that area, my kids are involved in activities like soccer,baseball and swimming. my budget to buy a house it's 200k

[golfgal]

I'd suggest looking in New Brighton. You are going to have a hard time finding a house in your price range but if you don't mind having to fix it up some, that will expand your options.

[jzeig104]

I would suggest Wyoming, Stacy, or Chisago City. They are more likely to have homes in your range, and are fairly close to Blaine. That said, more rural areas like that are not likely to be as diverse.

[QueenBee]

If you will be working in Blaine and would like to live near work, then by all means choose Blaine. It meets all the criteria you mentioned. I have noticed that a number of people on this forum will steer people away from this area unnecessarily, and having lived in other areas of the metro I have no idea why. I live in Blaine and have been in the area for the past 15 years, as well as having spent most of my childhood here. Blaine is a fantastic, family friendly, kid-oriented, and safe area.

As far as diversity, no need to worry. My kids are mixed race and it has been a non-issue. They have many friends of a variety of ethnic backgrounds. You will find just about any activity they would want up here. We are big into soccer and there are plenty of opportunities for that. Same with swimming. Know that Blaine is served by three different school districts - Anoka-Hennepin, Centennial, and Spring Lake Park. We are in Anoka-Hennepin, which is the largest district in the state. As would be expected with a district this size, there are good schools and not so good schools (often dependent on surrounding demographics), but overall I really think Anoka-Hennepin has done a great job managing a district this size. The students consistently score above the state average on tests. The Blaine schools in this district are fantastic. Our ratings are very high, and the middle school is the highest scoring in the district. Blaine High School has a CEM (Center for Engineering and Math) program that is really good. I have friends with kids in Centennial and Spring Lake Park and I have heard nothing but good things about those districts as well.

You will get more house for your money out this way, but you may be very limited with your budget. Prices out here are cheaper than in many other areas of the metro, though. We built our house here for $100K less than what we would have paid for the same house in Maple Grove with the same builder. We love our neighborhood; tons of families and kids with neighborhood get-togethers all the time. Nearby we have hiking/biking trails, Bunker Park, and the Lakes Beach.

Personally, I would choose Blaine any day over the other surrounding communities mentioned. I don't see the need for an unnecessary commute when everything you are looking for is right here.

[jzeig104]

The only reason I mentioned other communities is because of exactly what QueenBee said: op will be limited in housing options because of budget. No concerns about schools, and I agree, Blaine has lots of great parks, etc. We used to cross country ski at Bunker Hills and it was super.

Good luck to the OP!