Best Towns Outside Twin Cities for Living (Minneapolis, St. Paul: HOA, townhouses)

[SciFiNerd1]

My wife and I absolutely love Minnesota every time we visit the state. We are very interested in living in a smaller town/city outside the Twin Cities (not exurbans).

We do not want to live too far out because of culture and activities in the city plus we might work in the Twin Cities.

What are your recommendations for smaller towns preferably less than 35 miles from the Twin Cities? Affordability with good schools and easy commute will be a plus.

Here is the list I have so far:

Stillwater
Northfield
Faribault
Hastings
Cottage Grove
Minnetrista
Victoria
Waconia
Norwood-Young America
Cologne
Lino Lakes
Centerville
Hugo
Columbus
Forest Lake

[Citykid3785]

Originally Posted by SciFiNerd1

My wife and I absolutely love Minnesota every time we visit the state. We are very interested in living in a smaller town/city outside the Twin Cities (not exurbans).

We do not want to live too far out because of culture and activities in the city plus we might work in the Twin Cities.

What are your recommendations for smaller towns preferably less than 35 miles from the Twin Cities? Affordability with good schools and easy commute will be a plus.

Here is the list I have so far:

Stillwater
Northfield
Faribault
Hastings
Cottage Grove
Minnetrista
Victoria
Waconia
Norwood-Young America
Cologne
Lino Lakes
Centerville
Hugo
Columbus
Forest Lake

I'm struggling to add to your list. I would however remove: Columbus, Hugo, Forest Lake, and Cottage Grove.

What things are important to you?

Without knowing I would say the best are:
Stillwater
Northfield
Waconia

[StPaulGal]

The majority of those would be considered suburbs/exurbs.

Northfield is a very charming town that is off on its own. Red Wing is also in that general area.

[mr roboto]

Most of those are exurbs. I'm confused.

Cannon Falls
Hastings
Hudson
Red Wing

[SciFiNerd1]

We would be okay with exurbs as long it doesn't feel connected to the metro area.

What is it about Columbus, Hugo, Forest Lake, and Cottage Grove that do not seem to be appealing to people? Just wondering.

[Citykid3785]

Originally Posted by SciFiNerd1

We would be okay with exurbs as long it doesn't feel connected to the metro area.

What is it about Columbus, Hugo, Forest Lake, and Cottage Grove that do not seem to be appealing to people? Just wondering.

I can speak to it. I don't mean any of this to come off as offensive to anyone who lives there, this is just my personal perception having spent time in some of these places.

These areas are more "townie" for lack of a better word. By townie, I mean the type of towns that supports bars with pull tabs and you participate in meat raffles at the VFW. These aren't bad things, just not my personal style. People in the northern metro tend to be more outdoorsy in the hunting/fishing sense of the word.

Compare that to a Northfield, which is a college town and tends to have a bit more sophistication, a co-op, more foodie restaurants, etc.

[Ghengis]

are you looking for a bit of land or just a small town atmosphere

there's nothing at all wrong with Forest Lake, Hugo, Columbus and they offer much better value than towns a similar distance from the downtowns in other directions.

you may want to also consider (from DT Mpls) Wyoming (35) Chisago City/Lindstrom/Center City (41) Scandia (38) and Marine on St Croix (38) Taylors Falls (51) and even more value.

[SciFiNerd1]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

are you looking for a bit of land or just a small town atmosphere

there's nothing at all wrong with Forest Lake, Hugo, Columbus and they offer much better value than towns a similar distance from the downtowns in other directions.

you may want to also consider (from DT Mpls) Wyoming (35) Chisago City/Lindstrom/Center City (41) Scandia (38) and Marine on St Croix (38) Taylors Falls (51) and even more value.

I prefer sophisticated towns like Stillwater and Northfield where my wife easily can go out to be outdoorsy in just a few minutes, such as fishing and hunting. It is not my thing but I love to bike/hike at parks or around lakes.

I am looking for the best of both worlds.

I hope this helps to narrow down.

[WoodburyWoody]

Originally Posted by SciFiNerd1

I prefer sophisticated towns like Stillwater and Northfield where my wife easily can go out to be outdoorsy in just a few minutes, such as fishing and hunting. It is not my thing but I love to bike/hike at parks or around lakes.

I am looking for the best of both worlds.

I hope this helps to narrow down.

Northfield is really wonderful, with two colleges and a downtown with local restaurants, stores, soon a brewery/taproom, etc. People tend to settle in there and - except for the students - not leave. It is experiencing growth but is far enough outside the metro that it is too much a trek for those with jobs requiring a rush hour commute, especially to Minneapolis (though there are some who do).

Stillwater is also pretty great, but it feels like there are two Stillwaters - the old, historic downtown and neighborhoods around it and the newer developments along 36, with lots of chain restaurants and big box stores (though many more local retail stores and restaurants than, say, Woodbury). And 36 was recently widened and improved to make way for the bridge over the St. Croix that is under construction, which will only make 36 busier and development along 36 increasing (Lake Elmo is already radically changing, despite local efforts to fight off development). In my mind, Stillwater is already along the eastern edge of the metro and not a separate city any longer.

The downtown and neighborhoods around it are really very cool, with lots of local shops and character. Tonight (Tuesday) will be the downtown Famers Market, with a band or two and a twilight outdoor movie for kids and families. Still very touristy and incredibly busy on summer weekends.

Hudson, WI, and Afton on the eastern edge might be a possibility. Hudson, like Stillwater, is an old city with a riverfront downtown that is now home to lots of local restaurants and shops, with older neighborhoods around it and newer (again, lots of newer) development around that, esp. along I-94.

Afton is still kind of on its own and really has no downtown, but a few good local restaurants, Selma's Ice Cream Parlor and touristy art shops. No grocers. But there is Afton State Park and Afton Alps ski area right there and lots of houses tucked in the winding roads headed down to the river and "downtown." And the people who live there are working hard to limit new development, in an effort to avoid "becoming another Woodbury."

Hastings/Prescott might be worth a look as well.

Cottage Grove is part of the metro and a ton of development is occurring on the north side, so that much of what is between CG and Woodbury to the north will fill in over the next decade by ... well, planned developments with HOAs and strip malls most likely, if recent history is any indicator (that is much of the suburbean development on the east and south sides the past 10-20 years, when we have been in the market).

[WoodburyWoody]

Originally Posted by SciFiNerd1

I prefer sophisticated towns like Stillwater and Northfield where my wife easily can go out to be outdoorsy in just a few minutes, such as fishing and hunting. It is not my thing but I love to bike/hike at parks or around lakes.

I am looking for the best of both worlds.

I hope this helps to narrow down.

Just a thought ... there is a lot of new houses going in near Lake Elmo Preserve now (this area - https://www.google.com/maps/place/97...!4d-92.9060669).

Close to St. Paul, close to lots of retail (Oakdale, Woodbury, St. Paul) and off-rush, a 20-25 minutes drive into downtown Minneapolis (again, off-rush).

Probably HOA development, but Lake Elmo Preserve is pretty great.

Also, the Carver Lake area in western Woodbury/Battle Creek area in Maplewood. Same logistics, but different parks. Some fun little neighborhoods in hilly area built in the '60s/'70s, I think (plus townhouses in other areas) plus I think there is some open land to build.