Visiting and moving to Mpls/St. Paul (Minneapolis, Minnetonka: job, layoffs)

[mskrista]

My husband and I are looking at moving to the Minneapolis metro-area next Summer. We are coming next month (May) to see the city and try to make a decision on whether or not it is a place that we would enjoy living in.

A little background, we are 25 and 26, I am from Iowa and my husband is from Nova Scotia. We live in Denver and have been here for about 6 years now. While we love the city, we're not that fond of the people here, we love the weather (and yes, we are aware that the winters can be brutal in Mpls), but want to live closer to family (my family being in Iowa). I work as a paralegal and my husband is a union electrician. We are both liberal and enjoy underground music, dive bars, indie films, etc.

I have a few questions:

1. Is anyone familiar with the IBEW (electrical union) in either Mpls or St. Paul? Is there a lot of work, is the union strong, are there a lot of layoffs in the winter season?

2. What is the job out look like for paralegals - mostly interested in corporate law, although I am not currently working corporate.

3. We are looking to start a family when we arrive in Mpls. What areas tend to have younger-hip-liberal families? Which neighborhoods should we drive through when we are visiting? What does it generally cost to purchase a home in these neighborhoods?

4. What other places should we visit while there - where is worth checking out? What areas should we stay away from?

5. Can anyone compare Denver/Minneapolis? How do they compare? How do the people compare?

6. Lastly, what is your favorite and least favorite thing about living in the Metro area?

Thanks so much. I really appreciate your help.

[wil45]

You say that you don't like the people here in Denver and to a degree I feel the same way although sometimes I can't put my finger on the answer. It has a more transient feel compared to Mpls. I don't like to put people in boxes but at the same time it seems like it's the "yuppies" or the more "ghetto" types. There's some very nice areas in Metro Denver but also alot of neighborhoods I wouldn't want to live in and feel very "ghetto" to me. I spent some time in North Minneapolis the last time I visited 6 months ago and it pales in comparison to the SW part of Denver near Federal and Sheridan Aves. that felt alot more poverty stricken and dangerous than alot of north Mpls which gets a negative connotation. I look forward to my visit this summer to Mpls. I would even consider investing in a home in certain parts of N Mpls if the neighborhood seemed livable and the price was right. Also, the people in Mpls seems better educated, have better grammar and it has a more cosmopolitan feel to it. It just the winters I have to get adjusted to again.

[Isaysos]

cant help you with the first two questions. But to answer question #3, I would definitely check out the Groveland and Highland Park areas of St. Paul around Saint Kates and Macalaster. (my favorite area of the twin cities) or else the SW are of Minneapolis. The housing is quite spendy in these areas though, I would say in the good areas of St. Paul go from 250 K for a rambler to 500K for a nice two story to multi-million dollar mansions. Ive only been to Denver a few times, but to me the twin cities (especially St. Paul) seem much better kept and have a more liberal and artsy feel to them than Denver. There seems to be alot more to do in Mpls/St. Paul and there are more historic neighborhoods. Summit Ave in St. Paul is very nice, but very expensive. The public schools in these areas are not bad, but the private schools are pretty popular.
The things I dont like about the twin cities area is the endless suburbs once you get out of the city, although some are pretty nice (Edina, Lake Minnetonka area) and the traffic on 494. The only place that is considered the ghetto in the twin cities is North Minneapolis, but is nothing like south Chicago or anything.

[Camden Northsider]

Originally Posted by Isaysos

cant help you with the first two questions. But to answer question #3, I would definitely check out the Groveland and Highland Park areas of St. Paul around Saint Kates and Macalaster. (my favorite area of the twin cities) or else the SW are of Minneapolis. The housing is quite spendy in these areas though, I would say in the good areas of St. Paul go from 250 K for a rambler to 500K for a nice two story to multi-million dollar mansions. Ive only been to Denver a few times, but to me the twin cities (especially St. Paul) seem much better kept and have a more liberal and artsy feel to them than Denver. There seems to be alot more to do in Mpls/St. Paul and there are more historic neighborhoods. Summit Ave in St. Paul is very nice, but very expensive. The public schools in these areas are not bad, but the private schools are pretty popular.
The things I dont like about the twin cities area is the endless suburbs once you get out of the city, although some are pretty nice (Edina, Lake Minnetonka area) and the traffic on 494. The only place that is considered the ghetto in the twin cities is North Minneapolis, but is nothing like south Chicago or anything.

Isaysos, please don't blanket-statement North Minneapolis - I would say that there are many neighborhoods in North that are much nicer, safer, and more livable than a lot of neighborhoods in south minneapolis and St. Paul. To the original poster, people say "north" when referring to specific 'niche' areas of a few neighborhoods, but there are many neighborhoods that are highly desirable places to live with a lot of younger, very liberal couples and families wanting to live in the city - check out other posts on here about neighborhoods to get an idea (sometimes I feel like a broken record). Houses here are similarly affordable - here's one of my posts on my own neighborhod:

Victory neighborhood, Minneapolis - a day in the life...