Mahtomedi: the good, the bad, the ugly, the ambivalent . . . (St. Paul: condos, homes)

[judahgable]

Hey all --

Thanks in advance for your help with this. I have 3 kids and am moving to Minnesota this year, and will be commuting to St. Paul. We are looking for a nice wooded area with excellent schools. Mahtomedi has emerged as the leading candidate, based on a couple of very brief visits.

Still, it's hard to get a feel for the place in just a day or two. So, I'd like to ask you your impression of the place. If you only know it by reputation, what is that reputation? If you know it through experience, what is the good and bad of it, in your opinion?

Anything at all is very welcome. Thanks again for your help -- I certainly appreciate it.

[golfgal]

Schools are excellent, commute to St. Paul easy, good location, close to amenities, the lake is there. It is a pretty affluent area and all that goes with that. My cousin has lived there for 20+ years and loves the area. They have great sports programs, soccer, gymnastics especially. If I had to chose a suburb on that side of the cities it would either be Mahtomedi or Stillwater.

[sarahrose]

Mahtomedi is small, beautiful, and far enough away from the hustle and buslte of the city to be pleasant. There are some small town shops that are nice, but most people move here for the outstanding schools. Dellwood is close, and just as nice (a bit more pricey). Stillwater is nice too, but becoming a bit over-run with housing developments, and condos/flats. My X husband grew up in Mahtomedi, and now lives there as an adult, along with some of his close buddies that he grew up with as well..........you won't be dissapointed.

[Irish40]

from Indiana. The primary reason we moved here were the schools. I have several people tell me I live in one of the top-rated districts which is good for two reasons. One, you are not "forced" to send your child to a private/parochial school and two, if you do have to sell, you will not have trouble as you are in a desirable school district. Homes are a little more pricey in Mahtomedi than an equivalent in Maplewood/ North St. Paul. for us, it was worth it, though. It is a very easy commute for me (30 minutes tops) to downtown St. Paul but it takes a little longer for my husband to get to New Brighton.

I have not found the neighborhood to be terribly friendly contrary to the hype I had heard at our closing. Many of the people who live here are natives of not just Mn but Mahtomedi. I do not feel part of a communtiy here which is more my issue than my husband's. For financial and educational reasons, I think it is a good area.