Your Top 10 Minnesota cities list (for places to live) (Minneapolis: real estate, how much)

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by susieJD

Baudette
Duluth
Walker
Remer
Bemidji
Roseau
Warrod
Grand Rapids
Hibbing
Virginia

no Ely?

[knke0204]

10. St. Vincent, Minnesota....Pop. 96... minnesota - Google Maps

9. Ellsworth, Minnesota ....Pop. 517... minnesota - Google Maps

8. Ceylon, Minnesota ....Pop. 368... minnesota - Google Maps

7. Northome, Minnesota ....Pop. 205... minnesota - Google Maps

6. Vining, Minnesota ....Pop. 66... minnesota - Google Maps

5. Eitzen, Minnesota ....Pop. 230... minnesota - Google Maps

4. Climax, Minnesota .... Pop. 235... minnesota - Google Maps

3. New Auburn, Minnesota .... Pop. 501... minnesota - Google Maps

2. Clearbrook, Minnesota .... Pop. 531... minnesota - Google Maps

1. Kerrick, Minnesota .... Pop. 71.... minnesota - Google Maps

[sholomar]

Rochester, Mankato, St Cloud.. just personal preference here. I like small sized cities that are within commute distance of bigger ones if needed. Would never want to live in the middle of a densely packed metropolitan area (I want to drive 10 minutes and be in open country) , and though I could tolerate living out in the sticks (Marshall) I'd rather not do that either. I prefer the driftless area topography over the flatness of the west side, but they both have their nice aspects. I prefer South and East to North and West, like Rochester. After 5 years where I work I can transfer to other 3M plants assuming they are hiring. There is one in Hutchinson, MN where we frequently send product too.. looks like a good choice too. Even better, their Cottage Grove location is in a very appealing area, outside the dense metro area with plenty of countryside nearby. I think I see it there in google maps along the Mississippi west of the gulf course. Not even in the town itself. Sweet location there.

[Sarimn00]

In no particular order:

Stillwater
Red Wing
Rochester
Granite Falls
Mankato
Lanesboro
Minneapolis
St. Paul
New Ulm
Alexandria

[ashera]

No particular order:

Stillwater
Redwing
Lake City
Hastings
Owatonna
Waseca
New Ulm
Grand Marais
Wabasha

[Camden Northsider]

Here are my "Top 10":

Metro area:
1. Minneapolis- Northside of course- favorite micro-areas of the northside that we would potentially consider "moving up" to (as in bigger house if we decided not to add on to our current home): 4100-4500 blocks of Washburn and Xerxes Ave N (Victory), blocks directly across the street from Webber Park (Webber-Camden), and the Homewood area bordering Theo Wirth Parkway (Willard-Homewood).
2. Robbinsdale- great small town feel right next to the city, great downtown area, nice people and parks.
3. St. Paul.

Outstate (and/or boderline exurban):
4. Lake City (or towns close by- esp. Old Frontenac- beautiful area/ views of Mississippi/Lake Pepin)
5. Duluth (views of Lake Superior, great city).
6. Spicer (many beautiful lakes and towns close by, close to Willmar).
7. Virginia (we took a trip out this way last year and just really liked this town).
8. Winsted (am fascinated by this thriving little town not on a major highway or railroad)- also like the neighboring towns of Waverly and Howard Lake in the same school district.
9. Bayport- enjoys the same benefits as Stillwater, but not as yuppie/pretentious.
10. Tie- Glenwood, Morris, Northfield (all are in or close by great small liberal arts universities, and nice little towns in their own right- edge to Glenwood as it's on Lake Minnewaska)

Honorable mentions to Granite Falls area and surrounding towns (Montevideo, Clara City, etc.)- have always enjoyed these towns and surrounding Minnesota River valley; Winona (beautiful town/area); and Lanesboro (same).

*Has anyone mentioned any of the suburbs that have been high up on the "best places to live" lists in recent years?

[audadvnc]

Conspicuous in their absence: Eden Prairie, Chaska, Chanhassen...

Eden Prairie has that nice bluff area, which IMO is wasted by planting a series of chain stores and ugly corporate office buildings thereon. Too bad...

Chaska never had much going for it - but it still has a bit of local character in the old downtown. The town fathers may be able to hold onto that in the face of developer cash... just like pigs will learn to fly.

I'd have put Chanhassen on the "best of" list 25 years ago, but thanks to a series of shortsighted decisions by the town bosses, that beautiful little town was converted into yet another ugly vinylville/industrial park/strip mall. Way to go, Chan!

[susieJD]

Originally Posted by Ghengis

no Ely?

How could I forget Ely? Wolf Center and Hockey Hall of Fame?

Susie

[Radical_Car]

Originally Posted by Camden Northsider

*Has anyone mentioned any of the suburbs that have been high up on the "best places to live" lists in recent years?

Doesn't really look like it, well I mentioned Rochester(obviously not a suburb lol) used to be in Money Magazine a lot. Found this at Wikipedia: The city had long been a fixture on Money magazine's "Best Places to Live" index, and was ranked number 67 on the 2006 list, and in the top 3, including number one multiple times, from 1993-1997

Mankato(again not a suburb :P) does have quite a bit of awards, I have mentioned it, and Kazoopilot, can't remember if anyone else did.
City of Mankato, Minnesota: City of Mankato Awards

But I don't think Eden Prairie or Plymouth was really mentioned yet, and those were at the top of Money Magazine 2 different years, lol. Yuck, well they aren't bad, just bland and generic. I'd say Eden Prairie is better then Plymouth, but both are pretty, meh.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/money...PL2751730.html
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/money...PL2718116.html

Chaska is a very pretty town, but meh, nothing special, just my opinion, though I do think it's very pretty.

[northstar22]

I think those "Money" lists are out of touch with what most people want. The big burbs make the lists because of yuppie amenities, good schools and low crime. That's it. It's hard to imagine a place in this state more bland or boring than Plymouth or Eagan.

I do think there are some good Twin Cities suburbs, like St. Paul Park, Stillwater and Dayton. Those places wouldn't be my first choices, but if I had to live in the Cities for some reason those areas would be at the top of the list.

Northern Minnesota is beautiful, but I don't have much experience with that part of the state. The furthest north I've been in MN is Big Lake (lol). I was going to visit the North Shore at one point, but I had to work. I've been all over the southern 1/3 of the state though, from Winona to Beaver Creek.

Southeast Minnesota is nice -- reminds me of my (original) home state of Michigan (Minnesota is my home now). Lots of trees and lakes mixed with the farmland. My favorite towns in that part of the state are Northfield and Winona. Rochester is nice, but a little bland for my tastes.

However, my heart lies in Southern Minnesota, especially Southwest Minnesota. Anything from just west of Mankato to the SD border is almost like paradise -- idyllic towns, open skies, beautiful farmland and prairie grasses and stunning sunsets. Awesome in every way (except the blowing snow). Sometimes I think Southwest MN gets lost in the shuffle among people from other regions of the state -- they just don't think about it. It's good, in a way, as it keeps the touristy types out.