Outstate? (Rochester, Bemidji, Annandale: for rent, area, cities)

[yoyoma02]

Originally Posted by Ez Mode Pls

Yeah I never knew about this 'the cities' phenomenon until I went down to Mankato and everyone was reffering to 'the cities' as all of the suburb + mpls/stpaul

Yeah, that stuff really gets to me for some reason. I'm sorry, but Jordan isn't part of "the cities".

[northstar22]

Originally Posted by yoyoma02

Yeah, that stuff really gets to me for some reason. I'm sorry, but Jordan isn't part of "the cities".

Yes, it is. Any city within the metro area is part of "The Cities." It's not just Minneapolis and St. Paul.

[uptown_urbanist]

I interpreted that to mean that areas like Jordan aren't really part of the metro area. That might not be what the other posters were saying, but that would be my take.

[Ez Mode Pls]

I was more or less referring to the fact that i only call "the cities" as minneapolis/st paul.

[Kamsack]

As someone who lives up in far northwest Minnesota along the North Dakota border and an "outstater"....the term cities is generally said to refer to the metro area. Of course, what is the metro can have many meanings as we have seen on this thread.

I have lived in my area since 1998...and not a born and bred Minnesotan or North Dakotan. But in coming in contact with many who are....I rarely hear the term outstate Minnesota. I have heard the term Greater Minnesota in the news to describe the state outside of the cities.

[uptown_urbanist]

Originally Posted by Ez Mode Pls

I was more or less referring to the fact that i only call "the cities" as minneapolis/st paul.

Out of curiosity, where are you from originally? Almost universally in MN "the Cities" means metro area, although I rarely hear the term used while actually in the Twin Cities metro area.

[Ez Mode Pls]

i'm from the suburbs and yeah i just found that out recently

[MN55]

The thing that I found most hilarious is when people would ask me where I was from and I said, "Minneapolis" they would be confused and say, "oh what part of the Cities?" I would then reply, "South Minneapolis." They would look puzzled and they say, "Oooh, you are actually from Minneapolis??"

Funny, I've never had to clarify that I'm from St Paul like the Minneapolitans on here have. Most of the time I just say St Paul when they ask where I'm from and they're just like OK. Rarely do I have to further clarify I'm from the Eastside.

I've always used/heard the term outstate. And I use "The Cities" as well, but only when I'm talking to people from outstate. When I'm talking to out-of-staters, I just say I'm from the Twin Cities (which apparently is more recognizable than just St Paul, I've found out).

And Up North is basically anywhere north of Forest Lake or Elk River. I've heard that term used to mean Pine County, Brainard, the Range, Alexandria, and Warroad. They're all up north, although people usually further clarify.

[oldfinn61_]

I live in GREATER MINNESOTA. I prefer that term over OUTSTATE MINNESOTA. I feel that sounds better. Outstate to me means out of the state. Although that is the mind set of the twin cities people. They think the metro area IS the state of Minnesota. Well, citidiots, that is NOT the case. Greater Minnesota IS the State of Minnesota. There are people and places outside the metro area. Get out of you world and explore the rest of the state. You'll be surprised what there is to offer.

[MissSoBelle]

I used to live in the Twin Cities, and it really irritated me when they referred to the rest of the state as "outstate." The really beautiful part of the state is in what is outside of the Twin Cities. Very bad way to refer to the rest of the state. If I were an "outstater," I would contact my Congressman to have that term changed. It's kind of like East Coasters referring to what is between the East Coast and LA as "flyover land." Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.