Advice on southern suburbs (St. Paul, Eagan: lease, house, neighborhoods)

[jroman]

Hello. My husband and I are looking for advice on suburbs south of Mpls. He is being relocated to Farmington. I am an RN and would like to work in somewhat close proximity to a hospital. We were thinking of the following towns:
Hastings
Lakeville
Farmington
Woodbury
Rosemount
Eagan
Apple Valley
Elko
New Prague
Good schools are very important to us (our son is currently only 20 months old). We would also like to live where there is good shopping, youth sports, and parks. We are moving from south Florida so I have some apprehension about driving in the snow and don't want a long commute. All the towns mentioned seem to us like good choices, but we would like to know from locals what towns are the best. Thanks so much for any input you can give.

[golfgal]

Rosemount/Apple Valley/Eagan district 196 is the top rated district in the state. Lakeville is also a good choice. Rosemount and Apple Valley are practically walking distance to Farmington (not really but within a couple miles of downtown Farmington). New Prague is 40 minutes from here so probably not a good choice--but it is a nice town with good schools just not convenient to Farmington. Elko would be the same issue--a bit closer but why not be even closer with better schools.

The rest of your list would all be good areas to consider, just a little further 15 minutes vs 5 minutes to Farmington. There are some areas of Farmington that are in the 196 District and those neighborhoods are great but Farmington schools are not as good and why not choose the better district when your travel distance is the same.

As for hospitals, there is one in Burnsville that from what I hear many people really like working there (Fairview Ridges Hospital). There is a smaller hospital in Northfield, south of Farmington that is an option too (that would be about a 15-20 minute commute from Rosemount/Apple Valley--brand new hospital too). You are also about 20 minutes from United/Children's Hospital in St. Paul so that would be another option. The Mayo Clinic is 40 minutes from AV/Rosemount too.

[Isaysos]

If your child is that young, I would choose New Prague, Lonsdale, or the Northfield area. By the time your child is in high school, Apple Valley and Lakeville etc. will be suffering from declining enrollments and these suburbs would be considered second rate to the new suburbs further to the south. New Market/Elko areas and south should be growing for some time to come.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Isaysos

If your child is that young, I would choose New Prague, Lonsdale, or the Northfield area. By the time your child is in high school, Apple Valley and Lakeville etc. will be suffering from declining enrollments and these suburbs would be considered second rate to the new suburbs further to the south. New Market/Elko areas and south should be growing for some time to come.

Odd advice coming from you. New Prague would be a 40 minute commute for him. I also doubt that Apple Valley is going to suffer any decline in enrollment over the next 20 years since the Rosemount area is predicted to double in size in that timeframe and they will need the space in the other high schools in the district to accommodate that growth.

[Lillietta]

Actually I think Edina and Eden Prairie beat out Apple Valley/Rosemount or at the very least, on a par, though not near where she's looking.

[Isaysos]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Odd advice coming from you. New Prague would be a 40 minute commute for him. I also doubt that Apple Valley is going to suffer any decline in enrollment over the next 20 years since the Rosemount area is predicted to double in size in that timeframe and they will need the space in the other high schools in the district to accommodate that growth.

I just call it as I see it, and that is the trend here. I remember when I first came to Minnesota Eagan, Burnsville, and Eden Prairie were booming and the "place to be", now they are "built out" and facing a future of population stagnation and aging homes as people coninue to move furter out. Granted they area starting to do some nice urban re-development in Burnsville, so thats a plus (but most people that move into those areas dont have school aged children).

[minnesotamike]

Farmington has some of the best home values of the cities you are considering. School system is undergoing some expansion difficulties, but they will be fine when your child attends. Apple Valley is the best planned, best run city south of the MN River. Facilities and shopping are excellent. The school district has planned for eventual declining enrollment for the last 25 years. They estimate that they will not need to close any schools for something beyond twenty years. They have a large amount of their administrative and support services in leased space that they expect to eventually bring back to district property as space becomes available. They have always been on top of things. My son had computers in his elementary school classrooms. Nothing unusual except that he attended elementary school over thirty years ago!

Another good choice may be Northfield. Schools are excellent, and the community has a lot of history. Northfield is an easier commute to Farmington than the others on your list. Elko has some good home values and is also a fairly easy commute to Farmington. It is part of the Lakeville School District.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by minnesotamike

Farmington has some of the best home values of the cities you are considering. School system is undergoing some expansion difficulties, but they will be fine when your child attends. Apple Valley is the best planned, best run city south of the MN River. Facilities and shopping are excellent. The school district has planned for eventual declining enrollment for the last 25 years. They estimate that they will not need to close any schools for something beyond twenty years. They have a large amount of their administrative and support services in leased space that they expect to eventually bring back to district property as space becomes available. They have always been on top of things. My son had computers in his elementary school classrooms. Nothing unusual except that he attended elementary school over thirty years ago!

Another good choice may be Northfield. Schools are excellent, and the community has a lot of history. Northfield is an easier commute to Farmington than the others on your list. Elko has some good home values and is also a fairly easy commute to Farmington. It is part of the Lakeville School District.

Easier then Rosemount & Lakeville? Not really--Rosemount to Farmington is about a mile, Lakeville to Farmington is about 2 miles (they are bordering towns with Farmington), Northfield is about 15 miles.

[ajordan9]

Elko to farmington is about 10-15 minutes. Elko is nice because you have quick interstate access and also Lakeville schools in some of the areas.

[What!]

I live in Burnsville and it's good to raise a kid. Seriously. But don't go to Eagan unless you want your house flooded. Almost every year since I first moved to Burnsville in '94 do I hear about Eagan is flooded. Whenever I go to the local Eagan Wal-Mart they always have flood relief money at the front entrance. I never pay because they should move instead of living in a place where there are so many floods.