Marshall, New Ulm, (Rochester, St. Cloud, Eden Prairie: for sale, houses, high school)

[midwestmom]

Read good things about both places. Marshall seems a bit isolated in comparison. New Ulm houses a bit prettier, but we like older homes. We are familiar with Mankato, Winona and Rochester. Like a more central layout more like Winona, less like Mankato.
What are similarities, differences? St Cloud is bigger than what we prefer to give you an idea.
COL? Home prices in general?

[golfgal]

Marshall has a better economy, more global/national companies, larger college in town and a little bit better schools vs New Ulm. New Ulm is more scenic and yes, more older houses, but there are older houses in Marshall as well.

Marshall is a little farther away but not so far that it's "isolated" I guess. More people tend to go to Sioux Falls, Mankato or St. Cloud for shopping but also to the Twin Cities. It's just over 2 hours to Eden Prairie from Marshall.

They both have a state park in/nearby.

Marshall is a little less blue collar than New Ulm too.

I think Marshall is just kept up better on the whole too--parks, roads, houses, businesses, etc.

Marshall might be a little more expensive for housing.

Golf course in Marshall is much nicer than the one in New Ulm .

[midwestmom]

Thanks golfgirl, I know you really liked living there before and appreciate the details about Marshall. Schools aren't an issue, or at least only post high school. I do like that there's a college, might see if there's a tech school. Looks like they have a fixed route bus and New Ulm doesn't though I did see that you can arrange pick up for rides there.

Shopping seems similar in town anyway. You were right about houses being a bit higher, less of them for sale though that can change. Need to find out more about Special services for disabled adults. Thanks for your help.

[golfgal]

If you need special services for adults, Marshall would be the place to go. SMSU is completely handicapped accessible and was designed to be the state directional for that. The town is easy to navigate. There is a bus system that is door to door (MAT bus) and a lot of offerings for special needs of all ages. Not sure if independent living is possible but the REM system has housing for special needs adults (with supervision).

There is a satellite campus for the Tech School in Marshall.

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Marshall is a little farther away but not so far that it's "isolated" I guess. More people tend to go to Sioux Falls, Mankato or St. Cloud for shopping but also to the Twin Cities. It's just over 2 hours to Eden Prairie from Marshall.
.

Out of curiosity, how would you define isolated? I mapped Marshall to those places on google maps and found the following:

Marshall to Sioux Falls = 92.3 miles, 1 hour 36 mins
Marshall to Mankato = 101 miles, 1 hour 56 mins
Marshall to outer Twin Cities (Eden Prairie) = 132 miles, 2 hours and 27 mins
Marshall to St. Cloud = 131 miles, 2 hours, 20 mins

By my definition, Marshall is isolated.

[sholomar]

I like Marshall, but it's isolated and people who live in that area drive quite slow I've noticed compared to South Dakotans so it can feel to me like it takes a while to get places with the lower speed limits and lack of immediate interstate access. It's a nice well kept city with a good economy. I drive through it on my way to Granite Falls to hit up that casino that serves seafood around the 21st of each month.

I like it because there are more commercial services compared to where I live, Brookings, which is more like a bedroom community with all the good shopping in either Watertown or Sioux Falls. Marshall is more like a hub. Also I like the road layout.. Brookings feels somewhat cramped.. I like how the highway hugs the town of Marshall and the number of 4 lane roads.. feels more spacious.

Area around Marshall is flat as a pancake from glacial movement during the last ice age. Makes for good farming I'd imagine.. it's also a tad bit warmer than surrounding areas because it gets a modest chinook wind effect due to somewhat higher elevation not far to the west whenever the winds are out of the W. It can be 3-6 degrees warmer than areas to the east and west on some days.

State parks of note nearby... Lake Shetek to the South, and Camden to the SW, both nice parks. Pipestone National Monument in Pipestone, and Split Rock Creek south of Pipestone. If you're making a trip to Sioux Falls, stopping at the Palisades State park south of Garretson, SD is definitely worth it. The entire little Minnesota/Glacial River Warren Valley is also pretty with some karst topography and very old exposed rock in places like Granite Falls.

http://highwayhighlights.com/2012/04...nite-falls-mn/

I've mentioned this before but if you like chinese buffets Pipestone has a great one on 2nd street north.

https://plus.google.com/109852858485...04/about?hl=en

I don't know that much about Marshall more about the surrounding countryside. Also they have a really good rock station.. KARZ 107.5... it blows 103.7 in Sioux Falls out of the water in playlist variety and lack of constant station identification. Good mixture of new and old rock.

Hope I was somewhat useful. Me personally, I'd pick New Ulm.. and Winona is a favorite of mine.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by Cruz Azul Guy

Out of curiosity, how would you define isolated? I mapped Marshall to those places on google maps and found the following:

Marshall to Sioux Falls = 92.3 miles, 1 hour 36 mins
Marshall to Mankato = 101 miles, 1 hour 56 mins
Marshall to outer Twin Cities (Eden Prairie) = 132 miles, 2 hours and 27 mins
Marshall to St. Cloud = 131 miles, 2 hours, 20 mins

By my definition, Marshall is isolated.

Well, Marshall to Marshall, 0 miles.....

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Well, Marshall to Marshall, 0 miles.....

Ahhh ok. So by that logic no place on earth is isolated then. Thanks for clariying