Mayo job offer! Many questions about Rochester and vicinity for family of 6. (Minneapolis: 2014, rental)

[Tyryztoll]

Hi....posting another relocation thread. Bear with me as I describe our situation a bit. There's a lot to tell.

We're a family of 6. Children are ages 13, 12, 4, and 3. Originally from Michigan, currently living in North Texas, where we've been for almost 2 years. We've lived in 3 different states since 2014 due to our youngest child being born with orthopedic abnormalities that had to be addressed with select pediatric specialty doctors. As of now, she's doing great, has no additional surgeries planned, and just needs to be monitored with checkups every 6 to 9 months.

Our oldest son (13) has mental/behavioral issues that require intense psychological treatment. Texas has been awful in this regard. Services are basically non existent unless your child gets adjudicated into the legal system or you have thousands of extra dollars to throw at psychologists and treatment facilities (we obviously don't have that kind of $$). Insurance covers almost nothing, and the state of Texas offers basically no help whatsoever......again, unless your kid gets into serious trouble and winds up in the juvenile justice system. The schools can only do so much, as they are not trained to deal with a lot of the stuff our son has going on....but he is in their special needs program and is doing fairly well, although he has to be monitored constantly. We understand that we can't rely on any system for a total solution to our son's issues, but we do need more help than we're getting here.

After moving around the past few years, we're ready to find our spot and settle for good.......and I mean for GOOD. We came to Texas for our daughter to be treated, but don't want to be here long term. We want to be back in our home region, the upper Midwest, and we want to buy a home within 2 years. I am a Cat Scan tech and have an offer from Mayo Clinic in Rochester. I would start in March of 2017. As anyone familiar with the medical industry knows, this is the opportunity of a lifetime for someone in my profession. Mayo is perhaps the most renowned medical institution in the world. This job will instantly maximize my potential and provide the best benefit package our family could possibly have. This is the job I want to retire with.

We've considered Minnesota previously, but I could never break into the job market there, which is extremely competitive in my field (our governing institution, the ARRT, is based in St. Paul). Minnesota obviously has many similarities to our home state of Michigan, and cuts the travel time to our families in half from where we currently live.

All that said, we now need to know as much about Rochester and the surrounding vicinity (20 mile radius) as possible. We've been to the Twin Cities previously, but never Rochester. I would have to be within 30 minutes commute to Mayo for on-call duties, and we would ideally like to set down in a more rural setting on the outskirts of town. We will rent initially (3BR, 2BA) to get a feel for everything, and then like I said, will likely buy after 6 months to a year. We currently pay $1,600 a month to rent a similar sized home here, but I really don't want to pay that much for our next rental if I don't have to.

I have heard much about the educational system in Minnesota being among the nations best. What makes this so, and what can I expect in terms of the school services available to our 13 year old son? Our 3 year old also gets early intervention services from the school district. How are the schools in and around the Rochester area in comparison to the Cities?

I've already been told by multiple people to avoid the SE side of Rochester. What's going on over there? Just rough neighborhoods, or something more?

This may be some level of paranoia on my behalf, but I know there's a nuclear power plant in Red Wing, which is not far from the area we plan to settle in. Can anyone offer any takes on this facility in terms of safety records and possible concerns? We've never lived that close to a NPP before, and although I've done plenty of research on it, I also know that these companies (in this case Xcel Energy) also won't always reveal everything the public has a right to know.

Well, that's enough to get the thread started hopefully. Would really appreciate any and all constructive responses. Thanks!

[tlarnla]

I don't know that much about Rochester, but I was thinking of getting a house there myself.

My mom loves it, but I haven't been there much.

From what I have read, though, it seems like a good place to raise kids. I have read that the schools are very good. This doesn't surprise me. With the Mayo there, it's safe to assume that there are a lot of people there who value education.

Homes are cheaper in the rural areas around Rochester, but the quality of schools is probably lower also.

Another plus is that Rochester has a small airport, so you can fly back to MI without having to drive up to the Cities.


The nuclear plant in Red Wing makes me nervous too, but some people don't mind it. Some people believe it is only a problem if they have an accident. In that case, you want to be at least 50 miles away from it. Rochester is 38 miles away, so it would be in the evacuation zone.

But some people say there are no problems if the plant never has an accident. However, there are others who still worry about venting. Is this something that would make you nervous or not?

For what it's worth, there are a lot of people living near nuclear plants that worry about them. My mom is one. She has lived near a nuclear plant for decades, and it makes her nervous, but she loves the town she lives in and so she thinks the small risk is worth staying there. However, she lives only about 2 or 3 miles from one, so that is much scarier than 38. Being 38 miles away, you probably wouldn't think about it much at all.

[Tyryztoll]

Originally Posted by tlarnla

The nuclear plant in Red Wing makes me nervous too, but some people don't mind it. Some people believe it is only a problem if they have an accident. In that case, you want to be at least 50 miles away from it. Rochester is 38 miles away, so it would be in the evacuation zone.

But some people say there are no problems if the plant never has an accident. However, there are others who still worry about venting. Is this something that would make you nervous or not?

Yeah, hate to say it... but it would. I need to do more research on the subject. No matter how remote the possibility of an accident, I can't imagine having to evacuate my wife & kids from something like that.

[Glenfield]

It's 55 miles from the Prairie Island Power Plant to Rochester, same distance as it is from Prairie Island to Minneapolis -St . Paul Airport. Honestly, it sounds like you have a lot more real concerns in your life without being paranoid about a nuclear power plant. If it's the opportunity is what you say it is, take the job. Rochester is a great community.

[my54ford]

Nope stay there.......That Nuke plant is a tea kettle ready to blow!!!!!!....

[Tyryztoll]

Originally Posted by my54ford

Nope stay there.......That Nuke plant is a tea kettle ready to blow!!!!!!....

[601halfdozen0theother]

Most places in the area are within a 30 min commute to Mayo - traffic flows very easily and the streets are plowed well in the winter.

If your primary concern will be the best schools for your kids, you should live in Rochester itself.

If your primary concern is the ability to get to work quickly, you should live in Rochester itself.

If you want a more rural lifestyle further away from the nuke plant, live in the Byron, Stewartville or Spring Valley areas. Schools in those towns are fine, it's just that they're not as highly rated as the Rochester schools.

Rochester really has very little crime for a city that size. There is just one area on the SE side that seems to have more crime than other areas, but mostly that part of town has small homes on large lots and is perfectly fine.

If the nuclear plant bothers you - if something happens it really won't matter much where you live. But if you think it will help, just pick a home on the west side of town.

[Tyryztoll]

My research is also bringing up a lot of stuff about Minnesota being a breeding ground for terrorism. What the heck is up with that?

Sorry if I seem paranoid. Just trying to make a good, safe decision for my family, so if I see stuff that calls safety into question I will ask about it.

Really like everything else I'm hearing about Rochester, though.

[my54ford]

Originally Posted by Tyryztoll

My research is also bringing up a lot of stuff about Minnesota being a breeding ground for terrorism. What the heck is up with that?

Sorry if I seem paranoid. Just trying to make a good, safe decision for my family, so if I see stuff that calls safety into question I will ask about it.

Really like everything else I'm hearing about Rochester, though.

Another ticking timebomb...

HBO's The Recruiters, set in Minnesota, will tell story of Somali radicalization | City Pages

Fox Hosts: Somali-Muslim Community In Minnesota

How terrorists recruit in 'Little Mogadishu' of Minneapolis | On Air Videos | Fox News

Delusion In Little Mogadishu | Power Line

[601halfdozen0theother]

The people you really have to watch out for are all them scurry Norwegians.

(I think 54 doesn't want any more Texans up here.)