Moving to the Twin Cities area (please help us decide where!). (Eagan: rentals, low crime)

[freckledmom]

Hi Everyone! My family of 5 (soon to be 6), is looking to make a move to the Twin Cities area this January. There's no specific area we have to be in, and we're honestly not familiar with the area at all-so we really need your help!

Here is what we're more or less looking for...

My husband will be going to culinary school in Mendota Heights, so ideally we'd like to be no more than 45 minutes or so from that general area-but he'll be graduating in June, so even if we were a little further than that, it would be workable-we'd still want to stay in relatively close proximity (no more than an hour in any direction) to the Twin Cities area for his career.

We homeschool, and although the laws might cause us to look into other options, we'd like to be in a community with lots of other homeschooling families-but also a decent public school district.

We don't vaccinate, so an area with pediatricians and/or family doctors that are open to this is a must.

We'll be renting, at least at first-so we'd like to be in an area where 3 bedroom (or more) houses rent for around $1000 or less a month (less being better ).

While we don't really want to go full on rural, we definitely favor smaller towns-especially ones with a lot of small local businesses.

Since I'll probably be home alone nights with 4 young children, a very low crime area is a must.

We'd like to be relatively close to a good non-denominational Christian church-more on the larger side, that has lots of activities and programs for the whole family.

Probably my biggest desire in where we move to that when you're walking down the street, people say hello, and neighbors know (and look out for) one another.

My husband wanted me to add that he wants to be in a town with lots of mature trees.

[golfgal]

Quite honestly you are going to have a very difficult time finding everything you want, mainly because of your $1000/month budget for a 3 bedroom rental, especially if you want a house. You can plan on almost doubling that to get a house with 3 or more bedrooms.

As for the homeschooling, you will be able to find homeschooling groups around the metro area, not as many in the outlying areas. The vaccination thing, there isn't going to be one community that "supports" that and you will just have to call around to various dr's to see if they support your choice. Keep in mind that MN has a pretty prominent medical community and I do know of several dr's that won't see patients that won't vaccinate but I am sure there are some out there that will.

I think the two places I would start looking would be Hastings and Cannon Falls. Both are very nice towns, mature trees, easy commute to Mendota Heights and you might be able to find a rental there for your price.

The easiest place to look for rentals close to Mendota Heights would be Eagan or Inver Grove Heights. Both will be a major stretch to find a 3 bedroom for $1000 or less but you might find something. Both towns have older sections of town that have very mature trees, much of Eagan is built around a county park and it is beautiful there this time of year. Apple Valley and Rosemount might work as well, again, both towns have older sections with beautiful trees--but the rental thing again is going to be an issue.

[Kebinminn]

There's a couple of homeschooling yahoo groups, they'd be a good place to check. Echo-MN is a good source. I know there are several other homeschooling groups in the area, both in the city and more suburban neighborhoods. Generally the less desirable the school district the more homeschoolers you'll find, you won't see as many in the top districts because more parents are happy with the schools.