Recommend Scandin. Middle Class Neighborhood/Suburbs Please. (Minneapolis, St. Paul: homes, neighborhoods)

[paulmo]

Looking to move back to the midwest from the northeast...went to school in Wisconsin. I'm looking for middle/working class (30-50K income) residential neighborhoods, with traditional scandinavian roots. Prefer large suburban neighborhoods (parks etc.) over urban/apt. living, but close to the cities.

Thanks in advance for suggestions.

[golfgal]

Where will you be working? That is going to have a big impact on where you want to live.

[paulmo]

anywhere within 10 mi. radius of the cities would be good. access to parks/lakes ++, prefer old over new suburbs.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by paulmo

anywhere within 10 mi. radius of the cities would be good. access to parks/lakes ++, prefer old over new suburbs.

Ok, but say you get a job in Fridley, you certainly don't want to be living in Richfield.

[paulmo]

if you could just throw some places out that would be great...I take those 2 are a start...thanks.

[golfgal]

Fridley
Blaine
Anoka
Cottage Grove
South St. Paul
West St. Paul
Richfield
Bloomington
Shakopee
Columbia Heights
Golden Valley
New Hope
Coon Rapids
Roseville


There really aren't any "bad" suburbs. Parts of some suburbs are not the best. South St. Paul, for example, you want to be north of 494 and west of 10th Ave or so. West St. Paul you want to stay south of Annapolis, the farther south the better.

[paulmo]

thanks...that'll keep me busy...out of those, which have the most character as in history, churches etc? not so much into the new developments.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by paulmo

thanks...that'll keep me busy...out of those, which have the most character as in history, churches etc? not so much into the new developments.

They are all pretty much the same. I don't know that any of them really have all that much character. They are all pretty much post WWII bungalow style suburbs. If you want an area with history, character, nice churches, etc. you should look at towns like Stillwater, Hastings, Excelsior but then you are getting away from the average income that you are looking at. Stillwater and Hastings will have plenty of areas that would have families in that income bracket though, along with a lot of million+ dollar homes too. Both are along the river so you have access to parks, lakes, river, etc., just not the ones in Minneapolis.

[Glenfield]

What do you mean by " traditional Scandinavian roots?" That may be a tall order in the Twin Cities today. Small town Minnesota maybe, but I'm not so sure about TC suburbs. I've lived in a few and there was really no Scandinavian character about them. Perhaps if you share what that might mean to you more specifically.

[paulmo]

Originally Posted by golfgal

They are all pretty much post WWII bungalow style suburbs.

this one made me chuckle...so accurate from city to city. Thanks again for the list.