Family with 4 kids looking to relocate to MN next year (St. Paul: rent, middle schools)

[momma4cubs]

Well, it may sound confusing, but here in Oregon we have some crazy suburbs with nothing but box stores and strip malls and clone developments and we have small towns with older homes and local stores and diners, etc. I'm for small towns. I get overwhelmed with too many lanes of traffic and huge stores. It may sound quirky but I have had a panic attack at Ikea I have nothing against them, but they are not for me. In many regions you can find little areas that are technically suburbs, but have a "small town", walkable, and local store feel. That would be my preference.

[momma4cubs]

Hmmm, maybe it doesn't exist, I've been out here in Oregon for 10 years and before that I was in Ohio. I honestly don't know what I will find when we visit the Twin Cities, that's why I'm asking you guys I only have such a short trip to look around ( one week) that I'm feeling worried I won't be looking in the right places.

[momma4cubs]

Sorry, yes it means the urban area of Minn/St. Paul as that is where my husband will work, though he will have some flexibility to which office and thanks for the walkscore idea!

[Arne Bjornson]

The suburbs here are pretty big box suburban, without any down town.

Bloomington would probably be the equivalent of Beaverton. A lot of suburbs here could pass for Gresham.

Supposedly there are burbs here that are more like small towns with little downtowns but the only one I've been to is Edina. I don't think that is what you were looking for, but if so, I'd check it out.

[momma4cubs]

Ok, well what about Stillwater? Can anyone tell me if that is a nice family friendly town with good schools? Also what about White Bear Lake?

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

For true small towns that are physically separated from the metro, consider :
Carver, Jordan, Belle Plaine, Waconia, Maple Plain, Delano, Rockford, Hudson, Stillwater, Hastings, Northfield, Forest Lake

For small town atmospheres in suburbs or cities within the greater metro area, try:
Excelsior, Anoka, Chaska, Farmington, Shakopee, St. Louis Park, Edina, Robbinsdale, Hopkins, Mound, White Bear Lake, Wayzata

I know there's many more (including others previously mentioned), but this is a good list to start your search from.

[Apple Tree]

We were exactly where you are just a few years ago. We had spent time in Portland, Denver, and Chicago. All of those cities have great things about them. What we loved about Minneapolis-St. Paul was that it is pretty much an even split of East and West. You have the culture that you would expect to find in the East, but the outdoors focus that you often see in the West.

St. Paul is lovely. Like any other metro, there are neighborhoods I could live in for a lifetime, and others where I would avoid. 80% of the hoods and the downtown area are all very safe. Other places I would look are SouthEast Mpls near the light rail, Linden Hills, St. Louis Park, Hopkins, and Excelsior. Excelsior is a little further out, but it is a neat little town with all the amenities you need, so you don't spend much time driving. Stillwater is lovely, but like Excelsior is a little further commute to either downtown. I would be perfectly happy in any of those places I listed, and they all have genuine character and a nice mix of old-timers and newbies.

[momma4cubs]

We just got back from MSP and loved it thanks for all the advice!

[Mason3000]

Originally Posted by momma4cubs

We just got back from MSP and loved it thanks for all the advice!

Be sure to give us all your thoughts once you're rested up.

[Hockeygirl063]

I too live in Portland well suburb of Beaverton.

We live in a nice area but it is really getting so expensive to live here. I am trying to convince hubby we should move. This post has answered many questions I have been pondering about the Twin Cities.

Schools are very important to me.