Family of four, Priced out in California (Minneapolis, St. Paul: 2015, house)

[Eli34]

In the Bay Area and housing is impossible here and wages don't reflect cost of living for the working class. Been researching affordable cities with good work prospects and good schools and Minneapolis popped up on radar. Oddly enough, wages are almost the same in Minneapolis as here in the Bay Area for my skill set (construction). And housing is actually within reach in Minneapolis.

Anyways, I'm trying to figure out if this move is something I need to do for my family, because my wife has her family here and we would be leaving them behind and moving to a city where we don't know anybody. But if it means good schools, a house with a yard and and better standard of living, I think it's worth it.

You think I would be making the right move? (Leaving family behind that is, for possible better life)

[uptown_urbanist]

Housing is definitely much cheaper here, but it's also nice to be by family. It's easier to afford living in an area with good public schools here, but if it was me, I wouldn't move just for a bigger house or a yard; I can see doing it if you're stuck in a place with poor schools or a really long commute. Or if your wife is supportive; I think a relocation is something that ideally you'd both want.

If you do make the move, Minneapolis is a great place for families, and it's SO much cheaper than the Bay Area... at least for most things. I think our grocery bill is higher here than it was there, and I miss having inexpensive, quality fresh produce year-round.

[Eli34]

The only neighborhoods we could afford are the ones with the bad schools in here. Unfortunately. Either that, or send them to private school and I am against that. Am a strong advocate for public schools.

Traffic is pretty bad here, but I'm used to it.

[J Baustian]

Originally Posted by Eli34

The only neighborhoods we could afford are the ones with the bad schools in here. Unfortunately. Either that, or send them to private school and I am against that. Am a strong advocate for public schools.

Traffic is pretty bad here, but I'm used to it.

Traffic is pretty terrible in the Twin Cities, too, now that road construction season is here.

And there are plenty of bad schools here as well. If I had school age children, I would either home-school them or try to find a good private school.

[Hockeygirl063]

Originally Posted by J Baustian

Traffic is pretty terrible in the Twin Cities, too, now that road construction season is here.

And there are plenty of bad schools here as well. If I had school age children, I would either home-school them or try to find a good private school.

I don't know where you are getting your information on schools. I have read many many posts about public schools in the twin cities and MOST are all rated very well. Of course in any urban area you will have schools that re not as good but like I said overall all the thread about moving to MSP with families people here have mostly positive things about the schools. But I guess you do what is best for your family personally I think home schooling is the worse thing you can do. Kids need to socialize and be with other kids in a school setting . Time away from parents. Kids need to go out and experience life not spend most of the day at home on a computer learning school lessons. Yes technology is an important thing these days and most schools use it to some extent. I don't care if you say well they do this and that activity it is NOT even close to the same thing. that's part of the problem with these kids they have ZERO social skills. Getting good grades is important but there are many things going to school can teach and help kids to learn to adjust to real life.

Where I live we have good schools but if i could afford a private school I would think about it at least when she is in high school especially if she will be interested in college. Problem with private school is they re so freaking expensive middle class families can't afford it. Unless you have a genius kid then they will bend over backwards for your kid to attend. Same with private colleges.

[WoodburyWoody]

Originally Posted by Eli34

The only neighborhoods we could afford are the ones with the bad schools in here. Unfortunately. Either that, or send them to private school and I am against that. Am a strong advocate for public schools.

Traffic is pretty bad here, but I'm used to it.

Rush hour traffic is pretty bad here, worse than it was when I lived in Los Angeles, IMO (I left there 15 years ago). The issue here is simply poor design for the most part. The Twin Cities' system worked well for the traffic patterns and load of the '70s and '80s. However, the sprawl (I am one of them) and increased load over the past 30 years has left it an embarrassment. The truly sad part is that it could be addressed and dealt with, but there is no political will (even business groups have lobbied for an increased gas tax because of lost time to congestion and lost money to vehicle repairs from Twin Cities freeways).

Rant aside, on the plus side is that for the most part it is limited to rush hour traffic here. A 45-55 minute rush hour commute could be 15-20 minutes off-rush. Life is even better if you live close enough that you can take to the surface roads instead. Within Minneapolis and St. Paul, there is very good mass transit - great bus system and now the Blue Line, Green Line and Northstar light rail options. When winter really hits, a 45-minute rush hour commute on freeways can easily double, but the buses (driving on shoulders) seem to stick pretty close the their schedules and the light rail doesn't miss a beat from what I have experienced (unless someone runs into a train, literally).

Outside M-SP, the buses become trickier. And there are a LOT of people in the 'burbs (I am one of them) and outstate work in M-SP, so lots of cars from that. Again, though, this is rush hour. Add to it some bottlenecks due to few points crossing rivers on the south and east sides.

So, location makes a big difference. You are in construction, so my guess is that would mean driving regardless, right? I *see* a lot - and I mean a lot of construction in M-SP both in commercial and road work. The number of cranes I see on my drive in-and-out of M-SP increases each summer. And I know that my 'burb and surrounding 'burbs on the east side are building lots of new residential subdivisions. I would guess that similar things are happening on other sides of the Twin Cities, but someone can chime in on that. And parts of St. Paul are going through big renovations in neighborhoods.

Good luck on your search - hope you find what makes you and your family happy. It that is the Twin Cities, good to have you in the mix.

[pvoyd]

Good luck in your search. I had several opportunities to relocate to the Bay Area from the Twin Cities, and the increases in the cost of living, worse schools, longer commutes would (for me) never be offset by a somewhat higher salary and a much nicer climate. Basically, one can support a family on a single salary in the Twin Cities; in the Bay Area, two professionals might just scrape by unless they bought property 10 or 20 years ago.

[Minntoaz]

Would I personally stay in a locale with crappier schools, outrageous traffic, no prospects of ever owning a home? The answer to that is no. I would move to BFE before I stayed in a place with all the aforementioned characteristics. Kids are adaptable. You can move when they are grown up. Take vacays to see family a few times a year. Sell your home when kids are out of school and move closer to family.

However there really is no underestimating the power of Happy life= Happy wife says the lady who with my husband moved across the country near my family. However he did sent out his resume to where he is from too so it was an equal opportunity for either place. I've heard and seen marriages fall apart when one spouse is more on board with moving than the other. There is really no dry cut answer and it sounds more like something you and your wife really need to sit down and talk about in depth. What it means for you financially and the kind of life you will have if you move vs. being by family but not having much to show.

[mkdude_08]

Originally Posted by J Baustian

Traffic is pretty terrible in the Twin Cities, too, now that road construction season is here.

And there are plenty of bad schools here as well. If I had school age children, I would either home-school them or try to find a good private school.

I moved to Minneapolis from San Francisco. Twin Cities traffic is nowhere near the same level as northern or southern california.

[pvoyd]

Originally Posted by mkdude_08

I moved to Minneapolis from San Francisco. Twin Cities traffic is nowhere near the same level as northern or southern california.

Having spent about a month total in the LA area in 2015, I have to agree, at least about Southern California. Then again, Twin Cities are about 1/4 size of LA, population-wise.