Mankato vs North Mankato (Minneapolis, Hilltop: low income, apartments, rentals)

[iamfromsouth]

My spouse (a physician) just got a good job offer from Mankato. We are seriously considering it.We visited Mankato in Jan and fell in love with the community / people.

We are a young couple and are planning a family soon. We plan to buy our starter home in a decent community. Our biggest fear is falling value of homes / high taxes. We have never lived in the midwest and hopefully we will like the cold winters. There is a possibility, though very little that we might move back to south in 3-5 years if we don't get used to the weather.

Could some please help me out with a list of good neighbourhoods ( both old and new )in Mankato or North Mankato that are stable or going up? Any genuine advice to would-be-first-home-buyer would be really appreciated. Thank you so much in advance!!

[Dustin0550]

I am a student here in Mankato and work in North Mankato. These cities are amazingly poor. About 20% of Mankato residents live in poverty (as defined by the US govt). Since there are 4 major colleges here, the large supply of service labor pushes the wages way down. The rent is lower though compared to the Twin Cities area. I just look forward to getting out of this place. Small towns are not for me... especially these small towns.

[Fallout Zone]

My hometown is N. Mankato. I've been gone for a while now, but my parents still live there. I never got the impression that the town was poor at all, especially compared to equally-sized towns (FYI, just so you don't think I'm blowing smoke, I now live in the highest median income place in the country, the VA suburbs of DC). Maybe the previous poster's stats were because of the very large student population? I know that after I left for college (1997) there were some additional immigrants, but that is true almost everywhere in the country.

North Mankato is basically divided in two. The river valley areas are the older parts of town. I assume the prices are cheaper there, and it does have an older feel to it. "Upper North" is the area on the hilltop. Basically everything up there is pretty good. Probably the area that would hold its value the most is a neighborhood called "Northridge". The river valley view and ravine lots were always popular in Upper North. "Green Acres" was also a popular neighborhood. If your spouse is working at the Mankato Clinic, it is a very easy 5-10 minute commute down Hwy 14.

Mankato is expanding outwards due to the building of the Mall, Clinic and all of the commercial property on the east side of town. There is a bunch of new construction out in that area, but I am always a little leery of that, especially in this kind of market. I won't comment on the rest of Mankato, because I'm not really that familiar with the housing situation.

I thought the town was a good place to grow up. The schools were good and it was safe. The fact that there is a 10-15K university there makes the town a little more interesting than it would be, and Minneapolis is only an hour and a half away for the more exciting stuff. The weather is what it is. Personally, I find the DC area miserable because I can't go outside without sweating from May-Sept MN summers are nice because you get the hot and humid stuff, but then a front will come through and it'll cool off to the 70s, so you get a break from the heat. The winters are cold, but the really frigid days (like today) that people try to scare you with are pretty rare.

[Fallout Zone]

Just as a quick follow up to the first reply, it may be that Mankato's rating in the poverty section is higher because they are counting some of the students at Minn. St. - Mankato. If you look at North Mankato's profile it is better than the state average:

Residents with income below the poverty level in 1999:
This city: 7.0% Whole state: 7.9%

Residents with income below 50% of the poverty level in 1999:
This city: 2.5% Whole state: 3.2%

[kellyroberts]

I lived in Mankato/North Mankato for 15 years and fell in love with the community. I had to move recently for a new job. We're in the Twin Cities, and I miss the feeling of living in community vs. a suburb.

Northridge in North Mankato is a great neighborhood. It's not so new that you don't have trees - like many of the newish neighborhoods - but the housing is relatively new with quality construction. (Some of the new neighborhoods in Mankato look and feel like slapped-together construction.) There's a nice little park in the Northridge neighborhood. It's quiet and filled with friendly families.

Kensington in Mankato is nice, too.

The area has great schools, and the university keeps it lively and interesting. Decent shopping, too. There is a small but fiesty and passionate arts community. The southern edge of the Twin Cities is about an 80-minute drive.

If you're worried about resale, this is the time to buy! Housing is lower because of the market, and you'll build equity fast. Buy low, sell high. You're in a great position. If you want to know anymore about the area, let me know and we can email.

[mnelson]

WHat about local businesses? Are there locally owned restaurants, shops, produce, organic farms etc.. Outdoor festivals? Cultural activities?

Also, schools. My daughter will be going to Kindergarten in fall and there is a possibilty of us relocating there.

I went to college there but haven't been back since 1985. I remenber a fun outdoor music festival at the end of the school year but can't remember the name of it. I was in the cities for 10 years, POrtland, Or for 9 years and now in the middle of WI. Stevens Point. We were hoping to get to the Twin Cities but that might not happen.

[ozzie679]

Originally Posted by Dustin0550

I am a student here in Mankato and work in North Mankato. These cities are amazingly poor. About 20% of Mankato residents live in poverty (as defined by the US govt). Since there are 4 major colleges here, the large supply of service labor pushes the wages way down. The rent is lower though compared to the Twin Cities area. I just look forward to getting out of this place. Small towns are not for me... especially these small towns.

I find that hard to believe. North Mankato's median household income is above Minnesota's average.

[Sparkleinyoureyes83]

Mankato is a decent town. I grew up there until I was 24. I myself have 3 kids and I did enjoy the schools. Kennedy and Roosevelt are decent for elementary... There is a junior High... When I went there It was new but I didn't think it was a good place for a child to attend school. I still hold the same opinion If I didnt move I would not have let my children go to that school when they got to that age. The highschools are okay. Mankato west I feel is a little better than Mankato East. For one mankato west was a 9-12 school and east held the 7-12 If I am correct. Mankato east does not have windows in their school which is a bit bothersome for me. but the teachers are very good at most of the mankato schools. The colleges are excellent.

There is a lot of entertainment for a couple with out children. Mankato does not have many places where a family with children can go to have decent entertainment. There are parks and bowling alleys and a mall with a small area for children to play in but other than that there is nothing else for a family with children to do. Mankato is a very big college town and much of the entertainment is focused on college students. A while back they did end the peoples fair. Which was by far the best summer festival. They now have the solstice (spelling?), rib fest, Rocking in the quarry. Many local bands show up to these and play one heck of a show!

If you want a decent place to live i would stick with North Mankato or old town mankato. Hilltop mankato does have decent places to live but then you get up by the college and it becomes more busy. Rent for a 3 bedroom apartment will run you around 700+ which isn't too bad.

People in general in mankato are very friendly and will look out for you.
Mankato has grown alot. Both in expanding and culture. You will get a little of everything in mankato.

But I would suggest that if you are a family with children, Move to North Mankato.

[loveuglybetty]

I grew up in the Kensington Hills area and it was a very safe, professional neighborhood. If you are looking for a tree-lined street "Leave it to Beaver" neighborhood, I recommend West Mankato. I attended Roosevelt, Jefferson, Dakota Meadows, and West. After leaving Mankato I have lived in 3 other states (Colorado, Nebraska, and Illinois) and now have children of my own. I don't think you can top the Mankato schools (especially the West side). I am a teacher now, and in my professional opinion, I feel those schools are still the best. They really follow the trends of innovative strategies of education. I would pay a lot of money for an education for my kids to attend schools like that.

[mgrjenny]

I am new to the area and about to move to kato, what area do you consider North mankato and mankato. Old mankato is that where the civic center and west high is? My kid wants to go to west highschool, do we have to live within so many blocks to qualify to go there or do you know the rules? i dont know all the mankato lingo, people say uptown and I assume madison ave and not sure if it is or not, no one to ask?

I am looking for rentals or rent to own homes...I have checked all the mobile home parks already and not much luck there. I need something around $500-650 a month. A house or mobilehome, preferably not an apartment, maybe a townhome...3 bedrooms preferably.

but my 20 yr old is moving here too and needs income based low income apartments and I need to collect a list of names of place for her, if you know of any....1 or 2 bedroom, its her and a one month old baby. So one bedroom would work for awhile for her...