Minnesota or Vermont? (Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester: houses, unemployment, school districts)

[appyhorses]

Hi guys,

I'm trying to decide whether to relocate to Minnesota or Vermont. Any of you been to Vermont, or even better, lived in Vermont? I've been to Vermont, but not Minnesota. Similarities, differences?

We love the countryside, but would probably have to work in the Twin Cities area, at least. We've got 2 kids, aged 3 and 9, and 2 horses (plus dogs!). Which means we can't live in the city or anything. Any suggestions as to where, something within commuting distance of the Twin Cities, quiet, somewhat rural, at least? With good schools? I love hills and mountains, but I don't think there are even hills near Twin Cities area, right?

And are tornadoes common in the Twin Cities area at all? I'm terrified of tornadoes, can't do anything to protect your family, and hardly any warning, I think. I already know about the brutal winters (not used to snow all winter long, but that's something we're gonna have to learn to deal with).

Thanks!

[golfgal]

I don't know that you will "have" to work in the Twin Cities area. If you want a more rural setting there are plenty of options outside of the Twin Cities. Even around the Twin Cities you won't have difficulty finding an area that you will be able to have horses and a fairly easy commute. You can be as close as 15 miles from either St. Paul or Minneapolis and find "farm" country. Also keep in mind that most jobs in the metro area are actually in the suburbs, not in the downtown areas so that expands your possibilities.

Now, why are you moving? What do you do for a living?

With the exception of a handful of school districts, finding top notch schools will not be an issue here at all. Unemployment in MN is relatively low compared to the rest of the nation. It's hard to make specific recommendations as to where to live without knowing where you will be working.

I have lived in MN for the better part of 40 years and while there are tornadoes here, I have never experienced one. I think we have "had" to go to our basement three times ever that I can remember and even then, we had no damage from anything.

[appyhorses]

I am a dentist, but since I can't work as a dentist there yet (I'm an international graduate, an American citizen but I've been living in Europe for a long time now - have to pass a series of exams, plus have the Board approve me for licensure), I'd like to find work as a dental assistant. I want to relocate back to the US, ASAP.

We're used to earthquakes here, and back in the States, we had hurricanes.

Are there at least lots of trees in the areas around the Cities?

[audadvnc]

Minnesota winter driving is much better than Vermont's. As for tornadoes, I see them every spring - in my dreams. I've never seen one in person, but the damage inflicted by one is quite localized, and hardly ever as destructive as the ones down South. Trees - when I moved to MSP in the 1970's the streets were lined with big, majestic elms, most of which are gone now due to disease. From the air, the Twin Cities area looks like a forest with houses underneath.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by appyhorses

I am a dentist, but since I can't work as a dentist there yet (I'm an international graduate, an American citizen but I've been living in Europe for a long time now - have to pass a series of exams, plus have the Board approve me for licensure), I'd like to find work as a dental assistant. I want to relocate back to the US, ASAP.

We're used to earthquakes here, and back in the States, we had hurricanes.

Are there at least lots of trees in the areas around the Cities?

Yes, most of the metro area is pretty heavily wooded-not like you see in the northern forests but still very treed.

Since you want to work as a dentist you could pretty much live anywhere in the state. Your best luck just might be outstate somewhere, probably north of the Twin Cities if you want lots of trees and a rural area. The southern part of the state is more open and prairieland.

[uptown_urbanist]

I'd go with Vermont, at least if you're focusing on the Twin Cities. The Twin Cities is SO sprawled; miles and miles of suburban sprawl. You'll have better luck finding something that both feels rural yet is within very easy commuting distance of a city in Vermont. Outside of the Twin Cities you might have better luck of finding a better fit. I wouldn't worry about tornadoes -- they're not that common in the Twin Cities, and you get a lot more warning than you do with an earthquake. I've never seen one, although I have seen some tornado damage. But, as already noted, it's almost always very localized, unlike the broad devastation caused by earthquakes.

[Kebinminn]

You could do horses in Ramsey or Medina, which is northwest and west. It is commutable but so much depends on where you're going. With your job I would think you could easily live in Ramsey, which and work in the northern suburbs so you wouldn't have much of a commute.

There's tornado watches and periodically a warning but there's not a lot. It's very unlikely a tornado will come from nowhere with time to prepare. When i gew up (not in MN) we went through a tornado and it was very clear ahead of time that something wasn't right with the weather.

[appyhorses]

Thanks for all the info, so far. At least I'm a little less worried about tornadoes! Will definitely look into the areas you mentioned so far.

[TimtheGuy]

Originally Posted by appyhorses

Thanks for all the info, so far. At least I'm a little less worried about tornadoes! Will definitely look into the areas you mentioned so far.

Virtually every single family home has a basement, so there is somewhere for your family to seek protection.

[mntonv]

LOTS of horse farms and areas set up for horses in southeastern MN. I've lived in this area for much of my life (over 40 years) and you can find a nice quiet, rural town, but yet still have access to the Twin Cities or Rochester and not have it be a long drive. I love the convenience of living her for those reasons. We have a lot of rolling hills, bluffs, trees around my area near the Mississippi River. You'd like it.

Tornadoes... never seen one yet. Yes, definitely they happen, but it's not as common as down south.