NJ couple moving to MN (Minneapolis, St. Paul: house, neighborhoods, schools)

[Springsteenfan]

Hi All,

Thinking of relocating for an incredible professional opportunity in Eagan. We have a 4 year old son and have been in the NYC area for decades. Although, we know we will miss the hustle of the northeast we are ready to trade that in for a slightly quieter pace of life in MN. However, we would prefer to live in a area that is cosmopolitan, has a nice scene with restaurants and cultural diversity and an excellent school system. Ideally, we would prefer to live in a "neighborhood", but are flexible with housing options. A house by the lake does sound pretty awesome also. We are also Asian-Indians and would like to maintain ties with the local Indian community, but not sure if we could juggle all of our priorities. Would love to hear from the friendly folks in MN about ideas on towns, neighborhoods, locales we should consider.

[golfgal]

Eagan schools in the 196 district are one of the top rated districts in the nation. It would make for an easy commute, there is a fairly sizable Asian-Indian population in the south metro, easy commute to work, great community, lovely neighborhoods with big trees, kids playing in the streets, etc. You are just a few minutes from Minneapolis and St. Paul but don't have to deal with the traffic, noise and poor schools you would get if you lived in the city. Eagan has a lot of dining options from the small cafe type places to larger chain places and again, you are a quick hop into St. Paul, Minneapolis and other areas so dining options are endless. Depending on your budget, a lake home is nice and relatively easy to find but you do pay a premium for that too.

[Springsteenfan]

Thanks for your insights. Hopefully, the search is fruitful

[Minntoaz]

The pace of life in at least the burbs would be MUCH slower. A huge change if you're living in the NYC area. Downtown Minneapolis I guess would be the closest thing but even that dies down after business hours. If you love the hustle and bustle of the NYC area, this may not be a good fit.

However if you're looking to slow down A LOT then Edina might be a good fit. It's pretty busy and there and has everything you need with an urban feel to it. Not far from downtown.