Looking for the perfect city... (Duluth, Rochester: transplants, 2014, low crime)

[movingto...]

Hello!
I'm looking to move somewhere that has it all! I've never met someone who lived in Minnesota and didn't just love it. One may say they really sell the place Anyway, I have a toddler, so great schools are a must, low crime (I'm coming from Missouri!) family friendly things to do (inside and outside-I don't always feel like bundling up my little in the middle of winter and rolling him down a hill of snow), all around decent weather (I actually have no idea what the climate typically is up there, do you get high humidity? Freezing colds? Lots of rain?) That's the kind of town I'm looking for. Don't worry about my profession, just assume I have that covered
What's some places, you, the locals, would recommend? I typically do my shopping at Trader Joes and Costco, so having those nearby is also a plus. Traffic sucks in a big city, but the small town thing isn't for us either. I prefer the snow over the thick humid heat Missouri has to offer for the most part.
Thanks for any and all input!

[601halfdozen0theother]

Rochester is a nice medium sized city. It has a Trader Joe's and a Costco, and a thriving economy. There are a variety of indoor and outdoor family friendly activities available. Take a look at Rochester's stats on the main City-Data website www.city-data.com, then come up for a visit and see what you think!

[mn shutterbug]

Perfect city? No such thing.

The only issue I would have with Rochester is that part of the state can get really dumped on in the winter. This snow storm that just went through is a good example. They also seem to get a lot more rain in the spring and summer. I don't know what it is about the SE part of MN but they really seem to attract the moisture. Luckily, since most of the water in that area is always moving, skeeters aren't an issue.

[Thedosius]

There are plenty of people who mildly dislike to flat-out hate Minnesota. I can't speak for them but generally the complaints fall along two main lines: climate and culture.


Starting with climate, most people would say we do not have 'decent weather', but I think there is subjectivity involved in that. What we consider 'mild' would be considered bone-chilling in many parts of the country. We do not get a high volume of snow like they do in the eastern Great Lakes region but the snow that does fall tends to remain a long time due to lengthy periods of low temperatures. Winters have been milder over this past decade than they have been before, and the USDA has recently changed the Twin Cities' plant hardiness zone from 4a to 4b.


There usually are lengthy stretches of heat and humidity in the summer. It's clearly not as intense or lengthy as the (unlivable, in my opinion) southeast, but it can be quite unpleasant.


Culturally speaking, Minnesotans are friendly to strangers but aloof at the same time. People unused to this kind of friendliness often mistake it for a greater degree of intimacy or invitation than is intended. It can be hard to crack into social circles- I've heard it often enough from well-travelled transplants that I accept it as true.


Schools in Minnesota are some of the best in the country. We are regularly near or at the top in ACT and SAT scores. This still does not absolve parents from doing their research about specific districts.


We need more info from you to understand what the best setting would be for you. It sounds to me like a suburb of the Twin Cities would fit the bill but I'm not quite sure. If you want a city that 'has it all' I don't see how any small city in outstate Minnesota could fit that bill, but what 'all' might be varies by individual.

[movingto...]

Perfect can be quite subjective, can't it?
I'm not looking for a small city. I grew up in a town that didn't even have a WalMart until the late 90s. After that, it was ALL the town had. I'm just thinking Rochester might be a little too big. There's a happy medium, I'm just unsure of what that is at this point. I'll happily go to the "big city" if it seems to meet the criteria of everything else.
Oh and I suppose to clear one thing up, the city itself doesn't have to have it all, just access to them. I drive an hour sometimes to reach the fun stuff, which isn't too big of a deal. The closer, the better though.
I don't mind the cold, actually it's preferred to have a longer winter and more snow then have to endure 100+ summers with 98% humidity.

[old fed]

northfield might be worth a look

[demtion35]

Duluth and the area would be a good fit, where as just about everywhere you would go there would be an access to a trail. Duluth is an absolutely beautiful city one of the most popular in the state. There is a never ending list of things to do, you would not ever get bored.

There are a ton of kids stuff and great outdoor activity that is easily gotten to within a few minutes of just about anywhere in the city. Lake Superior is amazing. The lift bridge and several light houses. Alpine Slide including a Zip Line.

The 16 Best Places to Live in the U.S.: 2014 | Outside Online

[fromupthere]

Originally Posted by mn shutterbug

Perfect city? No such thing.

The only issue I would have with Rochester is that part of the state can get really dumped on in the winter. This snow storm that just went through is a good example. They also seem to get a lot more rain in the spring and summer. I don't know what it is about the SE part of MN but they really seem to attract the moisture. Luckily, since most of the water in that area is always moving, skeeters aren't an issue.

This part of the state doesn't really get dumped on in the winter very often at all. When we have been dumped on, the snow is gone or almost gone in a matter of days.

After that, it was ALL the town had. I'm just thinking Rochester might be a little too big.

Rochester may be bigger than you'd like but it sure doesn't feel like the big city. What you may not find for fun in Rochester, you can find in the Cities, which the south suburbs are just an hour away from North Roch. There are also smaller towns around Roch that are just a few miles outside of town (less than 10). I think you should definitely come visit the state and check out some of the areas suggested. That would be a better way to find what you think feels right.

[movingto...]

Thanks! There's some new areas I have to think about now. I plan on visiting sometime this summer, and I'll definitely have a better idea.
Are there any areas locals would avoid, for whatever reason? Kind of like here, we know not to go to the east side, but someone from out of town would have no idea. Which the GPS ALWAYS wants to take you through said areas too!

[Radical_Car]

Well, if you want a Costco and Trader Joes, that limits you to the Twin Cities and Rochester.

Baxter, MN is the only place that has a Costco outside of the Twin Cities and Rochester, and West Fargo, ND has a Costco as well, technically in North Dakota but right on the border of ND and MN.