Considering a Move to Minnesota (Minneapolis, Mankato: home, find a job, school)

[naylarie1210]

Hello, We are considering moving to Minnesota. We have researched small, economical and safe towns and came up with: Blue Earth, Crookston, Montevideo, Roseau and Saint James.. Can you; the locals provide your input in regards to these towns? I want to know if the info on different sites is accurate and reliable. THANK YOU!

[demtion35]

Originally Posted by naylarie1210

Hello, We are considering moving to Minnesota. We have researched small, economical and safe towns and came up with: Blue Earth, Crookston, Montevideo, Roseau and Saint James.. Can you; the locals provide your input in regards to these towns? I want to know if the info on different sites is accurate and reliable. THANK YOU!

Crookston and Roseau are both pretty small towns. unless you like very cold small and lots of blizzards, and farms. They easily reach -20 - -60F windchill.

Montevidio has lots of traffic. It is close to the cities if you like or need that hassle.

Have never been to Blue Earth, but I think it is on or near the Iowa border, not sure, but maybe farming area? Not sure. Not familiar with Saint James either, sorry.



In the spring of 1997, winter of '96,'97, there were record or near record snowfall, and something like around 15 blizzards in a row. These were brutal as far as snow accumulation. In the spring of '97, all that snow had to melt resulting in heavy flooding. The entire region was affected. All the way up into North Dakota.
Part of the destruction took place in the nearby larger town of Grand Forks, where the city had heavy flooding, at which at one point an entire city block caught fire causing heavy damage, plus dealing with the flood water.

To read more or find out more about these events, there is a book called
Under the Whelming Tide.
The 1997 Flood of the Red River of the North

The hi way between Crookston and East Grand Forks does shut down at times due to winter driving conditions.

[CD2017]

Originally Posted by demtion35

Crookston and Roseau are both pretty small towns. unless you like very cold small and lots of blizzards, and farms. They easily reach -20 - -60F windchill.

Montevidio has lots of traffic. It is close to the cities if you like or need that hassle.

Have never been to Blue Earth, but I think it is on or near the Iowa border, not sure, but maybe farming area? Not sure. Not familiar with Saint James either, sorry.



In the spring of 1997, winter of '96,'97, there were record or near record snowfall, and something like around 15 blizzards in a row. These were brutal as far as snow accumulation. In the spring of '97, all that snow had to melt resulting in heavy flooding. The entire region was affected. All the way up into North Dakota.
Part of the destruction took place in the nearby larger town of Grand Forks, where the city had heavy flooding, at which at one point an entire city block caught fire causing heavy damage, plus dealing with the flood water.

To read more or find out more about these events, there is a book called
Under the Whelming Tide.
The 1997 Flood of the Red River of the North

The hi way between Crookston and East Grand Forks does shut down at times due to winter driving conditions.

Montevideo is in Western MN. Nowhere near the twin cities. A small town. Maybe 5K? No traffic. No....nothing.

[demtion35]

Originally Posted by rhuff80

Montevideo is in Western MN. Nowhere near the twin cities. A small town. Maybe 5K? No traffic. No....nothing.

My mistake, was for some reason thinking on Monticello. Have never been to Montevideo.

[cornsnicker3]

Originally Posted by naylarie1210

Hello, We are considering moving to Minnesota. We have researched small, economical and safe towns and came up with: Blue Earth, Crookston, Montevideo, Roseau and Saint James.. Can you; the locals provide your input in regards to these towns? I want to know if the info on different sites is accurate and reliable. THANK YOU!

I visited the town about three weeks ago and liked it. I checked out the university for the heck of it.

The Red River Valley region is very flat and rural. Crookston is nice and quaint. It seems large enough for someone who desires a small rural town. It has one of the U of Ms with specialties in agriculture and animal science related things. You would be relatively close to Grand Forks if you need civilization for anything.

[Teak]

I am very familiar with both Blue Earth and Montevideo.

Blue Earth is under an hour's drive to Mankato, a larger community with plenty of shopping and a major university. I know a man who lives near Blue Earth and commutes to Mankato every day so the drive can't be that bad. Blue Earth is a small town, but it has parks and community activities. The population is in the range of 3,500. It is on Interstate 90 so one can easily go east or west. Sioux Falls SD is a 2-hour drive west and the Twin Cities a little over 2 hours to the north.

Montevideo is around 5,400 in population and sits in a pretty valley where the Chippewa River joins the Minnesota River. It has one of the prettier locations for west central Minnesota and has one of the nicer downtowns, not yet ruined by big box stores on the outskirts. There is a downtown brewpub and a couple of nice cafes that I like. Montevideo sits on a major road junction with US 59 (north-south) and US 212 (west-east). It is a 2.5 hour drive east to Minneapolis which is doable for day-trip shopping. A larger city (Marshall, 15,000) is only 40 minutes south on US 59.

I have been in Crookston and St. James, but cannot comment on them much. St. James is around 4,600 population and surrounded by farm land.

Montevideo is probably the only one of the four you mentioned that I would consider living in if work were available in my field. If one needed to be closer to the Twin Cities, take a look at Arlington, Green Isle, Cologne, Belle Plaine, Jordan, or New Prague.

[TimtheGuy]

Originally Posted by naylarie1210

Hello, We are considering moving to Minnesota. We have researched small, economical and safe towns and came up with: Blue Earth, Crookston, Montevideo, Roseau and Saint James.. Can you; the locals provide your input in regards to these towns? I want to know if the info on different sites is accurate and reliable. THANK YOU!

Montevideo "Monte" is a nice small town in Western MN. It is the county seat. It has some decent amenities. It is a small regional center with some industry and a heavy agriculture component.

Virtually every small town in MN is safe with affordable housing.

[naylarie1210]

I appreciate all of your input.

Will be visiting probably around November to get a feel for each town.

have a lovely weekend everyone

[gearedtowardssalad]

I grew up in Crookston. It’s a very isolated town, but is very safe. As with most small towns, there aren’t a lot of opportunities for jobs but you’ll find a job if you’re willing to work in about any job.

[Kamsack]

Hello I live in East Grand Forks. I've been to Crookston many times and UM Crookston is a nice, small campus more agricultural school. Crookston overall is a nice town, but overall has been more stagnant growth wise compared to other towns in the region. Roseau I have not been too yet in the 20 years I have lived in EGF. But Roseau is considered a nice town, hockey hotbed and home to Polaris and Marvin Windows is close by in Warroad. Both are always hiring and Roseau has a housing shortage.

Near Thief River Falls has lots of jobs with Digi-Key expanding greatly soon, but housing in on short supply. But Digi-Key does offer a bus to take people who live in Grand Forks, EGF and Crookston to TRF and back. But I like Thief River Falls, safe, not a lot for shopping, as most go to Grand Forks. The trip back and forth from GF to TRF is often quite hairy in the winter due to blowing snow and icy roads. I have been in Thief River Falls many times and know folks there.

Of those three above I like Thief River the best personally as I have always found the school and community spirit strong.

I havent been to the other places you listed.... they are all farm towns but I havent heard anything bad against them.

In all these towns housing may be an issue...though Crookston has more housing available than the others