Why Living in Minneapolis St Paul Is So Great

What is there to attract you to Minneapolis St Paul? Is it the climate? The housing market? The low unemployment? The thriving colleges? The biggest mall in the United States? The diverse entertainment? The outdoor activities? All that, and more.

Why Living in Minneapolis-St Paul Is So Great

Minneapolis-St Paul, colloquially and affectionately known as the “Twin Cities,” are two of the most diverse and yet vibrant cultural areas in the United States. Fun fact: Peanuts creator Charles Schultz, pop legend Prince, billionaire John Paul Getty, and novelist F Scott Fitzgerald once called the area home.

What is there about the Twin Cities to attract visitors and residents?

Well, it’s probably not the weather. Unless you are into extreme cold temperatures, you may not fancy a real Twin Cities winter, where the temperature can drop to -15°F.

But not to worry, because the pragmatic city planners recognized that things could get a little chilly for a few months each year.  So, they built a series of “skyways” to connect buildings in the city area.

Feel free to cross the street for a coffee, do your shopping, visit your bank, or say “hi” to the people in the office on the other side, without having to brace yourself against the elements.

Once there, what can you do?

The problem is never what can you do, but whether you have enough time to do it all.

Sports

Is there even such a thing as too many sports to follow? The Minnesota Twins baseball team plays its home games at Target Field, Minneapolis, with the regular season running from April to October. The Minnesota Vikings Football team kicks off their season in August. 

Basketball fans can follow the Timberwolves in the Target Center from October to April, and hockey supporters can turn up at the Xcel Energy Center for the Wild games during the winter. Other sports enjoyed by Twin City residents include curling, roller derby, soccer, and speedway.

Shopping

The Mall of America, in St Paul, is the largest indoor mall in the U.S., with over 600 stores, restaurants, theme parks, and attractions. But if you fancy something smaller, take advantage of the boutique markets, offering food, antiques, fashion accessories, and memorabilia.

Outdoor fun

You have probably heard that there are one or two lakes (or more accurately, over 10,000) in Minnesota. So expect to indulge in a fair share of water-based experiences.

Fishing, kayaking, and camping out are all popular pastimes. Never underestimate how pleasurable it can be though to simply spend a day relaxing by the lake, swimming at leisure, and enjoying a bit of sun.

Nature calling

With a rather large river running between the Twin Cities, it seems only fair to point out that any visitor or resident should probably do a river cruise at some stage. For those who fancy something that combines scenery, history, and physical fitness, there are kayak and paddle trips to make down the Mississippi. And those cold winters have got to be useful for something, right, skiers and ice skaters?

General museums

There’s no excuse for not knowing about life in Minnesota in the 1820s after a visit to the Historic Fort Snelling in St Paul. Or, if you prefer something more modern, check out the educational opportunities of the Science Museum of Minnesota. And no true art lover would want to turn down the chance to visit the Minneapolis Institute of Art and its nearly 100,000 exhibition items from all over the world.

Out-of-the-box museums

Yes, there really is a place called “The Smallest Museum in St Paul.” Artists display their works in a fire hose cabinet. Revisit The Twin Cities’ early transport history in the “End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum.” For something a little different, the Somali Museum of Minnesota features exhibits and artwork from Somali history, hidden in the basement of the Plaza Verde.

Boutique entertainment
● Prince

He was arguably Minneapolis’ most famous son, so it’s appropriate to do a “Prince” tour. The house from “Purple Rain,” Paisley Park studio where he recorded some of his early works, and the Capri Theater, where he performed solo concerts early in his career, are all must-sees.

● F Scott Fitzgerald

St Paul, where Fitzgerald grew up, honors the world-famous novelist with displays at the Central Library. His childhood home, Fitzgerald Home, at 481 Laurel Avenue, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

That’s one or two of the attractions you can find in or around the Twin Cities. But humans cannot live on attractions alone. So what else has the area got to offer?

A thriving economy

Minneapolis-St Paul has an impressively low unemployment rate – 2.8% compared to 3.9% of the U.S. as a whole, according to the Greater Minneapolis-St Paul Regional Economic Development Partnership. A number of “Fortune 500” companies, including Target, U.S. Bancorp, and Xcel Energy, have headquarters in the area.

Standards of living

In 2018, the annual mean wage across all occupations in the Twin Cities was $57,420, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This compares to a national mean salary of $51,960.

Education

At least 86% of people in the Twin Cities claim to have at least a high school education. If they are looking to further their education, they have the opportunity to attend some of the most highly regarded universities and colleges in the country. Among the choices are the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, The Metropolitan State University, and Macalester.  

Housing

As with any thriving economies, the housing market in Minneapolis-St Paul is good for those who want to sell, slightly less favorable for those who want to buy. But if you’re looking to spend your next years in an area of the United States where you can buy a home that’s going to improve in value, then check out what leading realty specialist Roost Real Estate has to offer. Whether you are looking for condos for sale in St Paul, or apartments to rent in Minneapolis, you will find your next home in Minnesota’s Twins.

Think about Minneapolis-St Paul for your next move

Whichever of the Twin Cities you decide on, you will likely never stop finding new ways to enjoy this most intriguing part of the United States.