The Land of 10,000 lakes will astound you with its wonderful lakes and rivers as many as 6,564, that are definitely a treat to the eyes. Minnesota is home not just to beautiful rivers like the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, but also huge mountains like the Eagle Mountain that will blow your mind. No wonder the state is named Minnesota, after all it does translate to clear blue water – something the rivers and lakes in the state truly do justice to.
The state’s charm is not just limited to the vast rivers, lakes and mountains. Minnesota not only has an amazing landscape and natural beauty, but also a city life worth exploring. In the Minneapolis Saint Paul metropolitan city, you get to see the beautiful Twin Cities while exploring their grandeur of political, economic and cultural hub. If you’re planning on moving to Minnesota, keep reading on to understand what the state is all about.
What Should I Know Before Moving To Minnesota?
Located in the Upper Midwest region of America, Minnesota has a population of around 5,639,632 while the area is around 86,935,83 sq mi. The state is bordered by Manitoba and Ontario to the north, Wisconsin and Lake Superior to the east while Iowa borders it towards the south and the west is bordered by South and North Dakota.
You will be struck by the Eagle Mountain, which is the highest point in the state with around 2,301 feet of height. If you ever visit Lake Superior, which is the largest lake in Minnesota, you will be able to see the Eagle Mountain from the shore. If you are a nature person and want to know more about the kinds of trees and wildlife, you should definitely take a trip to Big Woods. In case you didn’t know, it is a stunning broadleaf forest in the southeastern part of the state. Here you can explore a variety of pine, poplar and spruce trees in the northern forests.
If you are more interested in living in the city, you can explore the Twin Cities which is St. Paul, that has various farming, mining and manufacturing industries. This city constitutes for the major part of the state’s economy because of it being the state capital.
Crime Rate In Minnesota
Although the wonders of nature in Minnesota seem very amazing and convince you to move there, you still need to consider many other factors with safety being the most important one. According to Neighbourhoodscout, the crime rate in Minnesota for violent crimes is around 2.36 for 1000 people. Therefore, your chances of being a victim of violent crimes is around 1 in 423 people. The average rate of property crimes in Minnesota is around 20.79 as per Neighborhoodscout. So your chance of being a victim of property crimes is around 1 in 48 people.
Minnesota Weather
You will experience hot summers and cold winters in Minnesota as it has a continental climate with extreme temperatures depending on various parts of the state. Summers are in the month of July, in which the average temperature would be around 69.8 degree Fahrenheit. Just so you know, this is the lowest and can increase up to 84.2 degree Fahrenheit.
If you want to experience the cool climate of the state, you should visit in the month of January of cool winters. The average temperature can be around -15 degree Fahrenheit approximately. The weather can be unpredictable sometimes, and if you are exploring the northern part of the state, you may experience frost in any month. You will experience snowfall, especially in the months of mid December to mid March, in which the western side of the state has around 1,000 mm of snowfall. On the other hand, the northeastern side experiences around 1,800 mm. So this is why you need to be careful of the frost, especially in winters.
How Expensive Is It To Live In Minnesota?
Just knowing about the weather and best attractions of a place is not enough to help you plan and decide your move. You also need to have a budget and see if you are in a position to accommodate there in terms of housing costs, taxes, utilities and educational and employment facilities.
Cost Of Living In Minnesota
According to smartasset, the tax rates, especially the sales and property tax in Minnesota are higher than the U.S national average. The state will charge you around $4,674 as your state tax. Your average income tax would be around $23,440, while your sales tax would be around $1,577 according to smartasset. The average cost for your property tax would be around $2,711, while you will have to pay around $216 as your fuel tax. So essentially, your overall tax burden in Minnesota would be around $27,945 which is relatively higher compared to other states in the U.S.
You also need to check for your groceries and gas prices before you decide to settle in a particular state. Your regular breakfast items like a gallon of milk will cost you around $2.07 while a carton of eggs will cost you around $1.93. If you enjoy having a toast for breakfast, a loaf of bread will cost you around $3.55. If you choose to have healthy fruits for your breakfast, a bunch of bananas will cost you around $3.58. Some days when you wake up late and decide to grab a burger from outside, you will have to pay around $4.52 for a hamburger.
Buying A House
Before you move to a new state, you should always check how much you’ll have to spend for your housing expenses especially if you’re thinking of buying a new house. Buying a house can be a little more expensive than the U.S median average as you’ll have to keep aside an average of $211,800 as your house price which is greater than the U.S median price of around $204,900 as revealed by 24/7 wallst.
Payscale has given an estimate of around $363,656 as your median house price in Minnesota. Numbeo has also given rates for buying a house based on the location and size of the apartment. An apartment in the centre of the state would cost you around $4,440.41. But, if you are comfortable living outside the center of the state, then an apartment would cost you around $1,942.28.
Renting A House
According to Payscale, you would have to pay around $1,139 per month as your house rent. Your house rent will also vary depending on the location, whether the house is located in the center of the state and the number of bedrooms and size of the house will also determine its price. If you are a single person and looking for a one bedroom apartment in the center of the state, you will have to pay around $1,443.34 per month. On the other hand, a one bedroom apartment outside the center of the state would cost you around $1,130.08 per month. You can also rent a three bedroom apartment for you and your family in the center of the state for around $2,455.77 per month. But you can still get a three bedroom apartment outside the center of the state for around $1,763.80 per month.
Utility Bills
Your energy bill would be around $152.74 per month, whereas your phone bill would cost you around $162.81 on a monthly basis. In order to keep your gas running, a gallon of gas will cost you around $2.82 on a monthly basis. Let’s not forget your health, which is one of your most important priorities. So better keep some money aside for your healthcare expenses as it will cost you around $4,885 annually, which is relatively high than the U.S national average of $4,266 as revealed by 24/7 wallst. That’s not all, if you are planning to live with your family, you will have to spend in between $16,431 for healthcare which is way higher than the U.S median of around $12,950 as stated by 24/7 wallst.
Minnesota Economy And Employment Opportunities
Agriculture, forestry and fishing constitutes for the state’s economy to a great extent. If you go to the southern part of the state, you will find sugar beets, barley and other cash crops cultivated especially near the Red River Valley. If you go towards the southeast in the Billy Woods, you will find that dairy is an important source of income. Apart from agriculture, manufacturing and mining industries are also flourishing in Minnesota. You will find the state’s most important industries like the General Mills, Inc in the Twin cities and the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing company is located near Lake Superior.
You will earn a good amount of money if you are engaged in healthcare services, IT industry or business analytics. According to the data predicted by Zillow, a physician would earn around $107,670, whereas a nurse practitioner can earn around $106,820. There is also a good amount of money for people in business and IT industries. Your average salary as an Operations Analyst would be around $87,630 whereas if you are a Business Analyst, you can earn upto $97,940 as stated by Zillow. If you are an Information Technology Manager, you can earn up to $136,560. Therefore, you can certainly approach the state especially if you’re looking for a career in healthcare, agriculture, business or Information Technology.
Also Read: Best Cities to live in America
Education
Minnesota is home to around 37 institutions that come under the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. The U.S News and World Reports has ranked many liberal arts and other colleges in the state as the top most colleges. The Minnesota Department of Education administers public education in the school districts. According to the U.S News, there are around 879 high schools in Minnesota.
If you are looking for a good university for your child, St. Catherine’s University and the University of St. Thomas provide good sports and academic facilities. If you are looking for a fine liberal arts college, then you should definitely consider the Macalester College in St, Paul.
Getting Around Minnesota
If you want to explore the state’s beauty and also enjoy the city lifestyle, you need to check out the kind of transportation available and convenient for you.
Buses
The average cost of bus tickets in Minnesota for the top routes would be around $55.00. The cheapest bus ticket would cost you around $9 whereas the most expensive bus ticket will be around $197 as stated by Wanderu. There are various bus companies that will take you within Minnesota through various routes. The best services are offered by the Jefferson Lines as they connect you to around 56 cities and towns in Minnesota. Apart from Jefferson Lines, the Greyhound also connects you to certain cities in Minnesota and also from 199 other cities to Minnesota. The Indian Trails will not offer you bus services within the state, however it connects you to Minnesota from around 49 places outside the state.
Taxis
Your average taxi fare in Minnesota would be around $5.00 while you will be charged around $1.55 per km. You will be charged around $27.50 for an one hour waiting taxi. You can also book an Uber to travel within the state. If you want to travel in Minneapolis, your average fare for an UberXwould be around $8, whereas an UberXL would cost you around $10.5.
Trains
According to Wanderu, your average cost for a train ticket in Minnesota for the top routes would be around $118. If you are looking for a cheaper ticket, you will have to spend around $11, while the most expensive train ticket will cost you around $314. The Amtrak train service will connect you to around 7 cities and towns within Minnesota. Apart from that, the Amtrak Empire Builder will connect you to around 6 cities within Minnesota.
Also Read: Minnesota DMV Change of Address
Best Cities To Live In Minnesota
1. Waconia
The city of Waconia is around 45 minutes from Minneapolis and has a population of around 12,139 people. If you like being outdoors, exploring what nature has to offer you, then Waconia, also known as the ‘Tree City of USA’, is just the right place for you. If you seek to know more about the history of the U.S, then you should definitely pay a visit to the Carver County Historical Society, which is a famous museum and research center. You will get to see different historical theme based galleries and exhibits. Would you like to take your kids to a fun outing? You should definitely let them take part in the scavenger hunts organized by the museum. If you just want to relax and be amidst nature, you can go visit Lake Waconia and enjoy fishing or explore the wildlife at Coney Island. According to homesnacks, the poverty rate is less in Waconia and the cost of housing is also affordable.
- Median Home value: $303,700
- Median Home rent: $1,128
- Unemployment rate: 1.7%
2. Chanhassen
Chanhassen is around 30 minutes from the city of Minneapolis and has a population of around 25,657 according to HomeSnacks. Your summers will be very exotic in Chanhassen. There are a variety of recreational activities like swimming in Lake AnnPark, Lake Minnewashta Regional Park and Lake Susan Beach. If you just want to have a relaxing time, you can take a stroll at the beaches or enjoy sunbathing. Chanhassen also is home to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum where you can explore colorful lawns and gardens filled with flowers and woodlands. Chanhassen also has a low poverty rate as per homesnacks.
- Median Home value: $381,300
- Median Home rent: $1,343
- Unemployment rate: 1.8%
3. Edina
Edina is a suburb of the Twin Cities and has a population of around 51,746 people. Whether you are a wanderer by nature or a sports enthusiast, Edina has the best kind of outdoor recreational activities as well as many leisurely activities like golfing at the Braemar Golf Course. If you want to have a quiet time in nature, then you should definitely go to the Centennial Lakes Park. This park has around 25 acres of land for you to explore and enjoy beautiful landscapes, fountains and ponds. You can also have a swim at the Edina Aquatic Center with your entire family. There’s also lots of adventure awaiting you at the Edinborough Park, where you will see beautiful Greek style architecture, varieties of plants and enjoy being amidst the oak trees. Edina also pays a lot of emphasis on education, which is why you can explore schools and colleges for your child.
Median Home value: 476,300
Median Home rent: $1,509
Unemployment rate: 3.1%
Is Minnesota A Good Place To Live?
Minnesota is definitely a good place if you enjoy being amidst mountains and rivers. The weather also is pleasant, however, you have to deal with the frost as it is unexpected and can be experienced anytime, especially in the months of December and March. Also, you need to consider the cost of living, you need to have enough budget to stay in Minnesota as the state has relatively higher income and property taxes than the U.S national average. So sit back, assess your situation and personal goals and see if this state ticks all the boxes for you, right from affordability in terms of tax burden and housing expenses to your expenditure for other essential utilities.
