Minneapolis and Saint Paul are aptly referred to as the Twin Cities. They are two major metropolises situated side by side, offering their residents the best of both worlds, literally. And their bests are quite good. They offer stellar parks, entertainment, and education.
The Twin Cities are also economic powerhouses. They are one of the largest financial centers of the Midwest; they are home to a number of major corporations and producers (notably in food processing and milling); and they have a robust and stellar healthcare system.
Scroll down to learn the pros and cons of Minneapolis…
Minneapolis’ Geography
Minneapolis and Saint Paul border each other. Their downtowns are a mere nine miles apart. Together, they form the crux of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area, which is home to 3.61 million people. Saint Paul is the capital of Minnesota, but Minneapolis is the larger city and is home to the major sports teams and entertainment venues.
The two cities are located on the Mississippi River, near St. Anthony Falls, the mighty river’s highest waterfall. They are surrounded by many lakes, ponds and wetlands. Minneapolis alone has twelve lakes within its borders. The land is flat and forested.
Positives of Moving to Minneapolis
- Theater & Art – Minneapolis is home to the third-largest theater scene in the US, behind only New York and Chicago, making it a tremendous place for aficionados and aspiring actors alike. Minneapolis also has a number of art museums, including the well-recognized Walker Art Center.
- Biking – Surprisingly, Minneaoplis is recognized as the second best city for biking in the US. It has a strong system of bike lanes, and its downtown amenities are close enough together to make biking a legitimate option. Residents even ride in the winter.
- Parks – Minneapolis has a number of well-maintained parks for residents to wander. In fact, 16% of the city is parkland. Make sure to check out Minnehaha Falls, if you go for a stroll (or a run).
- Education – Minneapolis is one of the few cities with a number of private and public higher education opportunities within its borders. The University of Minnesota provides education to over 50,000 students each year, and a number of smaller colleges surround the area, including Augsburg College and North Central University.
- Skyways – Minneapolis has the largest skyway system in the world. It allows pedestrians to walk from building to building in climate-controlled environments, so that they do not need to walk outside. The skyways pass about fifteen feet above streets. However, some gripe that the skyways serve to severely undermine street-front businesses.
Negatives of Moving to Minneapolis
- Weather – Minneapolis, like many cities in the Midwest, gets inundated with bad weather. Its winters regularly see temperatures drop below zero, while its summers can see humid days breach the 90’s. The area is prone to thunderstorms, blizzards, heatwaves and tornadoes.
- Split Cities – Minneapolis and Saint Paul together provide many of the amenities of large cities. However, though they are close, they are still separated from each other. Those who would like to get dinner at a restaurant in downtown Saint Paul then catch a show in Minneapolis will probably need to drive between the two.
- Transportation – Public transit is lacking in the area, which makes it exceedingly difficult to get from suburb to suburb. Making matters worse, the highway system has navigation issues, requiring drivers to sometimes get off one highway to later get on a different one. And that’s without traffic. And, unfortunately, there’s a lot of traffic, because most residents need cars.
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