Is Minnesota a Good Place to Live? Pros and Cons: Honest Opinion from Local

Have you ever wondered: is Minnesota is a good place to live? Today, we take a closer look at what it’s really like to live in Minnesota.

From the natural beauty of the state to the job market, cost of living, and quality of life, we explore the pros and cons of calling Minnesota home. Whether you’re considering moving to Minnesota or simply curious about life in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, this will give you a better understanding of what living in Minnesota is really like…

Hey, it’s Jack! You know, Kitty and I have lived all over the United States. We are both from Minneapolis, but over the years we’ve called Nashville, New York City, Burlington Vermont, Phoenix Arizona and North Dakota home. We’ve traveled to 48 of the 50 states – someday we’ll get to Alaska and Maine – and we’ve visited more countries around the world than I can count.

We’re happy to be back in Minnesota, because I can honestly say from all the places we’ve lived, this beautiful upper midwestern state – by far – offers the best quality of life. So is Minnesota a good place to live? Let’s find out!

Scroll to the bottom of this page or CLICK HERE to watch our travel video “Is Minnesota a Good Place to Live?”

Quality of Life…

And don’t just take my word for it. According to WorldPopulationReview.com, Minnesota ranks second for best quality of life in the United States.

Residents have the fourth longest life expectancy in the nation. We have very clear air, very clean water and a lot of fun activities to do outdoors. It’s a nature lover’s paradise in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. If you’re a fan of outdoor activities, the landscape and seasons offer endless opportunities for fun. This helps keep the population healthy. You can ski the slopes near Lutsen in the winter and waterski in Lake City in the summer. You can check out the changing colors of autumn with a drive up historic Highway 61 alongside the Mississippi River, and in the spring you can watch the blooming flowers at the Lyndale Park Rose Garden in Minneapolis.

One of the neatest things about Minnesota is that we have four distinct seasons. In Tennessee we had two: cloudy rain in winter and sticky, hot summers. In Arizona we had one: sun and hot. Here in Minnesota we have four: winter, spring, summer, fall. And each one feels very, very different. That’s exciting and gives you a lot more outdoor activities to enjoy.

The one thing you do need to watch out for is overeating comfort foods during the long winters. But I guess that’s what summers are for: working off all that hotdish!

Spending time in Minnesota? Discover our Top 10 Travel Picks for visiting Minneapolis! Don’t miss our expert travel guide here: https://jackandkitty.com/2023/02/minneapolis-travel-guide-2023

Crime and Safety…

Minnesota has one of the lowest levels of poverty as well, with 91% of residents living above the poverty level. Oh, and USnews.com reports we rank #15 for crime and public safety nationwide. It’s not the safest state, but it’s a heck of a lot better than a lot of places. If you live anywhere outside of the Twin Cities metro areas, you’ll pretty much never need to worry about crime.

Economy and Financials…

So, let’s talk the financials. Based on stats from MN.gov, Minneapolis-St. Paul ranks 2nd among largest metros in per capita personal income. The average surpasses the national average by 9%.

The Twin Cities has the 4th highest home ownership rate among the 30 largest US metropolitan areas.

WalletHub ranks Minnesota as the fourth best state to raise a family. This is because of the high median family income and the low levels of divorce or separation. 

Finally, its affordable. Compared to other large metropolitan areas, groceries, housing and utilities are a bit lower than the national average. Is it as cheap as Tulsa or Nashville? Nope. Is it as expensive as Vermont? Definitely not. Minnesota is pretty average, and if you get out of the Twin Cities, your cost of living drops significantly. We live in a town called Winona. It’s about two hours south of Minneapolis, and we’re saving a lot in rent and groceries here.

Minnesota Nice…

Finally, most Minnesotans are nice. Some pockets of the state are goofy even. Minnesotans have a dry sense of humor. They like to keep things clean. The whole state is clean. Folks are friendly and helpful. Warm and accepting. By and large, most of us are tolerant, open-minded and liberal. Minnesotans love the arts. There’s tons of galleries, theaters, concerts and festivals. Oh, and Minnesotans really love reading and love drinking coffee. And did I mention, hotdish? 

So, there you have it. Is Minnesota a good place to live? You betcha!! 

Want a short video to see more of Minnesota? Just watch this!

Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more travel tips, hidden gems and more. We typically make a lot of content about fun and quirky spots to visit in Minnesota and the upper Midwest…you betcha!

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Sources: Is Minnesota a Good Place to Live

https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/quality-of-life-by-state

https://mn.gov/deed/data/economic-analysis/compare/compare-metro/quality/

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/minnesota

About the Authors
Jack and Kitty Norton are Emmy Award winning travel experts. They have spent a lifetime on the road: as traveling musicians, documentary filmmakers and television producers. They now focus on writing for their travel blog (JackAndKitty.com) and making fun videos for their YouTube channel. Jack and Kitty offer travelers fun and quirky things to do in Minnesota, the Midwest and beyond. High school sweethearts turned married soulmates, the couple lives in the small college town of Winona, Minnesota and would love to have you over for some hotdish.