Thinking of moving to Minneapolis? An abundance of excellent breweries, live music venues, and jobs are among the reasons you might consider relocating to Minnesota’s largest city. We outline many of the reasons why a move to Minneapolis could be the right move for you.
1. Minneapolis has an eclectic food scene
Minneapolis may not be known for its culinary delights, but its food scene has become better and more diverse than ever before. Try a “Jucy Lucy,” a cheeseburger with the cheese on the inside. Matt’s Bar in South Minneapolis claims it’s the original home of the Jucy Lucy, although the 5-8 Club begs to differ. We recommend deciding for yourself who has the best cheese-stuffed burger in town.
Home to a large Hmong and Vietnamese community, Minneapolis is also a hot spot for pho. Head to Nicollet Avenue’s Eat Street to satiate your Southeast Asian cravings. Since the city is surrounded by agricultural land, the fresh foods from the Minneapolis Farmers Market are always on point.
2. There’s plenty to do when the sun goes down
Drinking establishments help Upper Midwesterners celebrate the end of the work day. Happy hour specials are abundant and can be found at many of the restaurants, clubs, bars, and pubs. Minneapolis actually boasts over a dozen Irish, German, and British pubs, like The Local, Black Forest Inn, Brit’s Pub, O’Donovan’s, and Kieran’s.
There are also dozens of taprooms offering local craft beer, such as Dangerous Man Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co., and Insight Brewing Co. Here’s the quick and dirty rundown: Clubbers gather in the Warehouse District, college kids party in Dinkytown, Uptown is swankier, and Northeast is full of dive bars.
3. Minneapolis is an active city
It can’t all be food and booze. Minneapolis is also on a health kick. It’s the third-fittest city in the nation, according to the 2022 ACSM fitness index. With around 200 miles of bike lanes and trails and plenty of Nice Ride rental bikes, it’s also one of the best biking cities in the country — and the world. There’s also a gym for every 100,000 residents and several recreation centers offering classes in martial arts, yoga, Zumba, aerobics, and more.
4. It has beautiful lakes and parks
Dubbed the “City of Lakes,” it’s little surprise that Minneapolis’ 22 natural lakes are stunning. Running north to south along the western side of Minneapolis proper, the “Chain of Lakes” (Cedar, Isles, Bde Maka Ska, Harriet, and Nokomis) are each 3 to 4 miles around, which makes them easy to walk, bike, drive, swim, or paddle around. Lake Minnetonka is a favorite for boating, sailing, and fishing.
Minneapolis’s parks are less famous, but they’re no less impressive. Its nearly 200 parks helped the city rank fifth in the 2022 national ParkScore list. If you’re like 98% of residents, you can walk from your new Minneapolis pad to a local park in 10 minutes or less.
5. The city is rich in culture
Think there’s no culture in the flyover states? Think again. The Walker Art Center is one of the “big five” modern art museums in the country. The famous Sculpture Garden, home to Claes Oldenburg’s locally iconic “Spoonbridge and Cherry,” is right next door. The Minneapolis Institute of Art has one of the most comprehensive collections in the world — and it’s free! Plus, there are theaters clustered Downtown, in the West Bank, and Uptown, so you can find some culture in nearly every Minneapolis neighborhood.
6. The local music scene is one of the nation’s best
Minneapolitans also enjoy one of the most vibrant and independent music scenes in the country. The city is a petri dish for musicians, having bred such acts as Prince, Soul Asylum, and The Replacements.
You can find good local music in The West Bank, Uptown, Lyn-Lake, Northeast, and in Dinkytown, but Downtown is really the hotbed for live music, with venues like Fine Line Music Cafe, the Dakota, Grumpy’s, and Bunker’s. It is most notably home to Prince’s old stomping grounds, First Avenue, which became well known as the set of his movie “Purple Rain.” The silver stars covering the outside of the building serve as a Hollywood Walk of Fame for the renowned acts that have graced the club’s stages.
7. Minneapolis’ education options are first-class
If Minneapolis was a student, it would be teacher’s pet. The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has six school districts with an A+ rating from Niche, including the top rating for Wayzata Public School District. In 2022, HeyTutor ranked Minneapolis the fifth-most educated large city in America. The University of Minnesota also helped earn the city a 25th place spot on BestCollegeReviews’ 2022 list of the best college towns in America.
Minneapolis consistently ranks among the top 10 most literate cities in the country. Maybe because there’s not much to do when it’s cold out but read? Or maybe because it is home to OpenBook – the largest literary and book arts center in America. Or maybe it’s because the Twin Cities are a hotbed of independent presses and bookstores. Whatever the cause, prepare to be surrounded by smarty-pants.
8. The economy is strong
It might be cold up there, but the economy is hot! The Twin Cities area (which includes Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and the surrounding suburbs) has the largest economy in the Midwest, second only to Chicago. The unemployment rate is currently down to just 1.7%, far less than the national average of 3.7%. Many large companies are headquartered in Minneapolis, including Target, U.S. Bancorp, Xcel Energy, and Ameriprise Financial. WalletHub also ranked Minneapolis as the 11th best city to start a career. According to the United States Census Bureau, the median household income is $70,099.
9. There are plenty of places to spend your earnings
You’ve got to have a place to spend all that dough, though. You can get lost in the Mall of America in nearby Bloomington. It is still the largest mall in the country, boasting more than 500 stores, five roller coasters, a giant Lego robot, and even a Chapel of Love (if you get the itch to get hitched). Clothing boutiques can be found in Uptown and clustered along Nicollet Mall, the pedestrian mall right in the heart of Downtown. Plus, there are all kinds of retailers in the Lake/Lyndale avant-garde theatre district.
10. Minneapolis is sports mad
Minneapolis has all bases covered for sports fans. The Minnesota Twins (MLB), Minnesota Vikings (NFL), Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA), and Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) all play Downtown at Target Field, U.S. Bank Stadium, and Target Center, respectively. The hockey team, the Minnesota Wild, is actually in Xcel Energy Center in Minnesota’s Twin City of St. Paul, but the St. Paul Wild just didn’t quite have the same ring to it. There’s also college sports to watch thanks to the University of Minnesota.
FAQs: Moving to Minneapolis
Minneapolis is one of the country’s most affordable cities, with a cost of living that’s only 3% higher than the national average, according to PayScale. You’ll really save on utilities and health care, which cost less than the national average. However, you should be prepared to pay slightly more than the national average on transport and groceries.
While you’ll probably pay more for your Minneapolis rental than in other Midwestern cities, it’s much more affordable than large cities in other parts of the country. Our most recent rental report ranked Minneapolis as the 61st most expensive city in the country. Expect to pay around $1,290 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,780 for a two-bedroom unit.
As a rule, it’s best to spend no more than 30% of your income on rent in Minneapolis. This should leave enough to cover your other bills and let you enjoy the city’s famous nightlife. If your budget doesn’t stretch to a downtown pad, consider more affordable neighborhoods like Hopkins, Hastings, and Circle Pines.
Final thoughts
There are many reasons to move to Minneapolis, from burgers with the cheese on the inside and happy hour everywhere to picturesque natural lakes and parks. Plus, the museums, theaters, live music, and professional sports teams are just more reasons to make the move to the biggest and artsiest town on the prairie. Find a great local apartment and get ready to take on Minneapolis.
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