Best Places to Retire Around Minneapolis: Communities, Co-ops and Towns

Where you settle for retirement around Minneapolis can make a difference of thousands of dollars every year. After 25 years and more than 3,700 home sales, here’s where people like to settle for the long haul, and the one trade-off that trips up almost everyone.

Prices are as of my video above (summer 2026).

Five things to look for

1. Single-level living. Most people get tired of stairs and want everything on one floor.
2. Low maintenance. Who handles the lawn and the snow? That can be easier than you think.
3. Health care. A place 30 miles out feels fine in October. In a February snowstorm, that drive to the hospital feels a lot longer.
4. Getting around. Walkability is a bonus, and rides from family or Uber fill the gaps.
5. Lock-and-leave. Many Minnesotans head south for the winter and want a home they can leave for months.

Get those right and the search gets a lot easier.

Resort-style communities

The best resort-style 55+ communities feel like a cruise ship without the water: activities, dining, friends and amenities on campus.

• Bellwether by Del Webb, Corcoran. A big clubhouse, indoor and outdoor pools, pickleball, bocce, walking trails, a fitness center and a full-time lifestyle director. All homes are single-level, the community is gated, and lawn care and snow removal are handled. It’s about 20 to 30 minutes from downtown Minneapolis. Homes start in the mid-$400,000s, and it’s the only new-construction Del Webb community still selling in the Twin Cities. More in Corcoran’s growth.
• Del Webb in Chaska. It filled up fast, so it’s now mostly resale. A 24-hour emergency room is minutes away at Ridgeview’s Two Twelve Medical Center, and both downtowns are about 30 minutes away.
• Four Seasons at Rush Creek, Maple Grove. The biggest clubhouse of the group: indoor and outdoor pools, saunas, a learning center, craft hall, spa and card room. It’s about 20 minutes from downtown, next to Arbor Lakes and a hospital. These are resale homes, typically upper $400,000s to mid-$500,000s, and inventory is tight.

A pick that isn’t a house: Becketwood

Becketwood is an active-adult co-op on 12 wooded acres on the Mississippi River bluffs in Minneapolis, about 15 minutes from both downtowns, with a nearby bus that connects to light rail. You buy a share of the cooperative, not a deed to a unit, so financing works differently. There’s a waiting list (with a refundable deposit). For city living without a yard, it’s hard to beat.

Quiet, maintenance-free condos

• Hidden Pathways, White Bear Lake. A small maintenance-free condo community with the exterior handled and underground parking, a solid lock-and-leave option.
• Bartz Crossing, Rosemount. A 55+ condo community with underground parking, where the monthly fee includes gas, heat, internet and cable.

Always confirm the rules and fees before you buy. Our HOA guide covers what to ask.

Towns that make retirement easy on their own

No age rule, no membership, no clubhouse:

• Wayzata: the walkable lake pick on Lake Minnetonka, with shops, restaurants, coffee and lake views. Prices are high; you’re paying for the lake-town lifestyle.
• Edina: shopping, dining, parks and golf near the center of the metro, including Southdale, the first indoor mall in the country. Fairview Southdale Hospital is inside the city, and there’s a 55+ apartment option near Southdale.
• Minnetonka: quiet, full of lakes and green space, about 20 minutes from downtown. Many homes are older, so check carefully for true single-level living.
• Maple Grove: Arbor Lakes plus active-adult housing, with Maple Grove Hospital (North Memorial Health) in town.
• White Bear Lake: a walkable downtown and an easy pace, with lake homes usually priced below Lake Minnetonka and Saint Paul health care close by.

The big trade-off: community or do-it-yourself?

In a 55+ community, one monthly fee can cover lawn care, snow removal, amenities and a social calendar. With a single-level home and no association, you have full control, but you pay for lawn and snow yourself. Through a Minnesota winter, that’s a few thousand dollars a year, and adding a home-watch service while you’re away can push it toward $5,000.

Once you add everything up, both can cost about the same, and the HOA fee is sometimes a slightly better deal. There’s no single right answer. The people who regret their choice usually have one thing in common: they never ran the numbers for both.

Choose in four questions

1. Community or DIY? That narrows the field right away.
2. Heading south for winter? Prioritize lock-and-leave. A heated garage is worth a lot in February.
3. Is staying social the top priority? Look hard at the resort communities.
4. Want city access and less lawn? Look at the urban and co-op picks like Becketwood.

Then visit before you commit. No listing photo can show how a place feels.

Planning your next chapter? See our downsizing guide, retiring in Minneapolis: an honest guide, and reach out to our team with your must-haves.