Why So Many Californians Are Moving to Minneapolis

Fewer than one in five Californians can afford a home in their own state, and people are leaving in bigger numbers than most realize. A lot of them are landing right here in Minneapolis. Once you see why, it makes total sense.

Figures are as of my video above (July 2026).

California’s affordability problem

• A typical California home runs about $875,000, and only about 18% of residents can afford it.
• The state is short roughly 3 million homes, depending on who’s counting.
• UC Berkeley researchers found movers land where housing costs about $672 less a month, and seven years later they’re about 48% more likely to own a home than similar Californians who stayed.

Why Minneapolis?

Money. A typical Minneapolis home sits in the mid-$300,000s, about 60% less than California’s median. A California budget buys a really nice home in suburbs like Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Lakeville or Woodbury.

It’s already happening. Census data compiled by USAFacts shows California is the #2 state sending people to Minnesota, behind only Wisconsin, and U-Haul’s one-way truck data backs that up. Right now I’m working with five clients from California who already have jobs here, including a pastor, a teacher and a group in the automotive industry. All are buying in the suburbs.

The lakes. Most Californians expect a downgrade. Then they see the lakes, and what we hear over and over is, “We lived by the ocean, and this is better.” Minnesota has, by one count, more than 44,000 miles of lakeshore, far more than California’s coastline. Lake Minnetonka alone is about 14,500 acres with 30-plus bays, lakefront dining and boats everywhere in summer.

Jobs. Minnesota has 17 Fortune 500 headquarters, including UnitedHealth Group, Target and Best Buy.

Lifestyle. Minneapolis was ranked the 6th fittest city in America, thanks to the trails, lakes and parks.

The honest part: winter

May through October, this is one of the best places on the planet. After that, all bets are off. Winter is real, cold and long, and nobody’s going to pretend otherwise. For people who know what they’re signing up for, six incredible months plus a winter you respect is worth it. (Read what nobody tells you about living in Minnesota.)

The tide has turned

For about six straight years, more people left Minnesota than moved in. In 2025, for the first time since 2018, Minnesota gained about 8,300 people from other states, partly thanks to people coming from the coasts.

Where they’re buying

• Eden Prairie: high $400,000s to mid-$500,000s, with more than 1,000 acres of parks. One of the top picks for California buyers.
• Minnetonka: Lake Minnetonka access, with most homes in the high $400,000s to low $500,000s, and they don’t sit long.
• Plymouth: around $500,000, with single-family homes often higher, lots of green space, easy highway access and fast growth.

Doing the math on a move from California or anywhere else? Reach out. With the right people on your side, a long-distance move gets a lot simpler. Also see who’s moving to Minneapolis and where they buy.