10 Minneapolis Suburbs, Ranked in Tiers by Price and Lifestyle

If you’re moving to the Twin Cities, you have dozens of suburbs to choose from, and they couldn’t be more different. Pick the wrong one and you might want to move again a few months later. So I grouped 10 suburbs into five tiers, from more affordable spots with a few trade-offs up to the most expensive addresses in the metro.

A lower tier doesn’t mean a worse place to live. It means a different trade-off. Prices are as of my video above (December 2025).

Tier D: More home for the money, farther south

Lakeville (Dakota County) sits right on I-35: about 20 to 25 minutes to the airport and 25 to 35 minutes to either downtown. The median was about $477,000. It has more than 70 parks and nearly 150 miles of trails, plus Grand Prairie Park (with 10 pickleball courts opened in August 2025), the Lakeville Area Arts Center and lots of new industrial development along I-35. Unemployment was just 2.4%.

Trade-off: you’re “south of the river,” so crossing a bridge at rush hour slows you down. If you want new construction and don’t mind being farther south, Lakeville has a lot going for it.

Prior Lake (Scott County) has a small-town feel and about 15 lakes in and around it. The median was about $490,000, up 15.3% in a year. There are 49 parks, about 1,000 acres of parkland and 80 miles of sidewalks and trails, and Lakefront Park (almost 160 acres) has a beach and fishing piers.

Trade-off: similar to Lakeville, farther from downtown, but a more affordable lake lifestyle than the west suburbs.

Tier C: Charm and lifestyle over convenience

Stillwater sits on the St. Croix River near the Wisconsin border, the only suburb here that pulls you east. The median was about $475,000 (about $540,000 in downtown Stillwater). It’s historic, with the lift bridge, one of the largest concentrations of antique shops in the upper Midwest, riverfront dining, historic sawmills and even cave tours.

Trade-off: about 30 minutes to downtown Minneapolis, depending on traffic. It’s better if you work in Saint Paul or the east metro.

Excelsior, on the south side of Lake Minnetonka, had a median sale price around $890,000 and a median list price near $1.4 million. Its walkable downtown hosts events all year, and the 13-acre Commons has two beaches, playgrounds and a bandshell. The port is the hub for charters and the historic Minnehaha steamboat.

Trade-off: it’s small, and you pay a premium for the lake and the history.

Tier B: The classic west metro formula

Eden Prairie reported a 92% resident satisfaction rate, with a median around $598,000. It has an arts center, a community center, an outdoor center, big shopping and more than 2,800 businesses, plus easy highway access, and it’s more affordable than Wayzata or Minnetonka.

Trade-off: rush-hour traffic, and good homes sell fast.

Chanhassen, named Money’s best place to live in 2021, had a median around $575,000 (up 10.6%). It has 30-plus parks, 70-plus miles of trails, a drop-in recreation center, a new city hall and civic campus, and redevelopment like the cinema and hotel projects. You often get more land than in older suburbs.

Trade-off: it adds 5 to 10 minutes each way to downtown compared with Eden Prairie, and some areas still feel under construction.

Tier A: Very desirable, fast-moving markets

Plymouth homes were selling in about 21 days, with a median around $525,000 (up 9.8%). It has lots of parks and pools, programs for all ages, and city investment in older areas. People who move here tend to stay.

Trade-off: you have to be ready to move fast, and it’s a large suburb, so not every part feels tight-knit.

Minnetonka, up 18.7% in a year, offers older, established neighborhoods with big lots and mature trees, close to Lake Minnetonka. It has Shady Oak Beach, the Williston Fitness Center, outdoor rinks and a 2026 to 2030 improvement plan for housing and reinvestment.

Trade-off: older homes may need updates, and there’s less brand-new construction.

Tier S: The most expensive addresses in the metro

Wayzata had a median list price around $2.3 million. It’s centered on the lake, with a high-end walkable downtown, the Panoway on Wayzata Bay lakefront project (lake walk, park and the Dakota Rail Trail), Wayzata Beach and marina, and short-term public boat docking at the Depot Docks. You’re buying the address as much as the house.

Edina is a premier, established first-ring suburb with a median around $760,000 (up 8.2%), though some areas, like ZIP code 55439, were around $668,000. It has Braemar Arena, Field and Golf Course, Centennial Lakes Park (with winter skating), the Edina Aquatic Center, Galleria shopping and 50th & France.

The big picture

The best suburb depends on what matters most to you. Whether your budget is $400,000 or $2 million, and whether you want an established neighborhood or new construction, there’s a suburb here that fits. Reach out to our team and we’ll help you find yours, or read about popular suburbs that surprise out-of-state buyers.