A Map Guide to the Twin Cities: Where Everything Is and What It Costs

Most people moving here pull up a map and end up more confused than before. Here’s a guided tour of the Twin Cities layout, so you know where things are, what they cost and how the commute works.

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

The big picture

The metro stretches roughly from New Prague and Elko New Market in the south to Hudson in the east and past Elk River in the north. The seven-county metro covers about 3,000 square miles with about 3.8 million residents. Minneapolis and Saint Paul sit on either side of the Mississippi River, and most of the population lives inside the I-494/I-694 beltway. (I-494 alone runs about 43 miles.) MSP Airport sits just outside both cities’ limits.

Minneapolis

Downtown sits north of I-94 and west of I-35W, southwest of the river, with lots of roads in and out, and the Twin Cities don’t have the traffic of many big metros. The North Loop is just northwest of downtown, and Uptown is just east of Bde Maka Ska and Lake of the Isles.

The city has 13 lakes inside its limits. The biggest include Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet, Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake and Lake Nokomis. Around the Chain of Lakes, homes generally get more expensive from south to north, with Lake of the Isles having the priciest homes overall (Cedar Lake is the exception).

Stadiums: Target Field (Twins), one of the best ballparks in the country, in the North Loop; U.S. Bank Stadium (Vikings) on the east side of downtown; and Target Center (Timberwolves) downtown.

Northeast Minneapolis packs 20-plus taprooms within walking distance (Bauhaus and Indeed among them), with homes from the $300,000s to $600,000s and lots of inventory from $350,000 to $500,000. It’s an easy commute downtown and close to the University of Minnesota.

West suburbs

• Wayzata: small and premier, a Lake Minnetonka address with a great lakeside downtown. Prices start around $900,000 and go into the millions.
• Chanhassen: growing, with newer construction, more accessible than Wayzata at around the mid-$600,000s, and lots of inventory and new builds.
• Chaska: an old Minnesota River town with an original 1800s downtown, breweries and a town square. It’s relatively affordable, 30 to 40 minutes to downtown, and home to Hazeltine National Golf Club.

South suburbs

• Bloomington: bordered by the Minnesota River, Highway 169 and I-494. Home of the Mall of America (30 million-plus visitors a year), with very fast airport access.
• Burnsville and Apple Valley: classic, well-connected south suburbs. Burnsville is nearly built out, while Apple Valley still has some new construction. Homes start in the $300,000s and run into the $400,000s.
• Lakeville: a “city of lakes” with Crystal, Orchard and Marion lakes, big parks like Ritter Farm, and lots of new construction. It’s the fastest-growing city in the state.

Inner-ring value picks

St. Louis Park borders Minneapolis, with lake and city access; parts are under five minutes from downtown, and the West End has great shops and restaurants. Homes run about $350,000 to $600,000, concentrated at $400,000 to $550,000. Golden Valley borders Theodore Wirth Park and the Luce Line trail, and Robbinsdale has established neighborhoods with solid homes.

Many buyers start looking in Edina or Minnetonka, then realize these close-in suburbs give them more for their money near downtown.

North and northwest suburbs

• Plymouth: more than 80,000 people, many corporate offices, distinct neighborhoods and a wide price range, from the $400,000s to $1 million-plus. Medicine Lake homes run from about $750,000 to around $2 million. It’s the most searched area for relocating buyers.
• Maple Grove: next door, with Highways 610, I-94 and I-494, lakes, and The Shops at Arbor Lakes. Homes run from the high $300,000s to $700,000-plus for new construction.
• Champlin, Dayton and Rogers: more house for your money as you go farther out. Rogers is about 22 miles northwest on I-94, and Champlin and Dayton have homes from the mid-$400,000s to $600,000s.
• Elk River and Otsego: true exurbs, with homes from the $400,000s to $700,000s. Highway 169 is a main route “up north” to lake country and Mille Lacs.

These farther-out areas work best for remote workers or anyone willing to trade a longer commute for more space.

Find your fit

Every area fits someone differently. Email our team and we’ll help you narrow it down. Also see suburbs beyond the beltway.