If I Had $750K to Buy in the Twin Cities, Here's Where I'd Look

$750,000 sounds like it can buy almost anything in the Twin Cities. Drive 20 minutes west and it may barely get you in the door. Drive 20 minutes east and it can buy the biggest house on the block. So I gave myself a challenge: if someone handed me $750,000 to buy anywhere in the metro, where would I put it?

For context, the metro median was around $390,000 when I made the video above (August 2026). In premium neighborhoods, $750,000 is entry-level money; in growth suburbs, it’s near the top of the market.

Edina: the address everybody knows

Edina’s median sits around $600,000, so $750,000 puts you comfortably above the middle. It typically buys a solid, updated three- or four-bedroom home, often a mid-century rambler, sometimes one that needs a little work.

What it won’t buy: neighborhoods like the Country Club district or Indian Hills, which start well over $1 million.

What you get: the chance to land near 50th & France, with shops, restaurants and a street that feels alive, Southdale minutes away, tree-lined blocks, and a 15-minute drive to downtown Minneapolis.

The catch: teardowns are common in Edina, which tells you what you’re paying for: the address. Making it your dream home often falls on you.

Linden Hills: city living by the lakes

In this southwest Minneapolis neighborhood near Lake Harriet and Bde Maka Ska, $750,000 is almost exactly the median. It buys a charming home from the 1920s to 1940s, a bungalow or Tudor, often three bedrooms or more, steps from paths that lead to the water.

The Linden Hills village has small shops, coffee shops and restaurants. The Lake Harriet Bandshell has music all summer, and spots like Wild Rumpus bookstore add to the charm.

The catch: you’re paying a lake premium for an older, often smaller home, and Minneapolis property taxes run higher. If you’re prepared for that, it’s a fantastic pick.

Excelsior: where $750K stops feeling big

On Lake Minnetonka, $750,000 is entry-level. It buys a nice home walkable to town and close to the water, but not on the water. Real shoreline here runs well into the millions.

For many people, the lifestyle is worth it: historic Water Street with boutiques and lakeside dining, the 13-acre Excelsior Commons with two beaches and public docks, Apple Days in the fall and Art on the Lake in summer, about 20 minutes from downtown depending on traffic.

The catch: inventory is thin, and it’s a long drive if you commute east. For a similar feel on different water, look at White Bear Lake, or Stillwater on the St. Croix. See Excelsior.

Woodbury: where $750K stretches

Woodbury’s median is around $450,000, so $750,000 is $300,000 above it. It buys a lot of house: a large, newer four- or five-bedroom home with a three-car garage, often on the growing south side of town. The top of the market still runs past $1 million, so you’re not at the top, but you’re far from the bottom.

Woodbury is the east metro’s hub, with easy errands, big parks and more than 180 miles of trails, and it’s 15 to 20 minutes to downtown Saint Paul.

The catch: it’s very car-dependent, without a walkable downtown. It’s about 18 miles to downtown Minneapolis, and some newer subdivisions can feel a bit cookie-cutter. Similar options with lots of new construction: Lakeville, Blaine, Maple Grove or Chanhassen.

Northeast Minneapolis: maybe the best deal here

Northeast’s median is around the mid-$300,000s, so $750,000 is roughly double. That can buy a large, fully renovated home, or even a duplex with two separate units.

The lifestyle: the Northeast Arts District’s galleries and studios, breweries like Indeed and Sociable Cider Werks, the historic Grain Belt complex by the river, restaurants along Central and Hennepin, and every spring Art-A-Whirl, the largest open studio tour in the country.

The catch: Minneapolis property taxes run higher, some blocks sit next to industrial buildings, and some riverfront blocks are flood-prone, so check the maps before you offer. The Saint Paul equivalent might be Highland Park, with Mississippi River Boulevard, Highland Village and the Highland Bridge redevelopment.

So where would I buy?

For me, it comes down to where my life is, and that’s the south metro. My businesses are there, my family is there, and I love the lake access. I’d pick Lakeville. If my life were on the east side, Woodbury would be a big contender; on the north side, Blaine; on the west side, somewhere from Victoria up to Maple Grove.

That’s really the lesson: the “best” place for $750,000 depends on where your daily life happens. Want help finding the best home for your budget? Reach out to our team, or search homes on the map.