I've Lived in Minneapolis All My Life... My Honest Thoughts
About this video
I’ve lived in Minneapolis my entire life and I’m sharing the real pros, cons, and things nobody warns you about before moving here. If you’re thinking about living in Minneapolis, this honest breakdown will help you decide if it’s actually worth it.
Key takeaways
- Jason has lived in Minneapolis for 49 years. The best part is the outdoors: the Chain of Lakes, the 50-mile Grand Rounds trail loop, Theodore Wirth Park's 759 acres, and more than 180 city parks.
- St. Anthony Falls is the only natural major waterfall on the Mississippi, and 53-foot Minnehaha Falls is a neighborhood park.
- The Twin Cities have a deep base of headquarters: Target, 3M, General Mills, UnitedHealth Group, U.S. Bank and Best Buy, plus Cargill, the largest privately held company. MSP is Delta's second-largest hub, with nonstop flights to Europe and Asia.
- Home prices as of early 2026, as stated in the video: a median of about $350,000 in Minneapolis and about $290,000 in Saint Paul.
- The trade-offs: high taxes (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and property taxes Jason puts around 1.3% in Minneapolis), long winters with 50-plus inches of snow and short December days, heavy road salt and constant road construction.
- Downtown office values have fallen sharply; Jason cites a building that sold for $200 million less than a decade ago and recently sold for about $6.25 million.
- What's coming: the Green Line Extension to Eden Prairie (2027), the Blue Line Extension to Brooklyn Park, Highland Bridge in Saint Paul, and office-to-housing conversions downtown.
Questions this video answers
What is the biggest downside of living in Minneapolis?
For most people, the winters: 50-plus inches of snow, cold snaps and short December days. Jason also points to high income and property taxes and frequent road construction.
How many lakes are in Minneapolis?
Jason counts 22 lakes within city limits, including the Chain of Lakes, with Lake Minnetonka (about 14,000 acres) roughly 15 minutes west.
Read more: Minneapolis community guide · Longfellow · Seward
Notes written by Huerkamp Home Group from this video. Figures are as stated in the video on January 17, 2026; check the current numbers in our market reports.
