Ranking The Best & Worst Places to Live in Minnesota
About this video
Where are the best places to live in Minnesota? This ranking compares 10 popular cities and suburbs based on lifestyle, location, commute, housing, amenities, and the trade-offs you should know before moving.
Key takeaways
- There's no single best place to live in Minnesota, only the best place for your commute, budget and weekly routine.
- Minneapolis: real city life with parks near almost every home and distinct neighborhoods (North Loop, Northeast, Lowry Hill East). Trade-offs: smaller yards, higher city property taxes, and most people still need a car.
- Saint Paul: older homes and a slower pace (Highland Park, Summit Hill, Macalester-Groveland). Fewer late-night options, and a long drive if your job is to the west.
- Plymouth: a practical west-metro pick with parks, lakes and easy access to Minneapolis and western job centers. Not very walkable, and prices can surprise you.
- Eden Prairie: planned and convenient, near the airport, with the Green Line Extension (16 stations, expected 2027) ending there. Still car-dependent and pricey.
- Edina: close-in, established neighborhoods and 50th and France. Run the real monthly numbers, including property taxes, before you fall for a street.
- Maple Grove (about 3,600 new housing units since 2020) and Woodbury (more than 4,200) offer newer homes, but each works best if your life stays on its side of the metro.
- Lakeville added about 4,900 housing units from 2020 to 2025, the most in Minnesota, and paused new residential plat applications for up to a year in 2026, though already-approved lots can still be built. Rochester, home to Mayo Clinic, is its own decision, about 90 minutes from the metro.
Questions this video answers
Is Lakeville still building new homes?
Yes. In 2026 Lakeville paused new residential plat applications for up to a year, but already-approved projects, including about 675 single-family lots and 644 townhome units, can still be built, according to the video.
What is the best suburb of Minneapolis?
It depends on where you work and how you live. Jason's rule: pick by your commute, your budget and your Saturday routine, and drive the neighborhoods before deciding.
Read more: Compare cities side by side · Commute times
Notes written by Huerkamp Home Group from this video. Figures are as stated in the video on September 22, 2026; check the current numbers in our market reports.
