The Real Truth About Living in Minneapolis, Minnesota
About this video
Thinking about living in Minneapolis, Minnesota? Here’s the real truth about daily life, cost of living, neighborhoods, weather, and what locals don’t always tell you before moving.
Key takeaways
- Pros and cons of living in Minneapolis, as Jason sees them. Parks lead the pros: the city ranked third in the 2025 ParkScore index, and the Park Board manages more than 185 park properties covering about 7,059 acres.
- The Chain of Lakes (Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet, Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake) connects by trail, and the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway loops the city with about 51 miles each of walking and biking paths. Minneapolis is a gold-level Bicycle Friendly Community with about 36 miles of curb-protected bikeways.
- Value: the median home price was about $350,000 (up 8.1% from a year earlier) at the time of the video, far below Chicago, Denver or Seattle, and Midwest prices tend to swing less.
- Health care and culture: Mayo Clinic is just over an hour away in Rochester, and the city has the Guthrie Theater, First Avenue, Prince's legacy and a James Beard–recognized food scene.
- Cons: short summers (the cold season runs roughly November to mid-March), rising prices in popular areas (Linden Hills around $698,000 and Edina around $760,000), year-round road construction and a top state income tax rate of 9.85%.
- Winters: the Twin Cities average about 52 inches of snow a year. The people who thrive here embrace winter activities, from skating on frozen lakes to cross-country skiing and fat-tire biking.
Questions this video answers
What are the pros and cons of living in Minneapolis?
Pros include one of the best park systems in the country, year-round trails, lower home prices than most big metros, world-class health care nearby and a strong arts and food scene. Cons include long winters, short summers, constant road construction, high state income taxes and rising prices in popular neighborhoods.
How much snow does Minneapolis get?
About 52 inches a year on average, according to the video.
Read more: Minneapolis market report · Linden Hills · Minneapolis vs. Saint Paul
Notes written by Huerkamp Home Group from this video. Figures are as stated in the video on January 4, 2026; check the current numbers in our market reports.
