As underrated as they come!
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10/12/2020
Minneapolis native here - after college I left the state, and have lived in the PNW, the South, and the SW. I'm reflecting on my time in each, and writing a review for my hometown.
Having lived and traveled to many places, I can say that MPLS is VERY underrated. The city has so much to do, and is often overlooked, or thrown into the "boring Midwest" bucket. That is a mistake. I'll get this out of the way, if you don't like the cold, don't move here. Ok now that we are past that, I'll list some other pros and cons.
Pros: Culture (I believe the most theaters after NYC), world class museums such as the Walker Arts Center, a really solid food scene (its not LA food scene quality, but there are some amazing options, and you'll rarely run out of options), and a pretty great craft beer / coffee scene as well. The best park system, and among the best cycling infrastructure in the US. At times cliquey, but mostly kind-hearted people.
Cons: Besides MN United, all of the sports teams suck (don't dislike this review just because your grandpappy and his pappy before him bled purple and gold, most of the sports teams WILL let you down). Nature - now this one is a pro and a con, and it is really hard to write because MN has some AMAZING nature, Voyageurs, camping in the boundary waters, Split Rock light house, Taylors Falls. But when you've lived in CA or WA, nothing can really beat it. I have also lived near the Great Smokies, and I'd say there and MN are more subtle, soft spoken beauty, while the West coast is EPIC beauty. Both are lovely in their own right, but I share because if you are looking for endless hikes and breathtaking beauty, MN has it, but it isn't in your backyard like other cities (the state is pretty flat). Let me redeem myself among the haters by saying that MN (and maybe Colorado) and among THE BEST places to experience the 4 seasons. The job market can be a pro and a con, there are plenty of Fortune 500 companies there, and if you can land a job at Target, 3M, Medtronic, US Bank, etc, you are going to live a nice life in MPLS. Besides that, it is not super easy to find great jobs.
Overall there really aren't a lot of cons, and as I said, I think the city is super underrated, and if you are looking for a smaller, more cozy Chicago, or NYC, MPLS is a great option!
Other perhaps helpful information to know:
- The state is extremely white, but actually has pockets of diversity and corresponding cuisine which is nice (particularly Somalian, and Hmong)
- The city is for the most part, pretty liberal, and welcoming to LGBTQ+ and people in general
- West of the city is very wealthy, and has huge, beautiful homes. Uptown is sort of "hip," but pretty lifeless compared to other "hip" neighborhoods around the country (besides Bde Maka Ska, which is beautiful!), the North Loop is a great place to live if you are used to downtown, hip neighborhoods in bigger cities. North MPLS has that grungy, hipster, coffeeshop, art gallery vibe which is great (if you're into that sort of thing). Also don't forget to consider St. Paul neighborhoods (to the west of that downtown - the actual downtown St. Paul is pretty lifeless).
I hope this has been helpful! If you have just received a solid job offer and relocation package to MPLS, I'd so go in a heartbeat!
Matt | Los Angeles, CA