Minneapolis is the most-populous city in the state of Minnesota and the county seat of Hennepin County. Just over the Mississippi River from Minnesota's second-biggest city, St. Paul, the two cities are commonly known together as the Twin Cities. The whole state of Minnesota, and the Twin Cities in particular, are known for their high concentration of Fortune 500 companies and lakes. The metropolitan area is the second-largest hub of economic activity in the Midwest after Chicago.
People move to Minneapolis from all around the country and the world. The city is known for providing all of the cultural opportunities of a larger coastal city at the same time it offers the higher quality of life and affordability of the Midwest. Recreation abounds, and most of the 13 lakes in the city are surrounded by hiking trails and scenic outlooks while the city itself is surrounded by both the Mississippi and the Minnesota rivers. Minnesotans are known for being ever-pleasant to newcomers, and people in Minneapolis take great pride in the local attitude named "Minnesota Nice" that dictates everyone treats each other kindly and welcomes strangers. With a stunning skyline, reliable real estate prices, ample recreation and all major sports leagues represented, Minneapolis has everything you could want in a new city.
Minneapolis offers a robust public transportation system that is constantly improving. The light rail train connects Minneapolis with St. Paul and the suburbs, and rides can cost under $2.00 to get everywhere you need to go around town. The Mall of America is also located on the light rail and accessible from downtown, and offers the single largest mall in the United States in terms of floor space and the number of stores available.
The light rail is also heated during winter, which is a necessity since Minneapolis is known for having some of the coldest winters in the lower 48 states. That doesn't mean Minneapolis residents become homebodies during the winter though. The Minneapolis Skyway System is the largest of its kind in the world, connecting 80 city blocks over 10 miles through skyways that are several floors above ground level and climate-controlled throughout the year.
With an abundance of unique neighborhoods, finding the best places to live in Minneapolis isn't always an easy task. We'll give you a head start with some of our top picks in and around Minneapolis. You can customize your list of the best places to live in Minneapolis further by specifying your search radius, population size, home/rent budget and what other metrics such as education and crime are most important to you.
