Maybe the universe is trying to tell you something. When you struggle to make ends meet in a dead-end job, when your rent goes up again and the noise and dirt of your home city make life unbearable, you might consider that it is time for a change.
Think about your priorities, and what you want out of life. Think about getting out of your rut while you still can, and starting anew in a place where you can strike a healthy work-life balance, explore fun environments and make new friends. It's time to move to Minnesota!
1. You Want Affordability
Minnesota is a great place to start over if you are looking for affordability.
According to Zillow, the average home value is $236,700. Prices for houses have gone up 5.3% over the past year and are expected to rise over 3% in the coming year. The median list price per square foot is $188 and the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $1,223 and a two-bedroom is $1,637.
Although the cost of living in a city like Minneapolis is 5% higher than the national average, it is still much less than other cities like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles.
If you need to save on your housing options, it's not hard to find a nice roommate in Minnesota (see number 4 below).
2. You Want Job Options
Minnesota is home to 19 Fortune 500 companies, so you have an excellent chance of scoring a good job with lots of growth opportunities. This state has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation!
No matter where your interests lie, there are plenty of sectors represented here. If you are interested in consumer products, you can apply for a job at Land 'O Lakes, Hormel or General Mills. If you're interested in retail, Target makes its home here.
No matter where you are on the corporate ladder, you should be able to find a foothold here to continue your upward climb.
3. You Long for the Great Outdoors
Minnesota is called the Land of Lakes. It has 11,000 lakes with 90,000 miles of shoreline. That's more than that of Florida, Hawaii, California, and Florida combined!
If you like canoeing or kayaking, this is the place to be. Minnesota is also a haven for bicyclists.
Winter sports also abound, from skating to ice fishing. Cross country skiing is popular here, plus snowshoeing and other outdoorsy ways to help the long winters fly by.
4. You Seek a Friendly Culture
Everyone knows the Midwest is friendly, and Minnesotans are especially amicable. They do have some friendly rivalries with neighboring states like Iowa and Wisconsin, but generally, they are sweet to newcomers and you should have no trouble finding your niche and making friends.
Minnesotans speak their minds, but they always do it nicely. They will let you know if your West Coast ways seem a little different from theirs. They also will laugh if your East Coast bones can't handle the famous Minnesota winters.
But all in all, you will find this state warm and welcoming.
5. You Like City Life...
Minnesota has some awesome urban areas like Minneapolis and St. Paul. If you like a city where you can find art, museums, and nightlife but you won't get lost, overwhelmed or mugged, check these cities out.
Minneapolis was the birthplace of many cultural icons, like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Prince and Bob Dylan. There is a vibrant music and art scene, with plentiful public installations and numerous festivals.
Because the winters are so cold, Minneapolis has created a brilliant solution which allows you to shop to your heart's content no matter what the weather. The city's Skyway is an indoor pedestrian walkway system that links many downtown buildings. It's the longest continuous skyway system in the world, spanning 69 blocks and seven miles.
And don't forget: Mall of America is close to the Twin Cities, for more shopping fun.
6. ..but You Enjoy Small Towns as Well
If you are considering moving from a big city like Chicago or New York to Minnesota, you may be longing for the more intimate nature of a small town. Minnesota has plenty of small towns to choose from, including rural farming areas to suburban idylls.
One Minnesota paper recently ranked some of the hottest small towns of the state. It included Winona, home to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, the Mid West Music Fest, and Island City Brewing Company.
Red Wing is another small town that is attracting a young crowd, drawn by its location between bluffs on the Mississippi River and new foodie havens like the Red Wing Olive Oils and Vinegars shop or the Staghead Gastropub.
New Ulm displays its German roots with its German baroque cathedral, its daily glockenspiel shows, and Schell’s beer, brewed here since 1860.
7. You are Ready to Buy a House
Minnesota's reasonable cost of living combined with its mid-range house prices, especially outside of the major cities, makes it an ideal place to buy your first house or invest in your next one.
Because of the state's healthy employment, you can expect more people like you to be moving in when you decide to upgrade in ten or twenty years, so resale is rarely a problem.
Many families find that the school systems have good resources and the daily commutes are much more manageable than other sites where they have moved from.
8. You Are Thinking About Starting a Family
If you re thinking about starting a family, there are few places on earth better than Minnesota.
You can give your kids the ideal upbringing in a nice town or city with good schools and local colleges, a beautiful environment, and a friendly culture.
Is it Time to Move to Minnesota? You Betcha!
If you are thinking it is time to move, you should check out some of the options that Minnesota can offer. Go for beautiful landscapes and fun cities with great job opportunities, educational options, and reasonable prices. Stay for the friendly people and the balanced lifestyle.
For more information on moving on up and improving your life, check out our blog.