MAIN Home Life House & Home Moving Minnesota

Named by the Dakota Indians as minne + sota or "clouds and water", Minnesota's reputation as "The Land of a 10,000 Lakes" is an apt description of the general topography of the state contrasted by acres of national forests.

Minnesota was once primarily known for its heavy Western European demographic made up of primarily Norwegian, German, Irish and Swedish immigrants and their descendants. Today, Minnesota's population is rapidly becoming multi-cultural with an influx of Hispanic, Asian and other groups adding to the diversity of the population, primarily centered around the Minneapolis / St. Paul metro area.

Diversity also best characterizes Minnesota's overall economy which is based on a variety of industries, highlighted by some three dozen major corporations headquartered here including 3M, General Mills, Target, U.S. Bancorp and UnitedHealth Group.

• Demographics : (Minnesota Census Data)
  Major cities: St. Paul (capital), Minneapolis, Rochester, Duluth, Bloomington
  Population : 5,167,101
  White : 89.6%
  Black, African American : 4.3%
  Hispanic : 3.6%
  High school graduates : 87.9%
  Bachelor's degree or higher : 27.4%
  Average household income: $51,202
  
  
• Crime : see Crime in Minnesota
  
  
• Cost of Living: Sperling's Best Places - Minnesota - Compared to the rest of the country, Minnesota's cost of living is 3.90% lower than the U.S. average.
  
  
• Property Taxes : Minnesota Tax Climate - Per capita collections amounts to $965, which ranks 27th highest nationally.
  
  
• Housing & Real Estate Overview : also see Zillow - Minnesota Real Estate
  Home ownership rate : 74.6%
  Average home price : $234,367
  Average travel time to work : 21.1 minutes
  
  
• Schools : see Minnesota Department of Education
  
  
• Weather : Famous for its cold winters and heavy snowfalls, Minnesota is nonetheless warm in the summer and may even experience prolonged heat waves. Temperatures in the Lake Superior area are a bit milder in both summer and winter.
  

More about relocating to Minnesota around the Web:

Minnesota Relocation Information - The state's official chamber of commerce site links to recommended apartment & real estate brokers, employment agencies, with facts & information on transportation services, utilities, and popular tourist attractions throughout the state.

MNspeak.com - A virtual town square for the Minneapolis metro area with visitor posts on a variety of topics including tips on moving to the area, with neighborhood overviews, news on local sports teams, politics, arts & entertainment.

Moving to St. Paul? - The official travel guide with helpful information for newcomers on local utilities, city services, apartment renting & real estate, schools, bus service & transportation, neighborhood guides, maps.

Bloomington CityWeb - New Residents - A warm welcome to the community including a local school guide, bus routes & maps, calendar of Bloomington events, city stats & demographic information, local utilities, how to's on applying for a drivers license or building permit.

Relocating to Duluth - Helpful guide from the University of Minnesota offering links and information on housing & real estate, area public schools, local moving companies, city services.

Minnesota Real Estate, Apartments & Job Classifieds:

• Minneapolis : Star Tribune
• St. Paul : Pioneer Press
• Duluth : News Tribune
• Bloomington : Sun

also see -> Minnesota Beaches | Minnesota Eviction Laws

Minnesota Fall Foliage | Minnesota Taxes | Minnesota Tourism

Minnesota Wine Tours | Christmas in Minnesota

also see in House & Home -> Apartment Renting | Buying Foreclosures

Home Buying | Home Energy Savings | Home Insurance | Remodeling