Are you moving to Minneapolis, Minnesota, soon? If so, lucky you! Minneapolis is a diverse, vibrant city with its fair share of excellent attractions, luxuries, and outdoor experiences. After all, this is the Land of 10,000 Lakes and situated along the mighty Mississippi River. To find out more read the Moving to Minneapolis Guide below from iStorage!
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Relocating to Minneapolis
Moving to Minneapolis can be relatively easy or incredibly stressful, depending on where you’re coming from and whether or not you hire professional movers. Whatever you decide, the list of helpful tips below will ease your stress.
- Start preparing for your move 6 to 8 weeks ahead of time.
- Get moving estimates from 3 or 4 movers.
- Choose the mover you like best and lock in your packing, loading, and delivery dates.
- Sell, donate, or trash anything you don’t use, need or want. (Remember, movers charge by weight.)
- If you do the packing, get started packing right away.
- Find storage in Minneapolis before you arrive.
- Gather the following essential documents: school transcripts, professional licenses, medical, dental, vet records, vehicle titles, prescription medicines
- Have the utilities in your home scheduled for disconnection
What are the Best Neighborhoods in Minneapolis?
Below is a list of the 10 best neighborhoods in Minneapolis, but keep in mind that a big city has dozens of them.
Linden Hills– You’ll find biking and walking trails galore here on the two lakes that engulf Linden Hills.
North Loop– This community is known as the warehouse district and is known for hip bars, designer shops, and the Minneapolis Farmers Market.
Central Minneapolis– Six smaller communities make up Central Minneapolis in the heart of the business district.
Loring Park– A uniquely charming residential neighborhood close to its namesake Loring Park as well as upscale restaurants, cafes, and shops.
Fulton– Rated one of the five best neighborhoods in the city.
Downtown Minneapolis– There’s no lack of entertainment in downtown Minneapolis.
Lynnhurst– A waterfront community that sits along the shore of Lake Harriet, Lynnhurst is delightfully walkable.
Minnehaha– Many residents here consider Minnehaha to be the best urban neighborhood in the city.
Lowry Hill– If you’re a fan of the arts, Lowry Hill will not disappoint. It’s the home of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden and Walker Art Center, among others.
Uptown– With a laid-back vibe, fashionable shops and restaurants, and the fabulous Uptown Theater, Uptown is where all the cool kids chill out.
Pros and Cons of Moving to Minneapolis
Every city or town in the United States has its good and bad sides, and Minneapolis is no different. If you’d like to know the pros and cons of Minneapolis before you arrive, the two lists below will be valuable.
Pros
There are many job opportunities in Minneapolis
The quality of life in Minneapolis is high
The Twin Cities area is one of the most vibrant in the United States
The cost of living in Minneapolis is reasonable
96% of residents live within 10 minutes of a park.
The city is one of the greenest in the country
Minneapolis is easily one of the best biking cities in the United States.
Brewing craft beer is an art in Minneapolis
The food scene in Minneapolis is one of the country’s best
The city offers a variety of outdoor recreational activities, including boating, hiking, skiing, and more.
Transportation around the city is easy and affordable.
Ice fishing is a way of life in winter
The Minnesota Twins baseball team!
Summer in Minneapolis is spectacular, with a comfort index of 9.2!
The Skyway System is amazing!
Many Fortune 500 companies make their home here.
Cons
Minneapolis has terrible traffic.
Taxes are high in the city.
Making friends is difficult in Minneapolis.
Wintertime in Minneapolis is long and cold.
Crime rates are relatively high
What is the Cost of Living in Minneapolis?
While Minneapolis isn’t the most affordable city in the northwest, it’s not the most expensive, either. Housing, for example, has a cost index of 113.4, about 14 points above the national average. The only cost index in the city that’s out of line is miscellaneous expenses at 144.6.
Below are all the major cost indices for Minneapolis in case you want to compare them to another city. Please remember the national average is 100, so anything above that number is higher than the national average, and anything below is lower.
Overall. 105
Housing. 113.4
Healthcare. 75.8 (Excellent!)
Transportation. 108.5
Groceries. 101.2
Utilities. 99.7
Miscellaneous expenses. 144.6
What is Minneapolis Known For?
Minneapolis is known for several things, including being the birthplace of Prince, one of the most popular rock and roll artists of the last 40 years. The city is also known as the home of the Mall of America and for having the Mississippi River run right through it. Most famously, Minneapolis is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes because Minnesota has the highest number of lakes in the United States.
iStorage Minneapolis
Take Care of Your Storage Needs with iStorage If you’ve just arrived and need storage in Minneapolis, your best choice is iStorage. iStorage has 2 self-storage facilities in the city that are safe, clean, and secure. We also have another 8 in and around the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area waiting to help you store anything you need. Need car storage? No problem, iStorage has plenty! Climate-controlled storage units are also available in our storage facilities, as well as storage organization tools. Click, call, or stop by the nearest iStorage location to reserve your Minneapolis storage unit today!