"Skies blue / O'er you / Look down in love. / Waves bright / Give Light / As on they move." (-Slim Whitman, “By The Waters of Minnetonka”)
Lake Minnetonka may have only first been seen (to the best of our knowledge, anyway) in 1822, but that doesn't mean it's old hat. Minnetonka is a suburban city (the 17th largest) in the state of Minnesota. With 44% of the population aged 55 years or older (can anyone say baby boomers?), the city has a rich natural resource base and has a strong resolve of preserving it. While most of the cities in United States is focused on seeing whose downtown can be noisier, Minnetonka is proud of its 49 community parks and more than 1000 acres of natural open space. Try and say that, Vegas.
How much is it going to cost?
As of a 2010 census, there were around 21,000 households in Minnetonka
"Skies blue / O'er you / Look down in love. / Waves bright / Give Light / As on they move." (-Slim Whitman, “By The Waters of Minnetonka”)
Lake Minnetonka may have only first been seen (to the best of our knowledge, anyway) in 1822, but that doesn't mean it's old hat. Minnetonka is a suburban city (the 17th largest) in the state of Minnesota. With 44% of the population aged 55 years or older (can anyone say baby boomers?), the city has a rich natural resource base and has a strong resolve of preserving it. While most of the cities in United States is focused on seeing whose downtown can be noisier, Minnetonka is proud of its 49 community parks and more than 1000 acres of natural open space. Try and say that, Vegas.
How much is it going to cost?
As of a 2010 census, there were around 21,000 households in Minnetonka. Out of its 23,000 houses, about 25% were rentals. See what we're getting at here? Does cash rule everything around you? No need to worry, the median rent of a 1 bedroom apartment in the city center is slightly higher than those a bit farther from the action.
Prepping for the move
The benefits of suburban living are far reaching, and it shows pretty quickly when you see the lack of complications moving in. You won't have to battle out 30 hipsters in ratty t-shirts coasting on their freelance art money (no offense, San Francisco). Instead, just put a little legwork in, get your first and last month's rent ready, and get some boxes for your stuff. Before you know it, you'll be moving into your new place.
Your neighborhood should say a lot about you. After all, no one wants to be the single, 20-something, wannabe jazz musician in a block full of nuclear families, right? If you're interested in late night eats, you may want to pick the neighborhood with the best restaurants. If you want some privacy, though, you'll definitely want to stray from the city center.
Glen Lake: Glen Lake is relatively cheaper than the other 'hoods. And with Glen Lake Park down the way, Fido will thank you for choosing this spot. $$
Groveland: The largest neighborhood in the city, it's about four times the size of the others--not that it has anything to prove, or anything. If you want to prove you're a local hot shot, though, this is the place to do it. Median income in Groveland is high, and the rent shows it. $$$$
Oak Terrace: About the same size as Glen Lake, but much more, ahem, "efficient". Oak terrace has the lowest median apartment rent, making it the least expensive neighborhood to live in. $
Spend some time in Minnetonka and you'll feel like you're living in the background of someone's computer screen. The fresh air, the star gazing, all of it; it's the kind of environment you'll be hard pressed to find so close to a city yet so picturesque in reality anywhere else.
