"We walk towards you St. Michael / Against the swarm, against the dragons" - CocoRosie
The land of 10,000 lakes is also the land of quite a few stellar communities, including the city of St. Michael. According to a 2013 report by Movoto Real Estate, this Crow River community is the eighth most desirable place to live in Minnesota. Also laying claim to the state's largest performing arts center in the state's second largest public high school, St. Michael-Albertville High, St. Michael is a place teeming with small-town charm and big-city potential. Close to I-94, many residents commute to both St. Cloud or the Twin Cities for work and recreation. St. Michael is refreshingly convenient for both.
Crow-Hassan Park Reserve: This is the area's biggest, most beautiful nature reserve
"We walk towards you St. Michael / Against the swarm, against the dragons" - CocoRosie
The land of 10,000 lakes is also the land of quite a few stellar communities, including the city of St. Michael. According to a 2013 report by Movoto Real Estate, this Crow River community is the eighth most desirable place to live in Minnesota. Also laying claim to the state's largest performing arts center in the state's second largest public high school, St. Michael-Albertville High, St. Michael is a place teeming with small-town charm and big-city potential. Close to I-94, many residents commute to both St. Cloud or the Twin Cities for work and recreation. St. Michael is refreshingly convenient for both.
Neighborhoods
Crow-Hassan Park Reserve: This is the area's biggest, most beautiful nature reserve. Outdoorsy folks will dig being able to hike, jog or bike around the natural trails, and there are some premier apartments available in the area.
Pleasant Acres: Down on the south side of town, this purely residential area has a nice golf course and a small number of places to rent. It's a good option for people who don't want to be right in the center of the action.
West Side: The West side of St. Michael is super rural. Expect to find lots of wide, open land here and mostly single-family homes.
Living in St. Michael
Residential living in St. Michael is dominated by owner-occupied homes. Less than one tenth of its units are house rentals. This appears to show that the city of St. Michael is more homestead material than transitive layover. This is a community where people plant strong, residential roots. Moving here means gearing up for some house hunting because you might end up buying your home! Still, there are certainly places to live in that are apartments for rent, not for sale. One of the advantages of living in St. Michael, however, is that housing prices are less expensive than the state's average.
Now, if this is an in-state move and you've been here for a few seasons, then the prospect of a Minnesota winter won't be too shocking. However, if you are moving to St. Michael from out of state, then you need to be prepared. Much like all of Minnesota, St. Michael has gorgeous seasonal landscapes. Summers are straight out of storybooks: hummingbirds, butterflies and even a few rainbows. Fall comes early, but is bursting with every hue of harvest imaginable. Then, winter arrives.
Yes, there will be snow and plenty of it. In fact, part of Minnesota's driving laws are based on surviving during a snowstorm. When the importance of having an adequate amount of spare blankets, water and gas are stressed, take it seriously.
With an average population of less than 17,000 people, St. Michael can be considered a small Midwestern city. However, the recreational opportunities nearby give it a far-reaching extension. When you're craving a bit of city life, 30 minutes of highway driving lands you in the sophisticated, progressive terrain of the Twin Cities. If you want some urban affect that's less congested, head north toward St. Cloud.
