Northern St. Paul Suburbs
Roseville, Maplewood, White Bear Lake & Other Twin Cities, MN Burbs
Sep 10, 2007
Located to the north and east of St. Paul, the northern St. Paul suburbs have a quieter feel than the busy and congested Minneapolis burbs. There's plenty of lakes and trees in this region-- including beautiful White Bear Lake-- and you don't have to go out far at all from the city to buy a home on a quiet, wooded lot. Here's the scoop on the northern suburbs of St. Paul.
Roseville/Falcon Heights. Located just north of St. Paul, these first ring suburbs house a combination of post-war ramblers, 1970s split levels, and posh new starter mansions. The southern portions of these towns blend seamlessly into St. Paul, while the northern parts are surprisingly rural. Roseville is home to Rosedale Shopping Center and every big-box store and chain restaurant you can imagine. Falcon Heights is home to the University of Minnesota St. Paul campus and the Minnesota State Fair. Roseville and Falcon Heights are great places to live if you want to be out of the city, but want to be able to get to downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul in under fifteen minutes.
Maplewood. Located south and east of St. Paul, Maplewood is also a first ring suburb with housing that varies from post-war rambler to affluent. About a third of the property in Maplewood is rental housing, and new townhomes galore dot the landscape these days. Because Maplewood is bracketed by a number of freeways, it's the home of many companies, including 3M, one of Minnesota's biggest employers.
White Bear Lake. Located to the northeast of St. Paul, White Bear Lake has more character than your typical suburb. It used to be a swanky summer resort community and has had its own identity long before it became a suburb. There's a quaint old downtown and a commitment to local business, and of course there's the 2500-acre White Bear Lake, a favorite tourist attraction. WBL is about 20 minutes from St. Paul, so this is a good place if you want that combination of city access and country charm.
Mahtomedi/Sillwater. These well-established towns are located to the east of White Bear Lake and are almost too rural to call suburbs--except for their proximity to St. Paul and the sprawling housing developments in this area. Mahtomedi is on White Bear Lake, and Stillwater is on the St. Croix River--the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin.. Stillwater is a favorite destination travelers who want to get out of the city and visit a slice of Minnesota past. Check out these Stillwater tourist attractions.
Moundsview/Shoreview. Located north of St. Paul and about a half an hour away from each of the downtowns, these pretty and somewhat rural towns are a good place for people who want to be significantly out of the city, but close enough to visit regularly.
North Oaks. The upper crust of Minnesota society lives here. This is a private city, meaning that the homeowners own all the roads and that people cannot drive through the town unless they are invited by the residents. The city of North Oaks doesn't actually own property either-- it's all owned by the Homeowners Association. This is a pretty place with an abundance of nature, which you'll see if someone decides to let you in.
See also:
Should You Move to the Twin Cities?
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