Southern Twin Cities Suburbs
Bloomington, Eagan, and Other Minneapolis & St Paul Metro Area Burbs
Need some information about the southern suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota? Here's what's south of the Twin City metro area.
Looking for a place to live in the southern suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul, MN? The southern suburbs are pretty typical, all-American burbs that started expanding after World War II, and then kept moving further and further south. The scenic Minnesota River runs through this area, accompanied by a lush valley. Freeway access is abundant, and although traffic can be nasty, the southern suburbs aren't as congested some of the metro area.
Here's the scoop on the southern suburbs!
Richfield. Richfield is located directly to the south of Minneapolis and is a classic fist ring suburb, with lots of modest but well-preserved post-war housing. Because of its proximity to Minneapolis, it has a more urban feel than most of the suburbs. The city recently became the headquarters of Best Buy. Richfield is very centrally located, and it's a good place to live if you want to be very close to the city but not in it.
Bloomington. Centrally located south of Richfield and very close to both Minneapolis and St. Paul, Bloomington is the largest of the Twin City suburbs and the 5th largest city in the state. It's home to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and the Mall of America. Bloomington is roughly divided into two sections-- East Bloomington, which has lots of the post-war ranch housing that you often find in first ring suburbs, and West Bloomington, which is newer and generally more affluent. About a third of the city is reserved for park use, and there are several large lakes in town.
Burnsville. Located south of Bloomington, Burnsville is a third-ring suburb that sprouted in the 1960s and 1970s. It's a good place to live if you want to be completely out of the city, but still want to be able to hop on 35W and be downtown within half an hour. The town is the home to Crystal Lake, a popular and tranquil attraction.
Eagan. This large suburb is east of Bloomington and Burnsville. In 2006, it was voted the best place to live by Money Magazine. It's kind of a quintessential suburb with lots of developments and shopping centers, and a decent socioeconomic mix of people. Like Burnsville, it's close enough to Minneapolis and St. Paul for a relatively easy commute. Northwest Airlines and West Publishing are headquartered in Eagan.
Inver Grove Heights. Located just east of Eagan, Inver Grove Heights is similar to its larger neighbor, only newer. There's been quite a bit of commercial development here lately.
Apple Valley, Lakeville, and Farmington. These are the newer southern suburbs that used to be little towns but got swallowed up by the metro area. Housing is newer in these areas and tends to be a bit cheaper (although there's a fair share of affluence out here as well). This is a good place to live if you want be in a metro area but still want some of the quiet that goes with the country. Apple Valley is home to the Minnesota Zoo.
Mendota, Mendota Heights, & Lilydale. These small suburbs are just south of St. Paul--across the Mississippi River. They're more on the affluent side and very pretty, with unforgettable river views and a surprisingly rural feel considering the proximity of St. Paul.
West St.Paul/South St. Paul. Okay, before you get lost, you should know that West St. Paul is actually south of St. Paul and to the east of South St. Paul. Go figure. These first ring suburbs are older and have more affordable housing than some of the other burbs in the area, and have a surprisingly rural feel considering their close proximity to St Paul.
Woodbury. Located to the east of St. Paul and towards the Wisconsin border, Woodbury is dotted by a number of lakes and creeks, including Valley Creek, which is one of the metro area's few remaining trout streams. Like Eagan, Woodbury is kind of an all-American, quintessential suburb-- lots of families, parks, big box stores, and housing developments. Housing prices are pretty mixed; there are fabulous estates and lots of apartments and town houses.
See also:
Southwestern Minneapolis Suburbs
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