Southwestern Minneapolis Suburbs
Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, and Other Twin Cities, MN Communities
Looking for a place to live in the southwestern part of the Twin Cities metro area? Here's some info about the southwest suburbs of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota.
The southwestern suburbs of the Twin Cities metro area are booming, so if you're looking to move in that direction, you're not alone! The area tends to be on the affluent side and very family-oriented. There's excellent freeway access, but unfortunately, traffic has gotten increasingly worse as the population moves out in that direction. For such a busy area, though, there's an impressive amount of trees, parks,and wildlife, and also Lake Minnetonka.
Here's the southwest Twin Cities metro area in a nutshell. Be sure to check out the northwest suburbs as well.
Edina. Edina is one of the more upscale suburbs, which is a bit unusual for a first-ring suburb (it borders the southwest corner of Minneapolis). Housing is on the pricey side, but more mixed than you think-- there are extravagant new developments and more moderate postwar houses. It's very centrally located. Edina is home to the first indoor shopping mall in the country-- Southdale Center. Its schools are considered to be among the best in the country.
St. Louis Park. Just west of Minneapolis is St. Louis Park, a town that exploded in growth after World War II (you can tell by the miles and miles of ranch houses) that remains a well-maintained and pleasant place to live. It's located near the Minneapolis chain of lakes and downtown, so it's a good place you live if you like the city but want things just a little less urban. Historically, St. Louis Park has housed a large Jewish population, although much of the Jewish population has moved further west.
Hopkins. Located just west of St. Louis Park, Hopkins has more of a city feel than you'd expect. There's a fairly large downtown area, and the city has a reputation for being one of the most racially and socioeconomically diverse suburbs. The schools have an outstanding reputation.
Minnetonka and the lake towns. Just north of Hopkins, Minnetonka is located on the eastern tip of Lake Minnetonka, one of the largest and most famous lakes in Minnesota. It's on the affluent side and partly shares a school district with Hopkins. To the west and northwest of Minnetonka are a number of smaller lakefront suburbs , where you can find some of the most affluent housing in the Twin Cities(along with more middle class housing ): Wayzata, Orono, Deephaven, Shorewood, Excelsior, Mound, Victoria, and Minnetrista.
Eden Prairie. Located south of Hopkins, Eden Prairie is on the affluent side. Filled with trees and nature, Eden Prairie is surprisingly tranquil for a suburb that's only about 15 miles from downtown Minneapolis. The town has a reputation for good schools. It's a good place to be if you want to away from the city-- but not so far away that you can't stop by frequently.
Shakopee. South of Eden Prairie is Shakopee, a well-established town that's been merged into the metro area. It's more working and middle class than some of the neighboring burbs and an older feel. Shakopee is home of Valley Fair (the area's largest amusement park) and the Canterbury Racetrack.
Chaska & Chanhassen. Located west of Eden Prairie, these burbs are hopping! Chaska and Chanhassen are your typical small towns that got swallowed up by a metro area. These towns are dotted by newer homes, schools, and big-box stores, and the population is flocking in that direction. Chaska and Chanhassen are pretty and have definitely not lost all their small town charm. These are good towns to live if you want to be in the quiet outskirts of a metro area. A similar suburb is Savage, located east of Shakopee.
Prior Lake/Jordan/Belle Plaine. Located south of Shakopee, these towns are probably about to get eaten up by the metro area, but still have lots of small town charm. Housing out here is a bit cheaper, and life is quieter. There's great freeway access (and less traffic!) so you can still enjoy Minneapolis and St. Paul, which are 30-45 minutes away.
