St. Paul and Minneapolis Suburbs

Communities Throughout Minnesota's Twin City Metro Area

Sep 18, 2007 Naomi Rockler-Gladen

Here's a handy guide to the suburbs in the sprawling metro area surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Looking for a place to live in the Twin Cities metro area? This region spans over seven counties and is home to over 3 million people, so when it comes to finding a community to call home, there are many choices. If living in Minneapolis or St. Paul isn't your thing, you'll have your choice of suburbs that range from the postwar first ring communities (like St. Louis Park, Roseville, and Richfield) to the quintessential soccer mom towns (like Eagan, Eden Prairie, and Plymouth) to the more rural (like Mahtomedi and Jordan).

Need some help locating the right community for you and your family? To help get you started on your research, here's a summary of the suburban communities in the Twin Cities area.

The southwestern Minneapolis suburbs. The communities to the west and southwest of Minneapolis are busy places. The inner ring suburbs, St. Louis Park and Edina, are well-established communities with easy access to the city. Much of the population of the metro area is trickling southwest, and you'll find sprawling new communities in the formerly rural towns of Chaska, Chanhassen, and Eden Prairie. The southwest suburbs are primarily located in Hennepin County, and some of the outer ring towns are in Carver County.

The northwestern Minneapolis suburbs. Located to the west and southwest of Minneapolis, these communities are similar to the southwest suburbs in that they are heavily populated. The inner ring suburbs in this region are older and more working-to-middle-class than their affluent neighbors--Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Brooklyn Center, New Hope, and Crystal. The outer ring burbs--Plymouth, Maple Grove, and Brooklyn Park-- are more affluent and are developing very quickly This region is located entirely in Hennepin County.

The southern suburbs. South of the Twin Cities are a variety of communities. The largest are Bloomington (home of the Mall of America) and Eagan. The Mississippi and Minnesota rivers run through this area, which has a less urban and busy feel than many of the northwestern and southwestern suburbs. This region extends throughout Dakota and Washington Counties.

The northern St. Paul suburbs. Located to the north and east of St. Paul, these communities are a little quieter and less congested than the Minneapolis suburbs. At the inner ring are communities that sprung up in the postwar period--Roseville, Falcon Heights, and Maplewood. The towns on the outskirts-- Stillwater, Mahtomedia, and White Bear Lake--have a more rural feel and a rich history. This area extends throughout Ramsey and Washington Counties.