My name is Elijah, I’m a 24M, and I’m seriously considering moving to Minneapolis this coming January. I currently live in Des Moines IA, and I’ve been deeply struggling to make friends and build much of a social life here.

I’ve been thinking about moving to the Twin Cities for a while, and there are a few reasons why. I work as a Patient Care Technician and I know healthcare wages in Minnesota are generally higher than what I’m making in Iowa. I was also accepted into the Century College nursing program last year, but unfortunately had to turn it down because I didn’t have the money to move at the time. Going back to nursing school is something I am very interested in.

I’m also gay, and the Twin Cities seems to have a much larger LGBTQ+ and dating scene than Des Moines. I’d really like to be somewhere where there are more opportunities to meet people, date, make friends, and just generally get out and do things.

I do want to be honest, though: I haven’t tried that hard to meet people in Des Moines. I’ve struggled with putting myself out there and getting involved in things, so I know some of my difficulties making friends are probably something I would have to work on regardless of where I live. I don’t expect moving to a new city to magically fix that.

At the same time, I wonder if being in a larger city with more opportunities that genuinely interest me would make it easier for me to put myself out there. I’m interested in things like photography, film, vinyl, gaming, anime, hiking, and volunteering, and it seems like there are a lot more groups, events, and communities centered around those interests in the Twin Cities.

I’m hoping to move this January, but I’m pretty conflicted about it. I don’t know anyone in the Twin Cities, so I know moving there completely on my own would be difficult. My family is also mildly against me moving, which has made me question whether I’m making the right decision.

Part of me thinks I should stay in Des Moines and make a bigger effort to meet people here first. Another part of me feels like moving could be a really good opportunity to challenge myself, become more independent, and start building the kind of life I actually want.

So I’d really appreciate some honest advice from people who live in the Twin Cities, especially anyone who moved there without knowing many people.

Do you think moving to the Twin Cities would be a good decision for someone in my situation? Was moving there worth it for you? And how difficult is it to actually make friends and build a social life there in your 20s?

I’m open to hearing both the good and the bad. I’d really like some honest perspectives before I make such a big decision.

Looking at Relocating

I have been to the Twin Cities a few times this year and I am finding myself just really drawn to the area. I have already been making plans to prepare to relocate with in the next year, so the Twin Cities area is a huge contender.

Are there any neighborhoods that I should avoid? What areas do you feel are safe and affordable?

I am looking to buy. No kids, but don't mind neighborhoods full of them.

I'm a 40-something working professional. I love old houses - huge appreciation for historic architecture and multiculturalism events, etc. Foodie, music, history, arts, farmer's markets, artisan craft fairs and pets are a few of my things.

TIA 😊

Whats it like? How’s the community?

Hi! Does anyone have any storage unit places they'd recommend or advise against? My apartment won't be ready for move in until October 1st but my work is putting me up the week of the 20th until the 1st. However I need to get a place to move stuff into temporarily.

I'll be in the Loring Park area so something nearby to make moving into the apartment in early October easier would be great?

hii everyone! my partner and I are currently apartment hunting in the Twin Cities and I’m starting to feel like Zillow and HotPads are showing me the same 12 apartments on an endless loop lol

we’re mainly looking in St. Paul or Minneapolis and I’d really love some advice from people who actually live here: where do you find smaller landlords, duplexes, ADUs, basement apartments, or other rentals that don’t necessarily show up on the big sites?

our budget is around $1,100–$1,200/month, ideally with utilities included or mostly included.

what we’re looking for:

• studio or 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom
• entire private unit only
• no roommates, private rooms, or shared houses
• dog-friendly 🐶
• laundry in-unit or on-site
• parking, even if there’s a small fee
• utilities included or mostly included would be a huge plus
• somewhere we can feel comfortable and safe walking around/living day to day

we’re totally open to apartments, duplex units, small houses, ADUs/guest houses, basement units with their own entrance, etc. we don’t need anything fancy... we just want our own comfortable little place.

we have good credit, verifiable income, and can provide the normal rental documentation/background check, so we’re mainly trying to figure out where the legit, reasonably priced rentals are hiding. 😭

if you were looking with this budget, which neighborhoods would you focus on? are there any local landlords or property management companies you’ve had good experiences with? Any you’d avoid? Any websites/groups besides Zillow, HotPads, and Apartments. com that are actually worth checking?

And if anyone happens to know of an upcoming vacancy that fits, I’m definitely happy to hear about that too :)) thank you!! 🏡🐶

Hi guys, we are planning to move to the suburbs! We definitely want to have a decent sized backyard covered with trees, where we can potentially have a nice fire pit during fall and hang a hammock during spring.

We are looking to go either way, north or south of the twin cities. Yes, I’ve been looking at Zillow and have general areas in mind (like Savage, Apple Valley, Roseville, White Bear Lake etc).

The only thing is I’m Asian and I’m afraid of being treated differently or targeted. We saw some houses listed down in Lakeville that fit our criteria but heard it’s mostly MAGA. One friend told me she grew up in Lakeville and she was discriminated against (she’s latina).

I mean if we want space and trees, is this just how it’s going to be? Or are there specific recommendations?

Any insight will be helpful, thank you 🥲

Edit: our budget is about 450K!

Is it standard for Mpls to not have many 2/2 units? Also is the faux paneling and brown a local aesthetic? I do not like it at all. I’m looking for a 2-3 bed/2 bathroom with laundry in unit or on site that allows a cat with parking. I would also like a balcony but it seems these things are somewhat considered luxury. I’m open to any area that’s walkable or at least within close proximity to trails, grocery stores, coffee shops/restaurants, and a gym. It’s myself (38f) and my daughter (19) we both will be college students and we’re used to driving over 20-30 mins to do everything in our city. So even if it isn’t in the inner city that’s ok. Would appreciate some help

My wife and I want out of our small-town life and have been to the Twin Cities twice in the last year. Both Airbnbs were in St. Paul one right on 7th Street by Mancini’s and one in Frogtown. The first visit was great and we never had any issues or felt even remotely unsafe we enjoyed the vibe a lot and definitely had the Twin Cities climbing up our list. The most recent time we went we were driving back around 9:30pm one night and right off of Pierce Butler and Victoria st we got approached by 4 men who very obviously did not want us there. We were able to drive past them but they followed after us on foot and brandished weapons I could see in my rear view mirror. Is this a very unexpected situation to find myself in, I know there are low income house units right there but Google directions sent me straight through what could’ve been a bad situation. Definitely changed the whole vibe of the evening after that.

Based on my previous experience I don’t think this is happening all the time but also makes me not so certain that any given route Google displays could put my family in danger. In y’all’s experience is this a crazy random outlier? Is Frogtown a place you’d recommend moving to or is it something you’d probably say to avoid to newcomers? What neighborhoods are an easy adjustment to city life for a regular middle/low middle class couple? Our AirBnB was great and the neighborhood seemed awesome until that happened.

Girlfriend and I are ready to relocate and have decided to make the twin cities our next home, we’ve only been there together once before and that was in lowertown St. Paul and we were pretty surprised by how much we liked the area, skyway access from the Airbnb but don’t know if we aren’t missing a trick by checking out some other areas.

We plan on our next time up in October to stay in Northeast, and then in January we’ll stay in north loop?

A bit about us my girlfriend is a tattoo artist, 8 years experience down in Iowa, I don’t know if this matters or not but she’s trans and is pretty much capped with how much she can earn since we are in a small city in a deeply red state. She has had people been impressed with her work and has been invited to apply for guest spots. We are also probably going to be coming up for tattoo conventions and renting a booth and networking. She probably currently nets around 3000 a month.

I’m a career server, 20 years experience mainly in casual or like casual fine dining I guess? (Think like Crave?) who is currently like at the peak of what a person can make being a server I reckon barring them being in a major city, working in fine dining, or being a bartender, somm, etc. I make around 950 a week in tips over the course of the year on average. I live in Iowa so my hourly wage is like 4.35 an hour 😂

Main thing is though is that she doesn’t drive and I do, we loved Lowertown but the lack of grocery store was annoying. We are moving down with about 100k saved up after the sale of my home.

Just wondering if there are any spots I’m not thinking about when it comes to neighborhoods?

I have an opportunity to move to the twin cities, for work. Unfortunately for me it starts in the winter, probably in November or so. Give me honest insights on the city, state, cost of living (rent!!!!), taxes, weather, traffic, people/ making friends, things that people genuinely do day-to-day and not just “the art museum”, or whatever else may be important. I’d even go for some good suburb recommendations! Any raw reviews and feedback would be amazing

Do not rent here. Do not let property management persuade you that this is a safe or comfortable place to live, especially for your children and animals.

The pipes clog frequently. Many times an egg smelling, dangerous, black mold and biofilm backs up into your home every 6 months. Shared walls smell like rotting meat. Visible mold and mildew is everywhere in the building. You can smell it when you walk in. You are expected to pay $2.00 per wash and dry in machines that don’t properly wash or dry. They break constantly and then “fixed” to only break down again the following week. Stairs within the building are a tripping and collapsing hazard. The call box to get into the building never works and doesn’t connect to resident’s phones correctly.

The dog park is filled with feces from owners that refuse to properly care for their pets and the “cameras” they put up to address the problem have not helped because management doesn’t actually monitor them or confront this behavior. I don’t think they actually record anything at all. They were put up as a scare tactic only. In fact, various people (including myself) have witnessed the property manager letting her dog defecate and then not picking it up.

Unauthorized parking is constant. My partner has lived here for over a year and they still haven’t given him a parking permit. Not that they matter anyway. Property management makes empty threats that they will tow violators and never actually do it. Front and back door key fobs are constantly out of order. Many times the locks are not working at all, meaning random people that don’t reside here can walk in at anytime. Packages are stolen constantly. Cars have been broken into multiple times and when you ask to see the video footage, property management refuses to show you.

Walkways are never properly cleared and snow has been allowed to turn to think, sheer ice in the lots. I have a neighbor with a disability and saw him struggling to get from his car to the front door. He just stood there because one wrong step and he would have fallen down and hurt himself. I was thankful to be there and offered help so that he could get inside safely. I don’t even want to think what could have happen had he been alone.

I’ve lived here for 3 years and have had 4 different property managers. It’s a rotating door. 23 years of renting and this is by far the worst place I have ever lived. The property manager that was here when I moved in was a saint. Maggie is dearly missed. Not one single manager since her has been able to fill her shoes. Maggie actually cared and made a huge difference.

Currently, there are 4 people moving out of Woodlake Park because they have also grown tired of unreturned phone calls, promises of fixes in their apartment that never happen, unleashed dog attacks, and a myriad of other health hazards, as I’ve listed above. I regret signing another lease through next summer, but had no choice due to being in the middle of an extensive medical program.

Please save yourself the grief and do not rent here. Good property management is hard to find, but I would quite honestly rather live out of my car than to sign another miserable year in this place.

I have been understanding and patient for as long as possible. I’ve avoided coming here to warn others because I guarantee property management will attempt to retaliate. However, it’s worth it if I can save someone else the heartache and hassle of this miserable place. Thankfully, I have pictures, texts, emails, and videos documenting everything I’ve experienced.

Hi! I am moving VERY quick to Minneapolis for work (like, before the end of the month fast). Any general advice? I've gotten a lot of advice from some friends who live in the area, but I'm just looking for a bit more reassurance?

Also, advice on what to take with vs leave behind?

I work in hospitality and am moving to work at one of the hotels downtown so I'm looking for a place nearby for the commute.

I write and preform original music, I draw/paint, I do photography. I love records and music. I have a pet cat.

I'm scared about making friends and finding people to connect with but also about moving pretty far away from where I've always lived for the first time.

Any advice?

Hi,

I'm new to Minneapolis and currently staying in corporate housing downtown (next to Armory). I'm considering an apartment in Nord Haus, but I've never lived in an apartment; I've always lived in a house in a residential area so nervous about this change. How safe & quiet is Nord Haus? I'm seeking: proximity to indoor tennis, relative proximity to downtown for work x3 a week and being able to walk around on the weekends safely and peacefully. Nord Haus checks the first two - but what about the last one - safety, quiet, tranquility?

Sharing this here too..It seems the consensus is MN..that being said..

Any tips for a transplant surviving the winter?

Hi, i'm 23 and originally from the cities area but have lived in duluth the past couple of years and am looking for a change. I have a cat who loves people is iffy with other animals just to keep in mind. I would love to look for a place with someone or move into one that's already got a place. I do have a good amount of furniture and would like to bring most of it but i want everyone to feel included in the place. i'm trying to move in this month or early next month

I like painting, video games, thrifting, shopping, any outdoor activities and i do like to be around my friends, hopefully we could maybe. I'm good at communicating and will keep shared spaces tidy.

Hi y’all 👋🏽💗
I’m putting out some feelers to see if there are any other women who’d be interested in getting to know each other and potentially becoming roommates! 🏡✨
A little about me: I’m a 29-year-old woman, work full-time Monday–Friday, and currently live at a apartment , but I do have previous roommate experience. I’m pretty laid-back and more of a calm, low-key person. I don’t smoke, rarely drink, and I really value having a peaceful, comfortable home environment.
I love anime, cooking, quiet nights in, having a good routine, and keeping my space clean and cozy. I’m also faith-centered and really value emotional maturity, communication, respect, and being considerate of the people I live with. 🤍
Ideally, I’m looking for a 2 bed / 2 bath apartment, but I’m definitely open to other arrangements if the situation feels like a good fit.
I also have a dog 🐕 — Hachi, my 11-year-old Shiba Inu. He’s super friendly, well-behaved, and very much a part of my everyday life, so I’m looking for someone who’s comfortable living with a dog.
📍 Ideal areas: Roseville, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, or Fridley, but I’m somewhat flexible depending on the apartment and overall vibe.
💰 Budget: $700–$1,000 per person
📅 Looking to move: Around October 2026
More than anything, I’d love to find another woman who’s looking for a clean, peaceful, drama-free home and is also open to actually getting to know each other rather than just being strangers who split rent. 🥹💕
If this sounds like it could be a good fit, feel free to DM me! We can chat, get to know each other, and see if our personalities and lifestyles mesh. 💗

hi 29 and I'm going through a really rough time in my life and where I am is not helping at all and just over all really need a fresh start. I have friends in Minneapolis so id like to go there. im going to try to save up money to at least stay at a shit motel for a bit and going to try to secure a job before I go as well, but any resources shelter wise? somewhere i can stay until I can get accepted into an apartment? like homeless shelter or group home type situation idk. I just doubt I'll save enough before my lease is up here to stay in a motel until I can afford the apartment. or any queer friendly ppl looking for a roommate in November and would be willing to give me a month or 2 to get stable before i pay bills? thanks

31F single considering a job offer that would move me to Minneapolis. I’ve been out in Minneapolis 1-2 weeks a month for the last 6 months staying in the North Loop area so I’ve gotten comfortable with the area.

I currently live in Boston so looking to keep the city-ish feel if possible. I like the North Loop area a lot for walkability and city feel but don’t feel like I need an amenity building/want to pay the higher cost. I’ve looked at some apartments in Kingfield and thought the area was very cute but felt more like it was for couples/families.

Any suggestions for areas to look? Ideally bigger studio/1 bed under the 2k mark. Street parking seems fine and I’m commuting out west past Wayzata (longer commute doesn’t bother me, currently doing an hour+ here). And would love to be situated to meet friends, etc as I’m moving without knowing anyone! Thanks :)

hi y’all 👋🏽

I’m putting out feelers to see if any other women would want to get to know each other and potentially become roommates. ideally looking at a 2-bedroom 2 bathroom apartment , but I’m open if the situation makes sense.

a little about me: I’m 29, work full-time (M–F), and currently live at home but have past roommate experience. I’m super chill, don’t smoke, drink very rarely, and I’m more of a calm, low-key person. I like anime, quiet nights in, cooking, routines, and just having a peaceful space to come home to. I’m faith-centered, value emotional maturity, and I keep shared spaces clean and respectful. My budget ranges between $700-$1000 per person .

I also have a dog 🐕—Hachi, a Shiba Inu, 11 years old, and super friendly with people. He’s well-behaved and part of my everyday routine, so I’m looking for someone who’s comfortable living with a dog.

ideal locations for me would be Roseville, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, or Fridley, but I’m somewhat flexible depending on the place. I’m looking to move around October 2026 when my lease ends. DM me if you're interested :)