Author Topic: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?  (Read 4747 times)

Hidgolf

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Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« on: October 16, 2016, 07:17:24 PM »
Hello!

Our family of 3 is considering relocating to Minneapolis/St Paul for higher quality of life.  We want to objectively consider the costs and make a good choice to raise our baby. 

We've lived in Pittsburgh for five years, always renting as our jobs never were stable, but when we've considered buying, the property taxes were over 3% making $250K homes (100 years old with bad additions and difficult commutes) tough to swallow.  It appears that there are very few desirable areas with good schools and good location to downtown for commuting.  This makes these areas (the size of a few blocks) to be very desirable, even though the houses have wet basements and little to no personal space.  We might be throwing the baby (Pittsburgh) out with the bath water out of frustration, so I'm asking what we should include in our assessment?  I saw the excellent relocation post on MSP on here (thanks!) but we just flew (baby's first) to MSP for the weekend and had a great time with an Air BnB and rented bicycle.

Pros:
-major metro provides jobs for wife (RN) and I (Industrial engineer) without the one company town in PGH healthcare.
-greenway makes biking to work easy (rented bike was great way to explore city)
-beautiful public spaces (Lake Calhoun) without the trash of Pittsburgh, also less Yinzers.
-housing stock is a few decades newer than Pittsburgh but appears to be much better condition with similar prices but with cheaper property taxes.
-MN state taxes are less than PA
-might get a set of grandparents to come with us.
-funky vibe/restaurants in town
-we like cold/snow!

Cons:
-minimal family in area, but we don't have much in PGH anymore either.
-far from family by car (upstate NY, Central IN, DC, FL) so we'd have to plan family visits better.
-would have to float moving costs most likely.
-

Need to iron out possible employers
Need to figure out where we could live (neighborhoods) for bike commuting
Consider major expenses (state/local/property taxes; cost of living)
How to prep bikes for snow!

Any suggestions or encouragement appreciated!




humbleMouse

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #1 on: October 16, 2016, 09:41:13 PM »
Hey, I grew up in Minneapolis and know the area really well.  I also own a house here and enjoy the low property taxes. 

I think it's a great city and a hidden gem of cheap quality living.  I would suggest looking in midtown, nokomis, south minneapolis, central, powderhorn, whittier, and kingfield as keywords for neighborhood searches.

I think midtown near powderhorn park offers the best bang for your buck in terms of housing and lifestyle.  PM me if you would like a recommendation of a great realtor I used to get my house.

But seriously minneapolis rocks.  High salaries and lots of jobs with LCOL == laughing to the bank.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2016, 09:43:12 PM by humbleMouse »

mm1970

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2016, 12:00:34 PM »
I grew up in NW PA, went to school in Pittsburgh, and know lots of people still there.  I hear it's booming these days, but I can't speak for Industrial Engineering. (I'm in semiconductors, there's nothing there for me.  I wouldn't move back.)

So cut it with the yinzer talk ya jagoff!!

Have you considered upstate NY?  Where in upstate?  In laws are in Albany area and it seems to be booming there.

I've heard good things about Minneapolis, but know nothing really.

rubybeth

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2016, 12:49:40 PM »
Another Minnesotan here, though central MN and not Minneapolis, my husband and I usually travel to the cities for pleasure at least once per month. It's a very thriving area. Politics are progressive and lean very left. Schools in Minnesota are generally good, though you'll want to look around at places to live that let you into a school you'd like for your child (things like language immersion programs, charter schools, etc.). Minnesota is a great place for kids based on the Annie E. Casey Kids Count data: http://www.aecf.org/resources/the-2016-kids-count-data-book/ (Surprise: MN is ranked #1 for kids).

I will also add that the metro area has an abundance of arts/culture (theatre, music, museums), and there are many opportunities to be active, including outdoor activities all year (swimming, cross-country skiing, hiking in the many state parks, etc.) and people really celebrate winter--for example, the various winter events like Crashed Ice, St. Paul Winter Carnival, etc. For older adults/seniors, we have excellent health care facilities, lots of support for aging in place, and ways to stay active/busy. And, major sports teams and venues for big shows, if you're into those things. Also, the number of libraries and book stores is huge (I'm a librarian).

My sister went to graduate school at Pitt so I've been there a few times. I will say that my impression of Pittsburgh is that houses are generally older and you have less yard/personal space. Traffic also seemed kind of crazy. Minnesota spends a decent amount on infrastructure so road work is a hassle during summer months, but it's well worth it.

I have heard it can be hard to make real connections with people here (a lot of people who live here are "born and raised" types so they have friends from childhood they still hang out with), so if you do decide to make the move, getting connected with a group of some sort (church, club, activity of some kind) could help ease the transition to making new friends outside of work.

lsalinas

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2016, 01:52:37 PM »
I grew up in Minnesota and spent my first 28 years here.  I don't have anything to add to what others have already posted except for one caveat.  If you or any of your family members are not white, Minnesota ranks as one of the worst states for people of color and racial inequality.  I won't regale you with studies, statistics and personal experience, since I am not sure it pertains to you, but it is something to think about. 

Hidgolf

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2017, 05:16:00 PM »
Thanks for the replies!

-Pittsburgh has county, school district, and borough taxes (millage) that don't show up in most google searches, but 3+% is a good base.
-Minneapolis is less than half of that, about 1.5%.


 

Zero Degrees

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #6 on: January 16, 2017, 06:46:38 PM »
Your wife could easily get an RN job. There are a ton of hospitals in the Twin Cities. Most are union and the pay is very good. Clinic jobs are harder to come by and most clinics hire only medical assistants. If she has hospital experience she will be golden.

I think this is a great place for jobs and Healthcare. If you don't mind double negative temps, snow/ice, then go for it.

soccerluvof4

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2017, 10:36:56 AM »
Minneapolis is a beautiful city and has a lot to offer but the Brutal Winters make it not worth it by any stretch of the imagination unless your into winter sports. 

rubybeth

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2017, 11:23:36 AM »
Minneapolis is a beautiful city and has a lot to offer but the Brutal Winters make it not worth it by any stretch of the imagination unless your into winter sports.

Ehh, it's all relative. I walk to work year-round in Minnesota, and it's fine--you learn to dress appropriately. If you absolutely hate winter, don't move from Pittsburgh to Minneapolis, move south. But the benefits of quality of life in Minnesota are pretty huge.

ltt

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2017, 12:01:43 PM »
Have visited Minneapolis a couple of times.  Would never want to live there.....traffic is absolutely bumper-to-bumper during rush hour.  Just getting from the suburbs into downtown during rush hour took well over an hour.  Not my thing.  You may want to look at the temperatures for December and January.  If you love bitter cold, you may like it.

Mgmny

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2017, 12:14:01 PM »
Minnesota native and current resident.

Minnesota has an EXCELLENT job market, but the housing costs here are actually fairly high for the midwest. There are a ton of great amenities in MSP, but i don't think I'd move here just for the COL - housing is too high for that. Check out Des Moines, Omaha, Kansas City, Witchita, Fargo for much lower cost of living and still good midwestern cities.

rubybeth

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #11 on: January 18, 2017, 01:00:11 PM »
Minnesota native and current resident.

Minnesota has an EXCELLENT job market, but the housing costs here are actually fairly high for the midwest. There are a ton of great amenities in MSP, but i don't think I'd move here just for the COL - housing is too high for that. Check out Des Moines, Omaha, Kansas City, Witchita, Fargo for much lower cost of living and still good midwestern cities.

Or look at other area of Minnesota outside of the metro (Minneapolis/St. Paul and surrounding suburbs). DH and I live within an easy drive of the metro and our area has its own benefits (much lower cost of housing, for example).

MgoSam

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Re: Relocating? Pittsburgh to Minneapolis?
« Reply #12 on: January 18, 2017, 01:34:45 PM »
Minnesotan native here, I live in Saint Paul and work in Minneapolis. Apart from the winter, MN is perfect imo. Cost of living is great, people are great (though extremely passive aggressive), and there's plenty of arts and parks (though relatively flat trails on them). I'm not a foodie but there is plenty of decent dining options in Minnesota.