skip to content link

Pros and cons of living in Minnetonka

Are you curious about the city of Minnetonka? You might be planning to move here, but you are not sure whether this is the best place for you. Minnetonka certainly is an interesting city with lots of character. People who live here are quite happy with their lives, and they do not regret coming to Minnetonka. In order to remove your doubts, let’s list all the reasons why Minnetonka would be the right place for you. However, we are going to mention a couple of disadvantages of living in Minnetonka as well. This way, you can get the big picture of life in this city. Without further ado, here are pros and cons of living in Minnetonka.

Minnetonka, Minnesota

Minnetonka is actually a suburban city in Hennepin County. There are nearly 50,000 people living in Minnetonka according to the 2010 census. The name of the city is symbolic as well. It comes from the Dakota Sioux mni tanka, which means “great water”. Since the whole state is well known for its numerous lakes, Minnetonka is no exception. Part of Minnetonka includes the eastern tip of Lake Minnetonka, which is one of the largest lakes in the state. Additionally, Minneapolis is only 8 miles away from Minnetonka. Now, we are going to discuss the following points.

  • Education
  • Job opportunities
  • Housing
  • Nature
  • Weather
  • Roads

Education

Minnetonka ranks third in school spending, which indicates how much they value education. This city is covered by three independent school districts, the Hopkins School District, the Minnetonka School District, and the Wayzata School District. All of these school districts offer quality programmes and good preparation for colleges and universities. Apart from these, you can choose between three private and parochial schools. Accell Academy is an accredited private preparatory school, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School, and Minnetonka Christian Academy. Additionally, the headquarters of The Hennepin County Library is located in Minnetonka. If you want a quality education for your children, you should consider living in Minnetonka. To help you with the relocation, you should seek help from moving companies Minnetonka MN.

children in a classroom
Living in Minnetonka includes a good education.

Job opportunities

For such a small city, Minnetonka is home to several prominent companies. The first one is Cargill, the largest privately held corporation in the whole country in terms of revenue. They deal with agricultural services, health and, pharmaceutical, industrial and financial risk management. The second company is UnitedHealth Group, a publicly owned corporation. This company offers insurance services and health care products. It is the largest health care company in the world. There are many smaller companies such as Carlson or Public schools, and several others. It is no wonder that Minnetonka ranks eight in income ranks. For this reason, prepare yourself for the job interviews, and soon you will be living in Minnetonka.

Housing and life in Minnetonka

There is hardly any vacant house in Minnetonka, which means many people want to live here. Average selling price for a house is around $348,819. Minnetonka is actually a little bit cheaper than other suburban cities, such as Eden Prairie or Plymouth. Since you probably will not need everything from your old house, you can store your belongings in storage units Minnetonka. Furthermore, Minnetonka has great places for shopping as well, such as the general store or Ridgedale Center. Additionally, there is a variety of restaurants and bars in Minnetonka. You can eat delicious food at local favorite BLVD kitchen and bar or the Golden nuggets tavern. With your family, you can visit the Thrill Factory and do some fun activities together, such as bowling, mini golf and many more.

Nature and leisure

Minnetonka has one of the most beautiful scenery in the country. Although it shares the name with the Lake Minnetonka, the city only includes the small portion of the lake. Still, it is big enough to enjoy some water sports and activities on the lake. Many people who live in Minnetonka praise its greenery and wildlife. There are many parks where you can exercise or get some recreation. Shady Oak Beach and Libbs Lake Beach Park are great swimming areas where you can also spend a day with your family and friend while having a picnic. Living in Minnetonka includes many outdoor activities since it would be a shame to miss out on such a beautiful nature. Furthermore, the whole state has a stunning nature hence there are many places for camping in Minnesota.

Living in Minnetonka by the lake
The Lake Minnetonka.

Weather

Since all the points above were advantages of living in Minnetonka, now it is time for some disadvantages. The first on our list is the weather. If you do not like extreme cold, then maybe Minnetonka is not for you. Winters are long since the cold weather usually begins in late October and lasts until April. However, there are ways to enjoy cold winters. You can use this time to go to the frozen lakes, cut ice and do some fishing. This would be fun, especially if you have never tried it. Summer is not any better than winter since it can be quite hot and humid. The only two seasons that you can truly enjoy are spring and fall. Weather is quite challenging if you are living in Minnetonka or anywhere in the state, that is why you should try to adapt to weather in Minnesota.

Person in the forest covered with snow.
Enjoy the winter activities.

Roads

Another disadvantage of living in Minnetonka is the condition of the roads. Often some roads are closed due to construction, which can be aggravating. Many people list this as a major problem since they have to use a different route for their work. On the other hand, Minnetonka has great access to the freeway, so it convenient for someone who has to commute to Minneapolis for work.

Living in Minnetonka

There are many pros and cons of living in Minnetonka. It offers a great educational system, job opportunities, and it is quite close to Minneapolis. The housing prices are not as high as in some other parts of the country. The only problem is the extremely cold winter, but if you can overcome freezing weather, you will enjoy living in Minnetonka.