Maple Grove: Best Minnesota City for Buying a House and Raising a Family

7 Key Factors that make Maple Grove one of the Best MN Cities for Buying a House and Raising a Family

Maple Grove is a great place for families to make memories and enjoy life together, and it’s why we rated this growing city No. 4 on our list of Five Best Cities for Families in Minnesota. With an amazing school system, healthcare, shopping and outdoor activities, it is definitely Home Sweet Home. You’ll find a multitude of entertainment options, lakes, parks, trails and attractive neighborhoods that still manage that downhome comfort.

1. Lifestyle:

This bustling city is for those who want it all—big city shopping and entertainment, friendly neighborhoods with a safe environment, homes of all sizes and types, good schools, outdoor recreation, farmers markets and easy access to the freeway system and airport. Welcome to Maple Grove! This city has grown unbelievably fast in the past two decades, from a relatively small suburb to its current size as the 8th most populous city in Minnesota.

The city attracts residents who value a family-centered lifestyle. You can find upscale shopping complexes with entertainment, restaurants and hotels or thrift shops and resale stores. For more family fun, you’ll enjoy the Central Park, Elm Creek Park Reserve or Fish Lake Regional Park, or visit the Venetian Indoor Waterpark, Sports Dome or the Maple Grove Arts Center. Kids will enjoy soccer, swimming, biking, hockey, dance, golf—the list is long!

2. Economy:

With household incomes twice as high as statewide averages, Maple Grove residents are working hard and living well. The cost of living in this northwest corner of the Twin Cities metro is about 20% higher than the national average. As the population ages, Maple Grove is focused on creating an age-friendly city that accommodates all age groups.

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3. Employment:

Well below the national average, the unemployment rate of 2.2% signals an abundance of working people and a busy economic status. Residents have a typical commute of 26 minutes which equals the national average. For convenient, economical transportation, as many as 3,400 commuters use the Maple Grove Transit System daily. No wonder it was named the state’s System of the Year in 2018.

Some of the area’s major employers are Upsher Smith Laboratories, Great River Energy, Boston Scientific, NxThera, Conventus Orthopaedics, Nortech Systems, REO Plastics and Coaxia. From this suburb, workers can also commute to large metro-based companies such as Best Buy, Medtronic, General Mills and Carlson Companies.

4. Housing:

As a family-focused suburb, Maple Grove offers well-established, tree-lined neighborhoods and newer neighborhoods with premium features. You’ll find all styles and price ranges of single-family homes. Higher than the Minnesota average, the median home price is above $300,00 and rent is $1,500. You’ll enjoy easy access to well-maintained parks, 55 miles of trails and the stunning 15-acre Maple Grove Arboretum.

5. Education:

Maple Grove is part of the award-winning Osseo Area School District—the 5th largest school district in the state—with 17 elementary schools, four middle schools, three high schools and other educational resource centers, all serving 21,000 students with exceptional educational programs. Both Maple Grove and Osseo Senior High Schools have been awarded as the Best High Schools by U.S. News & World Report.

Students can attend some of Minnesota’s finest colleges in the Twin Cities as well as the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, both an hour’s drive west of Maple Grove.

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6. Safety and Healthcare:

For a city of 72,000 residents, Maple Grove has a great safety rating with a low violent crime rating (per 1,000) of 0.71 and property crime rated at 17.5 (per 1,000)—both lower than average.

The city boasts excellent healthcare with Maple Grove Hospital (what a gorgeous facility!), Children’s Minnesota Maple Grove Specialty Center, Park Nicollet Surgery Center, North Memorial Health Specialty Clinic, Park Nicollet Women’s Health Clinic and the University of Minnesota Health Maple Grove Clinics.

7. Climate:

Experience the seasons in Maple Grove, with breathtaking beauty all year. Yes, Minnesota is known for two things: freezing cold winters and Mall of America. As Minnesotans know, you can enjoy both, all year! Each season has its own appeal, from the crisp white snow and winter outdoor activities to the fresh, budding beauty of spring.

And, from the sky-blue waters and colorful flowers of summer to the shades of orange, red and yellow in the autumn—you’ll love the incredible variety of the northwest metro.

Temperatures can range from 75- 95 degrees (Fahrenheit) in the summer—sometimes hot and humid is the best description—to below-zero temps in the winter. Minnesotans don’t much focus on the actual degrees below zero since, yes, cold is cold.

A source of pride for most is the snappy way the crews plow the highways and driveways, and everyone is back on the road in a jiffy. Road construction is another constant, and it’s also the reason the roads in Maple Grove and the Twin Cities metro are exceptionally well maintained.

To sum up:

Maple Grove continues to blossom as a favorite among suburbs, with its excellent educational system and comfortable neighborhoods to its wealth of shopping and entertainment selections. It’s a safe hometown and friendly community—and for those who like the cabin experience, it’s on the 94 Corridor to head “up north” for a fun and relaxing weekend getaway. You can’t beat that!