Why Minnesota

A Most Livable State

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Minnesota’s cultural life, natural resources, safe streets and affordable housing make the state one of the most desirable places to live nationwide.

Minnesota offers an award-winning quality of life

Minnesota has been ranked one of the most livable states nationwide in the last 12 years (1996-2007), ranking second in 2007, according to Morgan Quitno Press (an independent private research publishing company).
Minnesota ranked among the five healthiest states in the country over the last 12 years (1996-2007), according to Morgan Quitno Press, based on a variety of economic, social and health-related factors.
The 2006 Kids Count Data Book ranked Minnesota fourth nationwide in child well-being based on 10 measures such as infant mortality, low birth weight babies and children in poverty.

Minnesota offers a wide range of advantages for working families

In Minnesota, 75.6 percent of households owned their homes in 2006, compared to 68.8 percent nationally. Minnesota ranked fifth nationwide and second among Midwest states in home ownership rates, according to the Bureau of the Census.
According to preliminary data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Minnesota ranked 12th nationwide in personal income per capita ($38,712) in 2006. Minnesota’s per capita personal income is 7 percent higher than the national average.

Per Capita Personal Income, 2006: Minnesota $38,712; United States $36,276.

In 2005 (latest data), nearly 92 percent of the state’s population was covered by health insurance, the highest percentage in the country, according to the Bureau of the Census.
Minnesota is a great place to save for retirement. The state has the highest percentage of workers ages 21-64 participating in retirement plans through employment in the country (56.1 percent), according to a 2006 article by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
Three Minnesota companies (General Mills, Carlson Companies and RSM McGladrey, Inc.) are among Working Mother magazine’s “100 Best Companies” for 2006. These firms offer flexible hours, longer maternity leaves, better child-care options and more opportunities for women to advance.
Ameriprise Financial and C.H. Robinson, based in Minnesota, are among the best 55 companies in the country to launch a career, according to BusinessWeek (September 2006). Rankings are based on data from directors of undergraduate career services in campuses, benefits, retention and training programs.

Minnesota's woods and waters make it a perfect place for outdoor activities

Voyageurs National Park, along Minnesota's northern border, is dominated by 30 lakes.
Minnesota's 72 state parks preserve some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.
Minnesota has more miles of paved bike trails than any other state, offering easygoing biking through scenic corridors.
The state has designated 22 Minnesota Scenic Byways with more than 2,000 miles of roadway.
With nearly 11,900 lakes and many miles of rivers, Minnesota is a popular fishing destination for anglers looking to catch walleye, northern pike, bass, muskies, trout, catfish and panfish.
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in northeastern Minnesota offers a unique opportunity to explore nature, paddle and fish forest-rimmed lakes and camp along the lakeshores.
Minneapolis ranks first among cities with high population density in golf courses per 100,000 residents (1.9).

The Twin Cities Metro Area offers a great variety of entertainment

The Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul is a first-class multi-purpose arena that seats 18,064 people. It is home to the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild and hosts over 140 entertainment events every year.
The Target Center in downtown Minneapolis, home of the National Basketball Association's Minnesota Timberwolves, accommodates 18,467 spectators for major sport and musical events and has one of only two moveable floors in the country.
Minneapolis-St. Paul is the 14th best place for singles, according to Forbes in 2006.
Designed by French architect Jean Nouvel, the new Guthrie theater was called “Minneapolis’ vanguard of American theater” by Travel and Leisure in 2006. The building is a three-theater complex, featuring a 1,100-seat signature thrust stage and a 700-seat proscenium stage theater rising four stories above the ground.
Due to its vibrant cultural institutions, Minneapolis was named one of the “Top Five International Hot Spots” for 2006 by Travel and Leisure. Of particular interest are the new blue Guthrie Theater on the Mississippi riverfront, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Children’s Theater Company and the newly expanded Walker Art Center.
Minneapolis was called the “Design City” by Newsweek in 2006 due to stunning buildings, such as the Guthrie Theater, the Minneapolis Central Library, the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.
Mall of America in Bloomington is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in the country. More than 40 million visitors from around the world visit the Mall each year.
The Twin Cities offer a wide variety of family entertainment including the Minnesota Zoological Gardens, Como Zoo and Conservatory, the Children’s Museum, the Science Museum of Minnesota and Valleyfair amusement park.
Minneapolis and St. Paul are home to two major orchestras–the Minnesota Orchestra and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts has extensive collections from around the world and throughout the ages, while the Walker Art Center focuses on contemporary works and features a sculpture garden.
Sports fans root for Minnesota Twins and Northern League Saints baseball, Vikings football, Timberwolves and Lynx basketball and Minnesota Wild hockey in the Twin Cities.

Minnesota has a bounty of attractions to explore

Historic sites and festivals reveal Minnesota’s heritage. Split Rock Lighthouse, the Mille Lacs Indian Museum, the Charles Lindbergh Historic Site, and Pipestone National Monument are only a few of the hundreds of places to explore Minnesota’s history.
Duluth, at the tip of Lake Superior, has become a major vacation destination with its cluster of attractions such as the Aerial Lift Bridge and Canal Park, the Great Lakes Aquarium and the Glensheen estate.
Rochester is known internationally as a medical center and is highly rated for its quality of life. It is also the gateway to the beautiful bluff country of southeastern Minnesota.
Grandma's Marathon in Duluth is a point-to-point course run along the beautiful north shore of Lake Superior. Around 10,000 people run every year.

Minnesota offers easy access for national and international visitors

The Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) International Airport is the 11th busiest airport in North America, serving 35.6 million people in 2005, according to the International Air Transport Association. Regional airports offer scheduled passenger service to other Minnesota cities. Ninety-nine percent of the state's population lives within 30 miles of an airport with paved runways.
Northwest Airlines, headquartered in Minnesota, served over 57.5 million passengers in 2005, the fourth largest number of passengers carried by international airlines.
Airlines serving MSP offer non-stop flights to 131 markets, including 116 domestic and 14 international destinations. Compared to other international airports in the country, only Denver provides non-stop service to more markets per capita.
Minnesota's central location makes it a convenient destination, traversed by three interstate highways: north-south I-35, and east-west I-90 and I-94.
Amtrak's "Empire Builder" route travels across the state, with stops in several cities including Minneapolis-St. Paul.
The Hiawatha light rail line runs 12 miles, connecting three of the Twin Cities’ most popular destinations–downtown Minneapolis, MSP International Airport and the Mall of America in Bloomington.
Mn/PASS is an innovative electronic toll collection system that provides congestion relief by giving motorists more choices on Interstate 394. Implemented in 2005, single occupancy drivers are allowed to use the I-394 high occupancy toll (HOT) vehicle lanes for a fee that automatically adjusts to traffic patterns and is paid electronically.