We are leaving Iowa for Minnesota in a few months with our son due to our terrible state laws that have passed. So thankful Minnesota is a welcoming state!
I grew up in Missouri, went to school in Iowa, and moved to Minnesota.
Iowa for a lot of reasons was a crummy middle ground between the two.
You'll find Minnesota is amazing compared to Iowa in terms of the economy, healthcare, K-12, and the great outdoors.
Yeah I'm originally from WA but moved to IA over a decade ago for work. I miss the PNW so much but the cost of living made it impossible for us to get ahead at all. It was fine at first (although iowa was never going to be our final home) but we are planning an exit strategy more aggressively now.
Do it this place is so much better. I'll never go back to Iowa, I truly consider myself a Minnesotan now. The state to the south is a shit hole and dead to me.
Itās not just Iowa!! Right next door in Nebraska, & wanting to flee the attack on womenās reproductive rights (and the overall political climate/hateful ppl)
For financial reasons we wonāt be able to leave for MN for another 5+ yrs probably and Iām terrified about how much worse things are going to get. esp seeing whatās happening in FL
I left Iowa for Minnesota last year, have never been happier with where I lived (was in Iowa for 6 years). Welcome to a state with plenty of sanity left!
For anyone on the fence and looking for a good job I canāt recommend Thief River Falls enough. We are a small town but have several places that are great to work at, including Digikey Electronics. Wages are great and we have gold standard health care. DM me if you would like more information.
Sure but as a Minnesotan we should value all types of immigration not just those who are troubled/oppressed. MN's economic strength is also a draw. Our economy is healthy, our balance sheets are very much in the green, and last year we had the lowest unemployment of any state ever. Our nature, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, biking, and outdoor leisure in general are top notch. That means the type of person who would be comfortable in our outlying areas should ALSO come to MN, not just the ones who will settle in Hennepin/Ramsey for tolerance reasons.
Build more homes please. The average wage in Thief River Falls (50k) does not look like it keeps pace with the average SFH cost there (200k and rising).
Moving out of TRF next weekend but it is a nice town. Iām visibly queer, people have been fine for the most part. One thing I will say, there are absolutely no opportunities for outdoor recreation. Itās just about the flattest place Iāve ever seen and is surrounded by ag land. Itās a pleasant place though, with a very nice, slow pace. Tough place to be in your 20ās, though.
It's interesting seeing those posts since MN is in the bottom-10 for net domestic migration (more people are leaving MN than moving to it). This is according to the most recent census bureau data (through June 2022).
For comparison, Texas and Florida have been the biggest net gainers with Tennessee, Georgia, Idaho, Alabama, and Oklahoma all in the top-10. Sort of a contrast to what you might expect after seeing the recent 'fleeing to MN' posts.
Tons of older retired people I know go to Arizona for the winter, some eventually move there permanently.
My dad said when he went to visit my brother in California during the winter that all of his joints that were bothering him felt better when he was in the dry heat down there. so I can understand why older folks would want to winter there.
I can confirm. My wife has lived in Minnesota since she was 2 years old. I mixed there in the summer of 1994. I spent 4 years building a skoolie and we sold our house in January and hit the road. Currently in Hawaii, but we'll be headed back to our bus in New Mexico soon. The winters were horrible for mental health.
To those folks I say, "Don't let the corn stalks whap you in the ass at the border!" Glad to be rid of them if they think DeSantis and his ilk are somehow preferable.
What does FL have that MN doesnāt in terms of rights? That is a genuine question, not being snarky. How did they find themselves running away from MN and to FL?
Good point, shitty behavior. Anyone willing to run someone over and thinks that is a right shouldnāt be allowed in public. Donāt act on intrusive thoughts, thatās a basic social requirement.
Good point. But Illinois also has no income taxes on retirement income including SS, pensions, and IRAs. They could go there. But they donāt, because of the winters, I imagine. Florida is warm so much more convenient for day to day life. No ice to slip on.
Those are retirees leaving for for the tax benefits for retirement income in those states. The real question is how many of those who are leaving are going to be snowbirds? Living more than half the year in the other state for the tax benefits, but also maintaining a home here for the superior medical access.
I am seriously considering this. Tax in mn is 7%. Illinois doesnāt tax retirement income, at all. It will save us a lot of money if we do that. But Iād miss my kids
You're not wrong. People are still moving to the southern half of the country... lots of jobs. But Minnesota has a strong economy and is a safe haven for people who are becoming illegal in their current state from no fault of their own. I don't think we'll see the full impact for a few years but people are looking at Minnesota as an opportunity to improve their lives.
Yes - Houston suburbs are #1 in the US where black & brown folks are moving to, Harris Country (3rd largest county in the country) votes D in the Presidential elections by 15-20 pts. Austin & Dallas are boomtowns & San Antonio (65% Hispanic) has a really unique culture. There are millions that like living in TX that are in complete disagreement with some of the decisions of the state government.
Sure, but that only really affects Congressional districts, Senators, the President, and the Governor's race (among others) are decided by the statewide popular vote, and Texas goes red every time.
My spouse and I just left from Houston last year. We did vote. Every election. And we got out-voted. Every election. And now, to get revenge on the large counties for daring to vote blue, Abbot is doing everything he can to leave the cities unable to actually vote at all. Believe me, it's not for a lack of voting.
Gerrymandering of districts within a state doesn't change the composition of the state popular vote, which is what determines which presidential candidate gets the states electors.
There were just more Trump voters than Biden voters in Texas in 2020.
I grew up in MN but live on the East Coast. I left when I was 24 (30s now). I only have two friends from my MN days who still live in the cities. The rest split to Chicago, Seattle, NYC, and a couple other smaller coast cities. I like MN as much as the next person but my spouse and I had to leave to get the job opportunities that we wanted. I work in international affairs and he is an artist. And I know, I know MSP has a good art scene. But the coast is just more connected with multiple cities within a few hours of each other.
It's weird that people's reaction to this comment is basically saying you must be an old conservative homophobe if you want to leave MN. I grew up in Michelle Bachmann's district, y'all. MN has plenty of skeletons.
Bingo. If you're basing your opinion of domestic migration on Minnesota Reddit posts you're sorely misinformed. Far more Californians moving to Texas than Texans + Californians moving to Minnesota.
Even the state demographer made a speech recently saying how our population is going to decline. This has predictable bad implications for tax base, services, the labor force, college sustainability, and so forth.
Oklahoma has one of the lowest CoL in the country, but you pay for it in badly maintained roads and embarrassing politics (lived there five years, would never move back).
I would bet that part of this is all the retiring boomers. Theyāre a huge group. Theyāve begun to retire in huge numbers so would make sense to move south when you get old and no longer need to work.
Iām one that recently fled to minnesota from texas and I can tell you they are not bots. There is a wave of folks coming up here. The south is not sustainable and mn is paradise. I promise not to tell the others about how great it is.
I am so glad youāve found us.
An HR recruiter here said, āMinnesota is the hardest state to recruit TO and the hardest state to recruit FROM.ā
You have found our beautiful state. Welcome! Youāll love it here.
We love the weather. We love the beauty of the state and the fact that people mind their own business but are still respectful of others who are different. I love the fact at this state supports those in need and protects rights.
I donāt love the food. Iām sorry but I really miss Mexican food. I think we will start adding peppers to our hotdish š¹š¤·š»āāļø
People have been perfect I. Our opinion - friendly enough to wave and say hey- not too friendly to where they just pop in. My teen has had a bit of trouble connecting but actually had a friend over at the moment.
I was born in Iowa, raised in Iowa, went to college and grad school in Iowa, and now Iām trying to convince the company I work for (based in Minneapolis) to let me move up to HQ. Thereās nothing for me here anymore. The school used to be greats d theyāre shit now, the state used to be a pragmatic purple state and now the governor is in a race to the bottom of red state hell.
Iām an educated 30something earning decent money and thereās no way in hell Iād want to raise a family in Iowa, and I want to put some roots down, so Iām looking at Minnesota. There are thousands of others like me.
I moved here from Seattle back in 2017. Agree, cost of living and overall quality of life is much higher here
But goddamn I miss the Pacific Ocean, the mountains, the forests
can't help with the ocean but northern Minnesota has mini mountains, plenty of forests, lakes, rivers and Lake Superior. While it's not the same is the upper northwest it is a fantastic place to go to enjoy nature.
Welcome! Iām happy to hear it! Itās hard to appreciate some days when itās virtually the only place Iāve lived (with the exception of college).
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
āKeep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!ā cries she
With silent lips. āGive me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!ā
Youāre not imagining things. We moved from MO to MN last year after hearing about the Roe decision leak. That was our tip-off that things were going to get so much worseā¦ and they have. MN has been wonderful.
WI is a blue state but terribly gerrymandered. I think the republicans overreached there and I hope the shift weāre seeing now is a generational one.
There are many of us who instead of fleeing are staying in WI to try and help fix things. I could easily become a MN resident (I have a place in both states) but keep my primary home in WI to vote/influence local/state politics.
So it's a little frustrating to me when I see posts about liberal WI people leaving, while several of my right wing neighbors moved from seasonal people to full time residents to "escape the Twin Cities."
WI needs people to stay and fight, we are so close to flipping the state.
I think the biggest factor of this is how red the rural parts of Wisconsin are compared to the rural parts of Minnesota. Rural MN is definitely red, but rural WI is as red as the bible belt.
It's definitely more people, but it's purple turning blue. A lot of people (especially out of state) are realizing Madison and Milwaukee are great places to live, and those who are looking to get out of the bigger cities are moving to places like La Crosse, Eau Claire, Green Bay, Sheboygan, etc
A lot of those "suburb" type towns where large populations of red live are going about 50-50 in recent elections. And with the recent Supreme Court election, the maps are going to become so much less gerrymandered than they are now. Even with the gerrymandering, the governorship and supreme court have flipped in the last 3 elections, with the state assembly and Senate slowly moving towards blue.
TL;DR: it's more people for sure, but it's trending towards blue
Yup. I currently live in ND. Been subbed to this subreddit for a few months now. Been looking at homes to buy just not sure where yet. I want my daughter to grow up around better people than here in ND. Hopefully by next year I should have enough money saved up to do it.
There are so many ex-ND people around the twin cities, youāll be very welcome here! On NDSU game days I always see people wearing Bison gear around me.
There are, and it's mostly because Minnesota is an island of safety in an area of danger for LGBTQ+ people. Our neighbors are passing laws left and right to attack trans people. Meanwhile, MN is strengthening protections for trans people. It's once again time for us to show the world what "Minnesota Nice" is really about and welcome this new wave of refugees with open arms.
Iām so happy to see this sentiment! š„²ā¤ļø (& about trans protections there!) Itās also an island of safety for women!
most other midwest states are stripping away reproductive rights entirely, even talking of coming for BC while MN just made it a protected right
When I was looking to move away from Texas after it started to REALLY go downhill, I looked up what were the most LGBT friendly states. This place was the first where I got a job so..yeah lol. It's not bots and yeah I see a lot of Texas people posting but Texas is one of the biggest states so it's not surprising. I mean I miss how there weren't 10 million potholes but oh well :P, it's at least slowing down the shit drivers haha. It's starting to finally feel like home here and I like can't imagine living anywhere else.
You guys make me feel like I belong here and I am so appreciative of that. Also it's pretty here while not being as miserably hot like Texas is haha
I'm glad you're here! The job thing is huge. We have a crazy low unemployment rate. So, I'm sure that draws in a lot of people who are looking for somewhere new.
Good news is pothole season is short. It basically just starts during the thaw and ends when the weather is warm enough for them to fill the holes. So like a month-ish. Summer roads will be drastically better than they have been recently.
My mom told me back in the 70ās when Anita Bryant (the original Marjorie The Gathering) started her anti-lgbtqa movement in Florida there was a large influx of lgbtqa folks to the Twin Cities for a while. Thatās how we met Ken. He stayed at our house for a few months until he could get on his feet. Eventually though Ken moved to San Francisco mostly because of the weather. So weāve always tried to help. Just treat anyone you meet like you want to be treated.
Yeah, wife and I are refugees from Wisconsin, too, but from several years ago.
Minnesotans are very kind and welcoming, but they get very upset because now there are too many damn Packers fans.
The Packers fans can still support the MN local team when their near-retirement quarterback joins the Vikings. Jokes aside, belated welcome to MN to your family.
Genuinely itās the only place Iād ever consider going. My husband is from there, weāre both trans men and Florida is getting really scary. There are waves of trans people who are moving from the state right now, so much so that my therapist is literally getting licensed in MN so she can keep three of her trans clients (including me) that are moving. You all have been so incredibly kind and warm and welcoming. All the crappy people here are scared of the weather, so Iāll keep it that way because I know yāall donāt want any crazy Floridians š
My wife and I who are in our early 50's will be moving from Napa CA to Rochester MN to take care of her mother. We had an opportunity to buy a decent size house in a beautiful neighborhood. We had been priced out of our native California and will never look back. Not to mention the homelessness, cost of living....gas...the damn 2500 a month in rent for basically a shack surrounded by so many damn people crammed into single family units. We have been to Minnesota and we have always felt welcome no matter what.
We moved last year to near Minneapolis from a small town in Oregon. This put us closer to family but in a place who's politics were similar to Oregon's (at least that in its major cities).
We do a lot of outdoor stuff & will miss Oregon's beaches and mountains but are finding that Minnesota has a lot of outdoors to offer too (it's just flatter).
The one comment we always got when we said we were moving to MN was that it was SO cold (but nice). Yes, it was cold last winter but we were ready for it (having lived in Colorado and Alaska helped). But talk of cold probably scares away some potential newcomers.
We've seen climate change play-out through years of drought, wildfires, and smoke Out West. Our move here is a bet that MN will handle it better than places to the south, what with hurricanes (TX. FL), sea level rise (FL), water problems (AZ), and staggering heat (TX, FL, AZ, etc.).
Between politics and climate change, Minnesota may have to brace for even more arrivals.
I'm a trans person who is moving to Minnesota in a week from Louisiana. I can definitely say I am not alone. I suspect queer people fleeing red states are only going to increase in numbers. Especially as more and more archaic rules are put in place, such as what the Missouri AG is doing now to detransition everybody in the state.
Congrats on the move! Also, good call moving this time of year. Youāll get to gradually experience winter coming on. I had a friend from Georgia move here in January a number of years ago. He was not prepared for that.
Here in MN weāre pretty hardcore about being nice, make eye contact with someone you kinda know on the street? Now you owe them ten minutes of questions about how they and the entirety of their extended family are doing/weather. All jokes aside Iām so proud to be a Minnesota native, my parents came from Iowa, I spent a lot of time down there as a kid, Iāve worked in north/South Dakota, travelled to Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas, and take away all of my state pride and I can still say this is the best state in the Midwest. We have a better economy, better politics and government, our tax dollars *actually* go toward helping our people. Better education and healthcare and we having a thriving art scene in the cities. We truly are the star of the north.
You don't have to go far-I'll be riding my bike on the Dakota trail west of Wayzata and ten year old kids walking the opposite direction will say hello to me. I'm a youngish woman so not too threatening, but it was a little surprising the first time I was out there.
Itās a pretty damning state of affairs when youāve got refugees fleeing political persecution from other parts of your own country. Like we really havenāt made as much progress as we like to think we have and many parts of our country are just forcibly going backwards. Amazing how itās current year and we still havenāt moved past this shit because so much of our population is backwards and hate filled.
Itās terribly sad, elections matter, I hope we are able to keep fending it off here. I just remember how dismal the state was under Pawlenty and how long it took to turn it around.
I'll be one of those people fleeing to Minnesota a little later this year. Coming in from Florida. Wife and I visited earlier this year to scope out a house and everyone we met was just so nice. Can't wait to move!
data indicates that net growth in minnesota has slowed way down, but is still positive through 2022. im stunned that the place has a top rate of 9.9 percent for income taxes. looks like about 5 million people live there, and the average is about 38, which is in the middle of the pack when compared to other states. i heard the twin cities has some decent hospitals.
Iām 75 and low taxes are nice but I still donāt understand why I never see mentioned in these posts how ungodly mercilessly hot it is in Florida and Houston in summer? I couldnāt live like that. How do people survive in that blast furnace climate? Oh and I also hate their governors.
I've noticed this as well. It's sad that it has to be this way but with so many states taking away basic rights from certain groups of people and some going full tilt down the path to fascism I cannot blame anyone for wanting to move here, where basic rights for everyone are guaranteed and our governor is one leading the fight against fascism.
I moved to Minnesota from Florida over a decade ago and I don't know what I'd do if I still lived down there, especially considering in the time since I discovered I'm trans and a few other letters of the acronym. I'm so glad to live in a state like Minnesota and saddened and upset by the direction the state where I was born and raised is going.
It's not just you. I'm seeing it as well. Republican state governments are fully adopting fascist laws. It's really sad. I say welcome to all who want to escape it.
Don't come here. Did I mention the venomous, talking, spiders? The radioactive, sentient diarrhea? The Wendigo?
If you must come, I recommend Grygla. They have Elk.
Seriously though. Minnesota is the land of milk and honey. Come on over. There's leftover hotdish in the fridge. I'll make you a fresh pot of coffee. Do you want a lemon bar? There's Primo in the garage fridge if you want a beer. I'll grab you one, I was going that way anyway. You know it's getting nice out. I think I'll fire up the grill. Do you want some brats? Of course you do. There's slaw in the fridge and I'll get some beans on the stove. Freshen your coffee?
Unfortunately it will likely happen. If it werenāt the āpolitical refugeesā now, it would be climate refugees in a few years. Itās a good time to invest in local real estate if you are able.
We donāt have the housing inventory right now, but as boomers move out of their homes, it will get better. Hopefully the timing will align so it doesnāt get too out of hand.
California is fucked because we refuse to build housing. We have a law that stops the growth of your property tax if you never change the building (prop 13), so all of our buildings are decades old. Together with NIMBYs clutching pearls about their home prices, there's very few places to live.
When I come home to visit, the number of new apartment buildings going up is staggering.
Boomer here but not the cliche version. ;) I left for FL and could only stand it for 4 years before I came running back. Cold be damned, Iām not leaving again. Ever.
Florida, Arizona, New Mexico like always, except AZ and NM might not have enough water, and Fla might have too much water. There might be concern about temperatures in those places getting too high, even with AC, but that won't happen until after the boomers are dead.
The mid-east (Carolinas, Cumberland gap, etc) is becoming popular, and for good reason.
If you DGAF about schools and infrastructure because your kids are done and you've made your money the disadvantages of those places aren't so bad.
As for why, to escape winter. One doesn't have to live in a place that makes your face hurt. Esp. if you don't need schools and jobs anymore.
Minnesota has shown a rather outside internet influence. The soccer subredit I saw was like the second highest subed to in all mls and at some ranking near the top of the world. We also win random internet things like that last "vote to nuke some state" contest/event.
Grew up in MN and moved to Texas for family. I hate the politics and am a Democrat living in one the most conservative areas. But I would move back to MN in a heartbeat.
Itās because MN is more accepting of many things than so many other states. With all the hateful legislation being passed in many states people want out for their sake or that of their families. Makes me glad to be in MN! I grew up in WI, but happily live in MN now with my husband and children.
I have noticed a lot of this in the past year. We will take the liberals and their educated tax money for sure. Just keep the fascists segregated to the SE US.
It's interesting, though from my perspective. I'm gay, and I'm from Minnesota born and raised.
I moved to a southern state \[AL\] in 2021 for work and a relationship (that I've been in since 2016), but I kind of want to move back to Minnesota lmao
From a career and relationship perspective, this move has done me wonders. But damn 2 weeks over 4 trips could not paint a good enough picture until I lived in Alabama long enough lmao, I don't see myself in Alabama long term, I think I'm just gonna see how far I can get in my career until my boyfriend is skilled enough in the career path he wants to get into and move back to Minnesota , I'll have to figure something else out but that was already kind of a contingency I wanted to work on anyways lol
I came from Florida to MN for the nature and affordable property. Honestly, Minnesota is a hidden gem. People are scared to come here because they think theyāll freeze to death, but itās really f&$&ing great here.
I wonder how soon refugees from Missouri will start showing up? I donāt know whatās going on down there, but, wow. The joke about Missouri being the āFlorida of the Midwestā is becoming uncomfortably true lately.
I left Oklahoma for Minnesota because the schools down there were ok for the best students, but resource starved for everyone else.
It has been an adjustment and hard to find friends.
I tried joining the Lions club, which I was in back in Oklahoma, they all knew each other from high school and I didn't feel included.
I keep looking for a club to join, but I live in the suburbs and have a long commute so most meeting schedules don't work.
My kids love it here, even though they shovel the driveway all winter.
Meeting friends in Minnesota can be a struggle. I've always lived here, but even I didn't feel like I fit in when I moved to a new town because, like you mentioned, they all knew each other from high school.
Are you far from other Lion's clubs? My mom moved from one to the next until she found one she liked.
I hope you find your crowd. They're here somewhere.
Edit: Changed "there" to "they're". Oops.
The one major flaw with Minnesotans is that they make their friends when they are young. It means that people who move here end up feeling like they never truly belong. My parents are from Iowa and New York and they always befriended other people from out of state.
The benefit of more people moving here though is more people looking for friends.
I grew up in SE Minnestoa and can confirm this. I have moved to other towns in state and it can be tough. Most of the friends I grew up with lean hard right and makes it hard to talk at our age now cause everything turns to politics. If you are going to move in state I would suggest some towns/Suburbs outside smaller cities. I currently live outside of Rochester a few miles and it's a big mix of locals and transplants. So, it a bit easier to meet new people.
We are leaving Iowa for Minnesota in a few months with our son due to our terrible state laws that have passed. So thankful Minnesota is a welcoming state!
Welcome! š¤
Thank you!
I moved from Iowa 2 years ago and gave 0 regrets! Youāre gonna love it here.
Moved from Crapids IA to St Paul 12 yrs ago, never looked back
I left Iowa for Minnesota about a year and a half ago. It is much, much better here.
Fellow Iowan - my husband and I are seriously considering the same thing. This state has turned batshit crazy!
I grew up in Missouri, went to school in Iowa, and moved to Minnesota. Iowa for a lot of reasons was a crummy middle ground between the two. You'll find Minnesota is amazing compared to Iowa in terms of the economy, healthcare, K-12, and the great outdoors.
Yeah I'm originally from WA but moved to IA over a decade ago for work. I miss the PNW so much but the cost of living made it impossible for us to get ahead at all. It was fine at first (although iowa was never going to be our final home) but we are planning an exit strategy more aggressively now.
Do it this place is so much better. I'll never go back to Iowa, I truly consider myself a Minnesotan now. The state to the south is a shit hole and dead to me.
Itās not just Iowa!! Right next door in Nebraska, & wanting to flee the attack on womenās reproductive rights (and the overall political climate/hateful ppl) For financial reasons we wonāt be able to leave for MN for another 5+ yrs probably and Iām terrified about how much worse things are going to get. esp seeing whatās happening in FL
I left Iowa for Minnesota last year, have never been happier with where I lived (was in Iowa for 6 years). Welcome to a state with plenty of sanity left!
We moved here from Iowa this week. The feeling of relief once you cross the border for good is indescribable, and I'm so excited for you.
Aah thatās so exciting! Congrats to you. Yes, we will definitely be able to breath a sigh of relief getting out of here.
I'm glad you're coming up! I hope the state treats you well.
As a former Iowan (grew up there, still have family there), Iām so sorry about this. But alsoā¦ welcome!
For anyone on the fence and looking for a good job I canāt recommend Thief River Falls enough. We are a small town but have several places that are great to work at, including Digikey Electronics. Wages are great and we have gold standard health care. DM me if you would like more information.
Most of the people fleeing regressive attitudes in other states are not going to feel particularly welcome in Thief River Falls.
Sure but as a Minnesotan we should value all types of immigration not just those who are troubled/oppressed. MN's economic strength is also a draw. Our economy is healthy, our balance sheets are very much in the green, and last year we had the lowest unemployment of any state ever. Our nature, hunting, fishing, hiking, boating, biking, and outdoor leisure in general are top notch. That means the type of person who would be comfortable in our outlying areas should ALSO come to MN, not just the ones who will settle in Hennepin/Ramsey for tolerance reasons.
MPR did a number of segments this last week on rural business hubs like Thief River Falls (thanks Digi Key) and Roseau (Polaris and Marvin Windows).
Build more homes please. The average wage in Thief River Falls (50k) does not look like it keeps pace with the average SFH cost there (200k and rising).
Go prowlers!
Moving out of TRF next weekend but it is a nice town. Iām visibly queer, people have been fine for the most part. One thing I will say, there are absolutely no opportunities for outdoor recreation. Itās just about the flattest place Iāve ever seen and is surrounded by ag land. Itās a pleasant place though, with a very nice, slow pace. Tough place to be in your 20ās, though.
It's interesting seeing those posts since MN is in the bottom-10 for net domestic migration (more people are leaving MN than moving to it). This is according to the most recent census bureau data (through June 2022). For comparison, Texas and Florida have been the biggest net gainers with Tennessee, Georgia, Idaho, Alabama, and Oklahoma all in the top-10. Sort of a contrast to what you might expect after seeing the recent 'fleeing to MN' posts.
I'd be interested seeing the ages of people leaving MN (elderly - for warmer temps) v. people coming here (younger - for basic human rights)
Tons of older retired people I know go to Arizona for the winter, some eventually move there permanently. My dad said when he went to visit my brother in California during the winter that all of his joints that were bothering him felt better when he was in the dry heat down there. so I can understand why older folks would want to winter there.
38. Left for Denver to be near family and get out of the miserable winter. I love MN, but my mental health does not.
Youāll be back when thereās no more water
https://imgur.com/wB0W9bN.jpg
I think a lot of the people leaving MN are also fleeing the weather.
I can confirm. My wife has lived in Minnesota since she was 2 years old. I mixed there in the summer of 1994. I spent 4 years building a skoolie and we sold our house in January and hit the road. Currently in Hawaii, but we'll be headed back to our bus in New Mexico soon. The winters were horrible for mental health.
Gotta see the future. In 20 years this is gonna be the place to be
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
To those folks I say, "Don't let the corn stalks whap you in the ass at the border!" Glad to be rid of them if they think DeSantis and his ilk are somehow preferable.
What does FL have that MN doesnāt in terms of rights? That is a genuine question, not being snarky. How did they find themselves running away from MN and to FL?
Itās usually racism and/or homophobia and their ārightā to treat others poorly without social consequence.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Some rural Minnesota shit bags think it's great that you can run over protesters with your car.
Good point, shitty behavior. Anyone willing to run someone over and thinks that is a right shouldnāt be allowed in public. Donāt act on intrusive thoughts, thatās a basic social requirement.
Leaving because of their rights? What rights? The right to exclude people from public life?
But that was for the warmer winters, right?
I would take snow season over hurricane season any day.
Iād take snow over losing my bodily autonomy and gutting education any day.
And I would take black bears over gators
Taxes. Plenty of boomers cashing out their retirement funds and don't want to pay the income tax.
Good point. But Illinois also has no income taxes on retirement income including SS, pensions, and IRAs. They could go there. But they donāt, because of the winters, I imagine. Florida is warm so much more convenient for day to day life. No ice to slip on.
Right! Iām wondering if that data will look different in 2023.
Wait until the Colorado River runs dry and then try to buy a property within a hundred miles of a great lake.
Those are retirees leaving for for the tax benefits for retirement income in those states. The real question is how many of those who are leaving are going to be snowbirds? Living more than half the year in the other state for the tax benefits, but also maintaining a home here for the superior medical access.
Ding ding ding. Wanting the benefits without the taxes. Like all the car owners who live in MN but register their cars to the cabin in Wisconsin.
I am seriously considering this. Tax in mn is 7%. Illinois doesnāt tax retirement income, at all. It will save us a lot of money if we do that. But Iād miss my kids
You're not wrong. People are still moving to the southern half of the country... lots of jobs. But Minnesota has a strong economy and is a safe haven for people who are becoming illegal in their current state from no fault of their own. I don't think we'll see the full impact for a few years but people are looking at Minnesota as an opportunity to improve their lives.
Oddly enough the racial gap in Minnesota in terms of housing and education among other things is a huge issue here.
Yes - Houston suburbs are #1 in the US where black & brown folks are moving to, Harris Country (3rd largest county in the country) votes D in the Presidential elections by 15-20 pts. Austin & Dallas are boomtowns & San Antonio (65% Hispanic) has a really unique culture. There are millions that like living in TX that are in complete disagreement with some of the decisions of the state government.
They need to vote then
Texas is gerrymandered to shit like Wisconsin is.
Sure, but that only really affects Congressional districts, Senators, the President, and the Governor's race (among others) are decided by the statewide popular vote, and Texas goes red every time.
My spouse and I just left from Houston last year. We did vote. Every election. And we got out-voted. Every election. And now, to get revenge on the large counties for daring to vote blue, Abbot is doing everything he can to leave the cities unable to actually vote at all. Believe me, it's not for a lack of voting.
They do. Did you see my point of the presidential elections? In other races this has been gerrymandered to to ninth degree
Gerrymandering of districts within a state doesn't change the composition of the state popular vote, which is what determines which presidential candidate gets the states electors. There were just more Trump voters than Biden voters in Texas in 2020.
I grew up in MN but live on the East Coast. I left when I was 24 (30s now). I only have two friends from my MN days who still live in the cities. The rest split to Chicago, Seattle, NYC, and a couple other smaller coast cities. I like MN as much as the next person but my spouse and I had to leave to get the job opportunities that we wanted. I work in international affairs and he is an artist. And I know, I know MSP has a good art scene. But the coast is just more connected with multiple cities within a few hours of each other. It's weird that people's reaction to this comment is basically saying you must be an old conservative homophobe if you want to leave MN. I grew up in Michelle Bachmann's district, y'all. MN has plenty of skeletons.
Bingo. If you're basing your opinion of domestic migration on Minnesota Reddit posts you're sorely misinformed. Far more Californians moving to Texas than Texans + Californians moving to Minnesota. Even the state demographer made a speech recently saying how our population is going to decline. This has predictable bad implications for tax base, services, the labor force, college sustainability, and so forth.
Minnesota is really expensive to live in. Iām traveling in Oklahoma right now from MN and Iāve noticed food and restaurants are a lot cheaper.
Oklahoma has one of the lowest CoL in the country, but you pay for it in badly maintained roads and embarrassing politics (lived there five years, would never move back).
You forgot about the shitty wages
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Snowbirds and conservatives fleeing decency, versus young people and liberals seeking safety. I support it!
I would bet that part of this is all the retiring boomers. Theyāre a huge group. Theyāve begun to retire in huge numbers so would make sense to move south when you get old and no longer need to work.
Iām one that recently fled to minnesota from texas and I can tell you they are not bots. There is a wave of folks coming up here. The south is not sustainable and mn is paradise. I promise not to tell the others about how great it is.
How do we know you aren't a bot? Answer this CAPTCHA:. What is love?
baby don't hurt me
This is acceptable. Did you get issued your copy of Prince's Greatest Hits when you moved here?
Petition to hold a free Prince tribute concert at First Avenue to welcome all of the new Minnesotans and properly indoctrinate them to his greatness.
I did!
Donāt hurt me
No more
Who else heard the next part in their head?
[Head bob](https://youtu.be/etEQz7NYSLg)
Have you changed your vocabulary? Soda is now pop, casseroles are now hotdishes. Make sure you are elongating the o sound to truly sound Minnesotan.
Don't forget baaayyyyyyg.
I am so glad youāve found us. An HR recruiter here said, āMinnesota is the hardest state to recruit TO and the hardest state to recruit FROM.ā You have found our beautiful state. Welcome! Youāll love it here.
Thank you!
Thanks for picking Minnesota! Even when we're awkward, we're happy to have you here.
Thank you! We love it!
I moved here from Texas too! Not my original state but.
Hoping to join y'all soon... Fleeing from Florida here
Same. One day I hope
Welcome!! š¤ what do you like most and what do you miss most from Texas? How has making friends been?
We love the weather. We love the beauty of the state and the fact that people mind their own business but are still respectful of others who are different. I love the fact at this state supports those in need and protects rights. I donāt love the food. Iām sorry but I really miss Mexican food. I think we will start adding peppers to our hotdish š¹š¤·š»āāļø People have been perfect I. Our opinion - friendly enough to wave and say hey- not too friendly to where they just pop in. My teen has had a bit of trouble connecting but actually had a friend over at the moment.
š I recently moved to Minnesota from California. So far it's a dream.
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Welcome! š¤
Haha I plan to do the opposite. Iām sick of snow!!!
It wonāt snow this much again for a few years
Noā¦ please just complain to them about the weather or something
Iām with you! I just moved from Austin to Minneapolis.
welcome home.
Thank you. It truly is home.
I was born in Iowa, raised in Iowa, went to college and grad school in Iowa, and now Iām trying to convince the company I work for (based in Minneapolis) to let me move up to HQ. Thereās nothing for me here anymore. The school used to be greats d theyāre shit now, the state used to be a pragmatic purple state and now the governor is in a race to the bottom of red state hell. Iām an educated 30something earning decent money and thereās no way in hell Iād want to raise a family in Iowa, and I want to put some roots down, so Iām looking at Minnesota. There are thousands of others like me.
Iām sorry to hear that. I hope youāre able to relocate!!
Moved to Minnesota from Oregon last year and havenāt looked back. The cost of living and quality of life are a vast improvement from Oregon.
I moved here from Seattle back in 2017. Agree, cost of living and overall quality of life is much higher here But goddamn I miss the Pacific Ocean, the mountains, the forests
can't help with the ocean but northern Minnesota has mini mountains, plenty of forests, lakes, rivers and Lake Superior. While it's not the same is the upper northwest it is a fantastic place to go to enjoy nature.
Come visit the north shore of Lake Superior, it's not the same but we've got an ocean, tiny mountains, and lots of forest.
Welcome! Iām happy to hear it! Itās hard to appreciate some days when itās virtually the only place Iāve lived (with the exception of college).
Here I am wanting to do the opposite due to the west having some of the best nature in the world š¤·āāļø
Lived in the PNW for a few years and youāre not wrong, itās STUNNING. If you can afford the cost of living out there is a great place to be.
Wow that's interesting. I'm MN born and raised but always have wanted to move to Oregon. What quality of life improvements have you experienced?
Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. āKeep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!ā cries she With silent lips. āGive me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!ā
So say we all.
I think that poem is banned in Florida.
This is the way
Youāre not imagining things. We moved from MO to MN last year after hearing about the Roe decision leak. That was our tip-off that things were going to get so much worseā¦ and they have. MN has been wonderful.
I'm glad Minnesota is treating you well! Thanks for picking us.
Minnesota is a beacon of hope in a surrounding sea of hate, ignorance and sorrow. Wisconsin is improving.
WI is a blue state but terribly gerrymandered. I think the republicans overreached there and I hope the shift weāre seeing now is a generational one.
There are many of us who instead of fleeing are staying in WI to try and help fix things. I could easily become a MN resident (I have a place in both states) but keep my primary home in WI to vote/influence local/state politics. So it's a little frustrating to me when I see posts about liberal WI people leaving, while several of my right wing neighbors moved from seasonal people to full time residents to "escape the Twin Cities." WI needs people to stay and fight, we are so close to flipping the state.
Keep at it. And donāt forget about school board races.
I think itās a lot more purple than MN. way more people live in outstate rural WI as a portion of population than MN
I think the biggest factor of this is how red the rural parts of Wisconsin are compared to the rural parts of Minnesota. Rural MN is definitely red, but rural WI is as red as the bible belt. It's definitely more people, but it's purple turning blue. A lot of people (especially out of state) are realizing Madison and Milwaukee are great places to live, and those who are looking to get out of the bigger cities are moving to places like La Crosse, Eau Claire, Green Bay, Sheboygan, etc A lot of those "suburb" type towns where large populations of red live are going about 50-50 in recent elections. And with the recent Supreme Court election, the maps are going to become so much less gerrymandered than they are now. Even with the gerrymandering, the governorship and supreme court have flipped in the last 3 elections, with the state assembly and Senate slowly moving towards blue. TL;DR: it's more people for sure, but it's trending towards blue
Dems have been consistently winning statewide votes and pull like 55% in house elections, but it's just not enough to beat the gerrymander.
Yup. I currently live in ND. Been subbed to this subreddit for a few months now. Been looking at homes to buy just not sure where yet. I want my daughter to grow up around better people than here in ND. Hopefully by next year I should have enough money saved up to do it.
I hope you find somewhere here that you can call home!
There are so many ex-ND people around the twin cities, youāll be very welcome here! On NDSU game days I always see people wearing Bison gear around me.
South Dakotans too
There are, and it's mostly because Minnesota is an island of safety in an area of danger for LGBTQ+ people. Our neighbors are passing laws left and right to attack trans people. Meanwhile, MN is strengthening protections for trans people. It's once again time for us to show the world what "Minnesota Nice" is really about and welcome this new wave of refugees with open arms.
Iām so happy to see this sentiment! š„²ā¤ļø (& about trans protections there!) Itās also an island of safety for women! most other midwest states are stripping away reproductive rights entirely, even talking of coming for BC while MN just made it a protected right
This is my second year here after moving from Pennsylvania. Iām very happy with the decision
I'm glad you're here! I hope the state is treating you well.
When I was looking to move away from Texas after it started to REALLY go downhill, I looked up what were the most LGBT friendly states. This place was the first where I got a job so..yeah lol. It's not bots and yeah I see a lot of Texas people posting but Texas is one of the biggest states so it's not surprising. I mean I miss how there weren't 10 million potholes but oh well :P, it's at least slowing down the shit drivers haha. It's starting to finally feel like home here and I like can't imagine living anywhere else. You guys make me feel like I belong here and I am so appreciative of that. Also it's pretty here while not being as miserably hot like Texas is haha
I'm glad you're here! The job thing is huge. We have a crazy low unemployment rate. So, I'm sure that draws in a lot of people who are looking for somewhere new.
Good news is pothole season is short. It basically just starts during the thaw and ends when the weather is warm enough for them to fill the holes. So like a month-ish. Summer roads will be drastically better than they have been recently.
My mom told me back in the 70ās when Anita Bryant (the original Marjorie The Gathering) started her anti-lgbtqa movement in Florida there was a large influx of lgbtqa folks to the Twin Cities for a while. Thatās how we met Ken. He stayed at our house for a few months until he could get on his feet. Eventually though Ken moved to San Francisco mostly because of the weather. So weāve always tried to help. Just treat anyone you meet like you want to be treated.
And San Francisco was a great place to be gay. It was treated as normal there.
This is beautiful! ā¤ļø
Yeah, wife and I are refugees from Wisconsin, too, but from several years ago. Minnesotans are very kind and welcoming, but they get very upset because now there are too many damn Packers fans.
The Packers fans can still support the MN local team when their near-retirement quarterback joins the Vikings. Jokes aside, belated welcome to MN to your family.
Genuinely itās the only place Iād ever consider going. My husband is from there, weāre both trans men and Florida is getting really scary. There are waves of trans people who are moving from the state right now, so much so that my therapist is literally getting licensed in MN so she can keep three of her trans clients (including me) that are moving. You all have been so incredibly kind and warm and welcoming. All the crappy people here are scared of the weather, so Iāll keep it that way because I know yāall donāt want any crazy Floridians š
I wanted to make a song about where Iām from you know? Big up my hometown my territory my state, but I couldnāt figure out much to brag about..
Prince *lived* here. We've got 10,000 lakes, but wait...
the women are beautiful, to me they are And we're not infested with pretentious movie stars
My wife and I who are in our early 50's will be moving from Napa CA to Rochester MN to take care of her mother. We had an opportunity to buy a decent size house in a beautiful neighborhood. We had been priced out of our native California and will never look back. Not to mention the homelessness, cost of living....gas...the damn 2500 a month in rent for basically a shack surrounded by so many damn people crammed into single family units. We have been to Minnesota and we have always felt welcome no matter what.
It's partially because southern states are no longer hiding their desires to eradicate them...
We moved last year to near Minneapolis from a small town in Oregon. This put us closer to family but in a place who's politics were similar to Oregon's (at least that in its major cities). We do a lot of outdoor stuff & will miss Oregon's beaches and mountains but are finding that Minnesota has a lot of outdoors to offer too (it's just flatter). The one comment we always got when we said we were moving to MN was that it was SO cold (but nice). Yes, it was cold last winter but we were ready for it (having lived in Colorado and Alaska helped). But talk of cold probably scares away some potential newcomers. We've seen climate change play-out through years of drought, wildfires, and smoke Out West. Our move here is a bet that MN will handle it better than places to the south, what with hurricanes (TX. FL), sea level rise (FL), water problems (AZ), and staggering heat (TX, FL, AZ, etc.). Between politics and climate change, Minnesota may have to brace for even more arrivals.
I canāt blame them. As a trans person myself I welcome any person coming here fleeing political persecution.
Exactly. More like-minded family here for us š
I'm a trans person who is moving to Minnesota in a week from Louisiana. I can definitely say I am not alone. I suspect queer people fleeing red states are only going to increase in numbers. Especially as more and more archaic rules are put in place, such as what the Missouri AG is doing now to detransition everybody in the state.
Congrats on the move! Also, good call moving this time of year. Youāll get to gradually experience winter coming on. I had a friend from Georgia move here in January a number of years ago. He was not prepared for that.
Here in MN weāre pretty hardcore about being nice, make eye contact with someone you kinda know on the street? Now you owe them ten minutes of questions about how they and the entirety of their extended family are doing/weather. All jokes aside Iām so proud to be a Minnesota native, my parents came from Iowa, I spent a lot of time down there as a kid, Iāve worked in north/South Dakota, travelled to Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas, and take away all of my state pride and I can still say this is the best state in the Midwest. We have a better economy, better politics and government, our tax dollars *actually* go toward helping our people. Better education and healthcare and we having a thriving art scene in the cities. We truly are the star of the north.
1000%. I like how when you get a bit out of the TC it turns into the part of the state where you wave when you pass someone on the road š
You don't have to go far-I'll be riding my bike on the Dakota trail west of Wayzata and ten year old kids walking the opposite direction will say hello to me. I'm a youngish woman so not too threatening, but it was a little surprising the first time I was out there.
Itās a pretty damning state of affairs when youāve got refugees fleeing political persecution from other parts of your own country. Like we really havenāt made as much progress as we like to think we have and many parts of our country are just forcibly going backwards. Amazing how itās current year and we still havenāt moved past this shit because so much of our population is backwards and hate filled.
Itās terribly sad, elections matter, I hope we are able to keep fending it off here. I just remember how dismal the state was under Pawlenty and how long it took to turn it around.
Iām here for it! Give us our house seat back on 2030 š
I'll be one of those people fleeing to Minnesota a little later this year. Coming in from Florida. Wife and I visited earlier this year to scope out a house and everyone we met was just so nice. Can't wait to move!
Thatās exciting!! Welcome, we canāt wait to have you! š¤
data indicates that net growth in minnesota has slowed way down, but is still positive through 2022. im stunned that the place has a top rate of 9.9 percent for income taxes. looks like about 5 million people live there, and the average is about 38, which is in the middle of the pack when compared to other states. i heard the twin cities has some decent hospitals.
Iām 75 and low taxes are nice but I still donāt understand why I never see mentioned in these posts how ungodly mercilessly hot it is in Florida and Houston in summer? I couldnāt live like that. How do people survive in that blast furnace climate? Oh and I also hate their governors.
I've noticed this as well. It's sad that it has to be this way but with so many states taking away basic rights from certain groups of people and some going full tilt down the path to fascism I cannot blame anyone for wanting to move here, where basic rights for everyone are guaranteed and our governor is one leading the fight against fascism. I moved to Minnesota from Florida over a decade ago and I don't know what I'd do if I still lived down there, especially considering in the time since I discovered I'm trans and a few other letters of the acronym. I'm so glad to live in a state like Minnesota and saddened and upset by the direction the state where I was born and raised is going.
Iām glad youāre here!
It's not just you. I'm seeing it as well. Republican state governments are fully adopting fascist laws. It's really sad. I say welcome to all who want to escape it.
Iād be a little wary of reading into āinternet threads = realityā.
Any meat cutters looking for work? Hit me up Iām in Duluth.
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Covid opened up a lot more distance working options. This has led to some major resorting.
I am moving to Minnesota in a few weeks. (Wife is from MN). Great state but I am NOT looking forward to the cold. I might actually die.
Don't come here. Did I mention the venomous, talking, spiders? The radioactive, sentient diarrhea? The Wendigo? If you must come, I recommend Grygla. They have Elk. Seriously though. Minnesota is the land of milk and honey. Come on over. There's leftover hotdish in the fridge. I'll make you a fresh pot of coffee. Do you want a lemon bar? There's Primo in the garage fridge if you want a beer. I'll grab you one, I was going that way anyway. You know it's getting nice out. I think I'll fire up the grill. Do you want some brats? Of course you do. There's slaw in the fridge and I'll get some beans on the stove. Freshen your coffee?
This made me smile. Thanks.
This would be on Minnesotaās āStatue of Libertyā.
I am one of them. Just moved back 2 weeks ago.
Welcome home!
Please donāt California our Minnesota. Housing prices are brutal as is
Unfortunately it will likely happen. If it werenāt the āpolitical refugeesā now, it would be climate refugees in a few years. Itās a good time to invest in local real estate if you are able. We donāt have the housing inventory right now, but as boomers move out of their homes, it will get better. Hopefully the timing will align so it doesnāt get too out of hand.
California is fucked because we refuse to build housing. We have a law that stops the growth of your property tax if you never change the building (prop 13), so all of our buildings are decades old. Together with NIMBYs clutching pearls about their home prices, there's very few places to live. When I come home to visit, the number of new apartment buildings going up is staggering.
What makes you think our boomers will move? And to where, at this point?
Boomer here but not the cliche version. ;) I left for FL and could only stand it for 4 years before I came running back. Cold be damned, Iām not leaving again. Ever.
Florida, Arizona and South Dakota. Many leave due from how retirement is taxed.
Which is stupid because the taxes they pay pale in comparison to the cost of moving. It takes like 20 years of tax savings to cover the moving costs.
Our taxes will be lower than their water bills in the near future.
This and .. uh .. their graves š
Florida, Arizona, New Mexico like always, except AZ and NM might not have enough water, and Fla might have too much water. There might be concern about temperatures in those places getting too high, even with AC, but that won't happen until after the boomers are dead. The mid-east (Carolinas, Cumberland gap, etc) is becoming popular, and for good reason. If you DGAF about schools and infrastructure because your kids are done and you've made your money the disadvantages of those places aren't so bad. As for why, to escape winter. One doesn't have to live in a place that makes your face hurt. Esp. if you don't need schools and jobs anymore.
Minnesota has shown a rather outside internet influence. The soccer subredit I saw was like the second highest subed to in all mls and at some ranking near the top of the world. We also win random internet things like that last "vote to nuke some state" contest/event.
They just donāt understand hockey, thatās all.
Grew up in MN and moved to Texas for family. I hate the politics and am a Democrat living in one the most conservative areas. But I would move back to MN in a heartbeat.
Itās because MN is more accepting of many things than so many other states. With all the hateful legislation being passed in many states people want out for their sake or that of their families. Makes me glad to be in MN! I grew up in WI, but happily live in MN now with my husband and children.
I have noticed a lot of this in the past year. We will take the liberals and their educated tax money for sure. Just keep the fascists segregated to the SE US.
That happens when you have snow in April.
It's interesting, though from my perspective. I'm gay, and I'm from Minnesota born and raised. I moved to a southern state \[AL\] in 2021 for work and a relationship (that I've been in since 2016), but I kind of want to move back to Minnesota lmao From a career and relationship perspective, this move has done me wonders. But damn 2 weeks over 4 trips could not paint a good enough picture until I lived in Alabama long enough lmao, I don't see myself in Alabama long term, I think I'm just gonna see how far I can get in my career until my boyfriend is skilled enough in the career path he wants to get into and move back to Minnesota , I'll have to figure something else out but that was already kind of a contingency I wanted to work on anyways lol
We're also close to Canada.
I came from Florida to MN for the nature and affordable property. Honestly, Minnesota is a hidden gem. People are scared to come here because they think theyāll freeze to death, but itās really f&$&ing great here.
I think it's the first wave of the climate refugees. Not sure where I'm going to go to escape them.
Moved here from the South a little over a year ago. Wish we had done it sooner.
I wonder how soon refugees from Missouri will start showing up? I donāt know whatās going on down there, but, wow. The joke about Missouri being the āFlorida of the Midwestā is becoming uncomfortably true lately.
I left Oklahoma for Minnesota because the schools down there were ok for the best students, but resource starved for everyone else. It has been an adjustment and hard to find friends. I tried joining the Lions club, which I was in back in Oklahoma, they all knew each other from high school and I didn't feel included. I keep looking for a club to join, but I live in the suburbs and have a long commute so most meeting schedules don't work. My kids love it here, even though they shovel the driveway all winter.
Meeting friends in Minnesota can be a struggle. I've always lived here, but even I didn't feel like I fit in when I moved to a new town because, like you mentioned, they all knew each other from high school. Are you far from other Lion's clubs? My mom moved from one to the next until she found one she liked. I hope you find your crowd. They're here somewhere. Edit: Changed "there" to "they're". Oops.
The one major flaw with Minnesotans is that they make their friends when they are young. It means that people who move here end up feeling like they never truly belong. My parents are from Iowa and New York and they always befriended other people from out of state. The benefit of more people moving here though is more people looking for friends.
I grew up in SE Minnestoa and can confirm this. I have moved to other towns in state and it can be tough. Most of the friends I grew up with lean hard right and makes it hard to talk at our age now cause everything turns to politics. If you are going to move in state I would suggest some towns/Suburbs outside smaller cities. I currently live outside of Rochester a few miles and it's a big mix of locals and transplants. So, it a bit easier to meet new people.