Moving to or from Minnesota?
Ten thousand lakes, one Mall of America, and winters that earn residents' Scandinavian heritage. The Twin Cities anchor a Fortune-500-dense economy quietly among the best places to live in the US.
- #22 Population rank
- 5,700,000 Residents
- Minneapolis Largest city
- Saint Paul State capital
Why people move to Minnesota.
- Over 11,000 lakes — far more than the 'Land of 10,000 Lakes' nickname suggests
- The Twin Cities (Minneapolis and Saint Paul) — paired but culturally distinct anchor metros
- Mall of America in Bloomington — the largest shopping mall in the Western Hemisphere
- Mayo Clinic in Rochester — the #1 ranked hospital in the US
- Extreme cold — International Falls and Embarrass routinely record the lowest temperatures in the lower 48
- Fortune 500 density — Minneapolis-St. Paul has one of the highest concentrations of F500 HQs per capita
Where people spend their time.
- Mall of America Bloomington
- Boundary Waters Canoe Area Northern MN
- Voyageurs National Park International Falls
- Split Rock Lighthouse Lake Superior
- Minnehaha Falls Minneapolis
- Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Minnesota State Fair Saint Paul
- Itasca State Park (headwaters of the Mississippi) Park Rapids
Biggest cities in Minnesota.
Where most of Minnesota's moves originate and terminate.
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Minneapolis Pop. 430,000
Largest MN city; Mississippi River; arts and corporate-HQ anchor
Explore Minneapolis guide -
Saint Paul Pop. 310,000
State capital; the smaller, quieter, more residential Twin
Explore Saint Paul guide -
Rochester Pop. 120,000
Mayo Clinic's home city; medical and research economy
Explore Rochester guide -
Bloomington Pop. 90,000
Twin Cities suburb; Mall of America, MSP Airport adjacent
Explore Bloomington guide -
Duluth Pop. 85,000
Lake Superior port city; hilly geography and freshwater shipping
Explore Duluth guide -
Brooklyn Park Pop. 85,000
North Twin Cities suburb; diverse and fast-growing
Explore Brooklyn Park guide -
Plymouth Pop. 80,000
Affluent western suburb; corporate HQs and top schools
Explore Plymouth guide -
Woodbury Pop. 80,000
Eastern St. Paul suburb; family-oriented; fast-growing
Explore Woodbury guide
Where Minnesota movers come from and go to.
Most common moves to Minnesota from:
Most common moves out of Minnesota to:
Detailed guides for Minnesota city moves.
Each guide includes vetted movers, neighborhoods, climate, drive time, and what to expect on arrival.
Moving from a Minnesota city:
From Minneapolis:
- to Los Angeles, CA
- to Austin, TX
- to New York City, NY
- to Miami, FL
- to Chicago, IL
- to Phoenix, AZ
- to Charlotte, NC
- to Atlanta, GA
- to Dallas, TX
- to Houston, TX
- to Boston, MA
- to Seattle, WA
- to Denver, CO
- to Nashville, TN
- to Orlando, FL
- to Tampa, FL
- to San Francisco, CA
- to Portland, OR
- to Las Vegas, NV
- to San Diego, CA
- to Salt Lake City, UT
- to Raleigh, NC
- to San Antonio, TX
- to Indianapolis, IN
- to Philadelphia, PA
- to Washington, DC
- to Detroit, MI
- to Jacksonville, FL
- to Sacramento, CA
- to Columbus, OH
- to Pittsburgh, PA
- to New Orleans, LA
- to Memphis, TN
- to Louisville, KY
- to Cleveland, OH
- to Kansas City, MO
- to Cincinnati, OH
- to St. Louis, MO
- to Milwaukee, WI
- to Buffalo, NY
- to Albuquerque, NM
Moving to a Minnesota city:
To Minneapolis:
- from Los Angeles, CA
- from Austin, TX
- from New York City, NY
- from Miami, FL
- from Chicago, IL
- from Phoenix, AZ
- from Charlotte, NC
- from Atlanta, GA
- from Dallas, TX
- from Houston, TX
- from Boston, MA
- from Seattle, WA
- from Denver, CO
- from Nashville, TN
- from Orlando, FL
- from Tampa, FL
- from San Francisco, CA
- from Portland, OR
- from Las Vegas, NV
- from San Diego, CA
- from Salt Lake City, UT
- from Raleigh, NC
- from San Antonio, TX
- from Indianapolis, IN
- from Philadelphia, PA
- from Washington, DC
- from Detroit, MI
- from Jacksonville, FL
- from Sacramento, CA
- from Columbus, OH
- from Pittsburgh, PA
- from New Orleans, LA
- from Memphis, TN
- from Louisville, KY
- from Cleveland, OH
- from Kansas City, MO
- from Cincinnati, OH
- from St. Louis, MO
- from Milwaukee, WI
- from Buffalo, NY
- from Albuquerque, NM
Planning a Minnesota move.
Humid continental in the south (Twin Cities, Rochester) transitioning to subarctic in the far north. Long, bitterly cold winters — Twin Cities averages lows around 5°F in January and routinely dips below -20°F. Warm humid summers, often surprisingly nice July and August. Severe thunderstorms in spring and summer. Lake Superior moderates Duluth's climate (cooler summers, warmer winters than the interior).
- Minnesota winter moves (December through March) face frozen ground, subzero windchills, and ice accumulation. Trucks have mechanical issues in deep cold, items left exposed can be damaged, and sidewalks/driveways need aggressive salting. Confirm cold-weather protocols with your mover and build 2-day weather buffers.
- The Boundary Waters and Superior National Forest are genuinely remote. Cabin and lake-home moves to far-northern Minnesota often require long driving distances, overnight stays, and sometimes gravel-road access. Ask about shuttle service for remote lake properties.
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul rush-hour traffic on I-35, I-94, and I-494 (the 'Spaghetti Junction') is legitimate by mid-size-metro standards. Movers bill hourly — early morning starts save real money.
- Minnesota has relatively high state income taxes (top bracket 9.85%) and above-average property taxes. Factor into cost-of-living comparisons with lower-tax states — this drives much of the state's Florida-bound retirement migration.
Intrastate household-goods movers in Minnesota must be registered with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) and carry a valid household goods motor carrier permit. Verify any MN mover's registration before signing. Interstate movers also need a USDOT number from the FMCSA.
Moving in Minnesota: FAQ.
How much does it cost to move within Minnesota?
Twin Cities local moves run $800–$2,700 for a 1–2 bedroom and $2,600–$6,100 for a 3–4 bedroom. Rochester, Duluth, and outstate MN are 15–25% cheaper. Cross-state moves (Minneapolis to Duluth = 155 miles) run $2,000–$4,800 for a 2-bedroom; far-northern Boundary Waters moves add mountain-style premiums.
How bad are Minnesota winter moves?
Genuinely challenging. January averages in the single digits, with multi-day subzero stretches common. Trucks can have mechanical issues, items can freeze in transit, and driveways need aggressive snow clearing. Established Minnesota movers handle winter work routinely — they're actually better at it than movers from warmer states — but build 2-day buffers into any move between December and March.
Do Minnesota movers need a state license?
Yes. Household-goods movers operating within Minnesota must be registered with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Always verify a mover's registration at MnDOT before signing. Unlicensed movers are most common in the Twin Cities market — check first.
Is Minnesota really one of the best places to live?
Most livability indices rank Minnesota in the top 10 — strong public services, excellent healthcare (Mayo Clinic), clean cities, high-quality public schools, and a genuinely caring community culture often called 'Minnesota Nice.' The tradeoff is the weather, which is not optional and not easy. People who stay tend to either love winters or tolerate them for the rest of the year.
Minneapolis or Saint Paul — which should I move to?
Both are great. Minneapolis is larger, more commercial, more nightlife, more corporate. Saint Paul is quieter, more residential, more historic, with a walkable downtown and closer access to the Capitol. Most Twin Cities residents work in one and live in the other — or somewhere in the suburbs connecting them. Pick based on work location and personal vibe.
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