Quality of Life

Minnesota Among the Most Livable States

Minnesota has topped Morgan Quitno's list of "most livable states" for more than a decade. The state’s fourth-place ranking in 2010 recognizes the region's affordable housing, safe streets, strong education system and excellent health care. The State Policy Reports echoes that finding, rating Minnesota near the top of its “Camelot Index” for the last 12 years.

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Metro MSP Region Takes Top Lifestyle Honors

The Metro MSP region consistently takes top national honors for livability. The Twin Cities has the third highest quality of life in the U.S., according to a Portfolio.com survey of 67 major metro areas. Expansion Magazine ranked it among the "eight best places to live and work" in the country. Kiplinger’s named it among the most family-friendly cities in the U.S. – giving it top marks for a "clean, progressive metro area that’s studded with architectural gems, and laced with lakes, rivers and parks."

In fact, the 11-county region is routinely recognized as one of the most literate, cultural, green, clean, healthy, family-friendly, cool, livable metro areas in the country. On almost every barometer of community vitality, Metro MSP shoots to the top. To see how it compares against other comparable regions, see the 2010 Metro MSP Business Vitality Index on Quality of Life. To read about what makes the region so hot, visit The Line, a weekly web magazine that chronicles creativity in Minneapolis/Saint Paul – in entrepreneurship, design, environmentalism, the arts, retail, urbanism, neighborhood vitalization and revitalization.

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Sports Mecca

• The region is a mecca for professional sports – including Minnesota Twins baseball, Minnesota Vikings football, Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx (women) basketball, Minnesota Wild hockey, and the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers’ division I teams.
• The region is considered the “16th Best Sports City” in the county, according to The Sporting News, 2009.
• Target Field, home of the Minnesota Twins major league baseball team, was named “the number one stadium experience in North America” in 2010 by ESPN: The Magazine. It is also one of only two stadiums in the country to be awarded LEED Silver Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.
• The climate-controlled Metrodome is the only sports facility in the country to have hosted a Superbowl, World Series, Baseball All-Star Game and NCAA Final Four Basketball championship.

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Recreational Playground

• The 11-county region has a whopping 1,651 lakes. The state, with almost 12,000 lakes, has over 90,000 miles of shoreline. That’s more than California, Florida and Hawaii combined.
• The Metro MSP region boasts one of most extensive regional and city park systems in the country. Seven state parks are located within its perimeter: William O’Brien, Fort Snelling, Afton, Minnesota Valley Trail, Lake Maria, and Interstate and Wild River on the St. Croix River.
• Minnesota has more golfers per capita than any other state.

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World-Class Arts & Culture

• The one-of-a-kind theater scene boasts more theater seats per capital than any city outside of New York. The new Guthrie Theater, designed by Jean Nouvel, has garnered numerous architectural awards from around the world.
• Four other cultural icons – the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Walker Art Center, Weisman Art Museum, and Minneapolis Central Library – each undertook major additions in the last few years..

• The music scene – from classical to hip-hop – thrives in the region. The Twin Cities is one of two places in America that supports two full-time, professional orchestras: The Minnesota Orchestra and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. (The other city is New York.)
• Minneapolis is home to the Minnesota Fringe Festival, the largest non-juried performing arts festival in the United States. The annual celebration of theatre, dance, and visual arts runs for 11 days and consists of over 800 performances.
• The Twin Cities is the third largest dance market in the nation.

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International Shopping Destination

• With no sales tax on clothing, Minnesota is an international draw for shopping.
• The Mall of America is the largest shopping and entertainment complex in the nation. It also attracts the most visitors of any tourist destination in the state.
• Travel + Leisure ranked the region the “fourth best shopping destination” in the country – behind New York, Chicago and San Francisco. (2004)

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National Leader in Higher Ed

• The region has a remarkable concentration of colleges and universities – 33 in all. Many partner with industry to train the next generation of workers.
• The University of Minnesota has the fourth largest enrollment in the U.S. (66,100 across five campuses) and a national reputation for breakthrough research. It offers more than 370 degree programs.
• The Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area has the ninth highest proportion of adults with a bachelor’s degree – over 37%. (U.S. Census Bureau, 2008 American Community Survey).
• Minnesota consistently ranks near the top nationally in the share of grant dollars committed to education. (2009 Giving in Minnesota, Minnesota Council on Foundations)

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Remarkably Healthy Population

• The Metro MSP region is routinely recognized as one of healthiest places to live in the U.S. It was named the third fittest city in America by Men’s Fitness in 2009 and the third healthiest metro by the American College of Sports Medicine in 2010. 
• Minnesota ranks number six in United Health Foundation’s 2009 “healthiest state” ranking. One reason is that it has the lowest rate of coronary heart disease in the nation, according to the American Heart Association.
• Minneapolis is America’s “seventh best city for men” in 2010 based on health, quality of life and fitness statistics, says Men’s Health. Runners World agrees, naming it among the top 25 running cities. It’s also the second best city in which to have a baby, according to FitPregnancy in 2008.

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Low Cost of Living

• Forbes ranked the Minneapolis/St. Paul region eighth nationally in its 2008 “Best Value for the Dollar” survey of top value metro areas. The survey reviewed factors such as housing affordability, inflation and potential job growth.
• Reasonable housing costs earn the region high rankings in other national quality-of-life comparisons. It is consistently named one of the smartest, most family-friendly, low-stress places to live in the U.S.

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Culture of Philanthropy

• Minnesotans believe in giving back. More than 40% of the adults volunteer their time – the highest percentage in the U.S.
• The New York Times calls the Twin Cities “the emerald city of giving,” noting that philanthropy is “part of the culture of the Twin Cities corporate life.”  
• 214 Twin Cities companies are members of the Keystone Club. Each commits 2-5% of pretax income each year to philanthropy.

For more lifestyle information on the Metro MSP region, visit www.mspmoretolife.com.

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