Move From California to Minnesota

Move From California To Minnesota

Minnesota is famous for the high quality of life it offers. If you are thinking of moving to Minnesota, you don’t have to settle in the Twin Cities or the surrounding suburbs. The state also offers a rural farm area, lakeside communities, as well as mountain towns. The North Star State’s economy shines, with major industry sectors in bioscience, healthcare services, advanced manufacturing and finance.

Are you ready to Move From California to Minnesota?

60 Second Relocation Assessment

Moving Advice

  • Moving permits aren’t required in Utah. However, check with your new town to make sure your moving truck can be parked on the street.
  • Minnesota experiences extreme winter weather, so try to plan your move during the spring, summer or fall to avoid the complications that come with snow and ice.
  • If you are hiring a professional moving company, be sure they have been pre-screened, licensed and bonded, and offer full US moving services.
  • Minnesota experiences numerous storms and tornadoes each year. Tornado season is between March and August, so listen to the radio and seek cover as soon as you hear a tornado warning if you are moving to the state during those months.

Change your address online. To make your move from California to Minnesota easier, consider changing your address online. It is easy to do, inexpensive, and will ensure that your mail arrives to your new home with you.

Cities and Metro Areas

Whether you love nature and the outdoors or city life, there’s an area of Minnesota for you. There are the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, which consistently rank high on the list of best places for healthy, green and family-friendly living. If suburbia is what you’re looking for, Eden Prairie is an affluent but small-town feel. Edina is practically lakeside on every corner, with the biggest lake being Lake Cornelia.

Cost of Living

As with any state, the cost of living in Minnesota will vary greatly depending on which city you choose to call home. The various taxes (property, income, state, etc.) can add up, particularly in Minneapolis/St. Paul, but keep in mind that salaries tend to be higher here, particularly for those working in the business, medical and technology fields.

Minnesota taxes, food and housing costs tend to be slightly higher than the national average, while utility costs (heating, electricity, water, sewer, garbage) tend to be noticeably lower. When you consider the long winter months of heating bills, the lower utilities costs goes a long way.

The past three years have been a wild ride for housing markets nationwide, and Minnesota is no exception. After increasing steadily in the years following the Great Recession, the Minnesota housing market has been catching up steam in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. As households acquired more mobility with widespread remote work, allowing them to choose a place to live independently from their place of employment, the demand for housing heated up significantly, powered up by mortgage rates near historic lows. Meanwhile, inventory remained limited, leading to a sharp increase in Minnesota home prices. However, as the Federal Reserve Bank initiated an aggressive interest hiking policy to fight back against inflation, which stood at a forty-year high, the Minnesota housing market has cooled down significantly.

Minnesota home prices are still climbing, although at a slower rate. The median sale price in Minnesota reached $321,400 according to data collected in November 2022, the latest available at the time of writing, marking a 3.8% increase compared to November 2021.

Climate

With four distinct seasons, the state embraces the outdoors. Yes, it snows but since the state offers so many winter recreation opportunities, it’s hardly an issue for outdoor enthusiasts.

Summers tend to be quite humid and hot, but the many lakes and the jet streams all over Minnesota help to keep temperatures from getting too extreme. The northern half of the state is less humid and experiences less rainfall. May through August tends to bring several tornadoes and thunderstorms because nearly half of the year’s overall rainfall occurs during the late spring and summer months.

Winters offer outdoor activities such as snowmobiling, downhill skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ice skating and ice fishing. The winters are sunny, and even though the temperatures are low, the sun makes it feel warmer. But dress warm and lways keep a coat, blanket, gloves, hat, boots, jumper cables, and an ice scraper in your car in case you get stuck. People are generally quite friendly and willing to help out when they see a stranded motorist, but you still do not want to be caught off guard.

Education

Minnesota school districts offer an open enrollment statute, which makes choosing a desirable school for your child/children when moving to Minnesota easier without the limitations of home address.

Current school rankings (elementary, middle and high schools), campus and district zoning/location maps, information and reviews are available online for parents moving to Minnesota.

Government

Before moving to Minnesota, go to the Official Website for the State of Minnesota to find reliable information about everything to do with working and living in the state.