If you could live anywhere in MN, where would it be...?

[mjhowe]

(I originally posted this in some regional forums...maybe a little more exposure here...)

I am contemplating a move to the great state of Minnesota...I would love some opinions on places to begin my search...based on my below criteria, which is by no means all inclusive. But...some of the important items are...

My main criteria are as follows:

City/area population of 5,000-20,000 people.

Premium ice fishing opportunity within 1-2 hour drives or closer. (My main outdoor passion is hardwater, but open water fishing, archery and motorsports are right there also.)

NOT "touristy", in a National Park, National Landmark, type way. Rural, local destination type tourism is a-ok.

Access to multiple use state/federal lands.

Decent real estate options...median home price below $200k

I dont care to be any closer than 2-3 hours from major city (over 250,000 people)

Help me decide, I promise to be a good neighbor!

[Bob Horn]

I would be in the Upper Red / LOW area or Bemidji area.

[IcemanMN]

I'd have to agree, Red Lake area for sure.

[jeep guy]

My vote would be for around the eveleth virginia area. Within an hour from rainy and vermillion plus there are a bunch of smaller lakes that have excellent fishing that are not as well known. Great hunting and if the type of motorsports your into is off roading the gilbert ohv park is near by.

[Northlander]

If your not worried about employement I would say the Grand Rapids area. Tons of fishing there. 1-2 hours from the best ice fishing for all species in the state. Winni, Red, LOW, Rainy, Lake Superior and many many others all a easy day trip. Heck you would never have to travel more than 2 hours to be on the best bite in the state all year round.

[Gissert]

There are many areas that meet your criteria.

I live in central Ottertail County, and could not be happier. Fergus Falls is a city of about 15,000. I live 12 miles to the east, and there are about 1000 lakes 10 acres or larger in the immediate region.

Real estate is reasonable, until you start getting into lakeshore.

Ice fishing abounds. I have lived here all my life, and there are lakes within 15 miles that I still have not checked off my list in the winter.

There are good amounts of public land in the area, though not in large tracts.

[boxcar46]

I will live in the Bemidji area when I earily retire in 7 years.

[Ryan_V]

I would say the Brainerd area would suit your needs the best!! Tons upon tons of fishing, and good resources for hunting as well.

[Kylersk]

I'd live in Eveleth/Virginia area. I always wanted to get out of the area as a kid, but now I'd love to go back. I hope to retire back up in the area, and would move back sooner if the Job situation was better. But for now, I have to stick it out in the 'Cities'.

[HarryG]

I have always wanted to retire in the Walker area. I love Leech Lake and it is not too far away from anything in Minnesota. Depending on where you live, you would avoid a lot of tourist stuff. It is hard to argue with the Red Lake area. Also, I have fished western Minnesota, and I went through Thief River Falls. You have to love a town with a name like that. It was a very nice area to live as well.

As long as you stay North of Brainerd you won't go wrong.

[JohnMickish]

I don't know if Minnesota has many "not touristy" and "decent home values" areas. Up north will give you the hunting and fishing you want but the motorsports are limited unless you drive. Outside of 2-3 hours of the city pretty much puts you at URL or LOW. How remote do you want to be?

[iffwalleyes]

Somewhere between Detroit Lakes, Park Rapids, and Bemidji would be for me. DL and PR have a little too much tourism for my likings but out in the county it is pretty darn good. Ottertail is another awesome area.

[Dan Brelje]

I would say Grand Rapids

[JigginIsLife]

My family has a cabin in Akely. and everytime i head to walker or park rapids the tourism is horrible except durring the 4th of July and then durring the MoonDance Jam. other than those two times Walker is a great place to live, lots of lakes , and oppratunities. not to mention if you want to jet out a little and hit a small town from around the area im SURE that the cost of living is well below 200k. anyways good luck hunting to you and hope you find the place your looking for!!!

[woodman]

You will not beat what Bemidji has to offer. We have everything you are looking for and it is an excellent place to live. Check it out on the web for yourself and I bet it will draw you here!

[Greg K (aka:CRAPPIEBAIT)]

I'd have to agree with Woodman.My wife and I have lived all over that area.From Bagley to Gonvick,Bemidji to Clearbrook.We loved the relaxed life style.Good luck with your choice.

[chaser]

Grand Rapids

[love to hunt]

Fourtown

[Down Deep]

I would recommend the area around Hibbing and Virginia, MN. That way you are almost dead center in northern MN fishing country. Vermillion and the BWCA are almost right out the door. Red, Rainy, Kabetogam and Canada are all within 2 to 3 hrs. There are 100's of smaller lakes within 50 miles. The old mines provide some pretty good ice fishing. Both towns are big enough to provide essential shopping and medical access. Duluth is an hour away and great town for retail and entertainment. For 200K you can get a very nice spread. Of course you will have to learn to speak Ranger.

[Tom Linderholm]

For what its worth I have definetly enjoyed living in the Duluth area as a Colorado transplant for the past 6 years. The multispecies aspects of the area are unlimited from the various trout & salmon on the Lake Superior watershed allowing for open water fishing just about year round to the hour jaunt over to ashland WI to tackle the same fish through ice. Always have the option to head inland for pretty decent fishing and if your looking to avoid tourists the winters can't be beat for that, the summers are another story. If I were you I would be looking in the arrowhead region of MN possibly central St Louis County.

Where ever you decide to go I am sure you will be happy. Best of luck!

[Borch]

For me it would be the Grand Rapids or Bemidji areas. Both meet your criteria in fact there are only about 60 miles apart.

[sparetime]

Maybe we should trade, I'd give about anything to live in Kalispell, MT.

To answer your question though, any of the previous suggestions, Bemidji, Grand Rapids, Eveleth/Virgina, I don't think you could go wrong at any of them.

Also, you could visit all three in a weekend and see if one feels better or not.

[ChuckN]

I have lived in Twin Cities, Lutsen, Ely, Bemidji, Moorhead and now in West Central Minnesota (near Gissert, like he descibed). I've lived in those areas for a number of years each time.

I really liked a lot of the areas I lived in (except Moorhead fishing/hunting wise ). I did what I could to move to where I am now, and I don't ever want to leave. The fishing and hunting is phenomenal. Not a lot of people, sure it gets a little touristy, but not to a point where it's too much.

The people around here are second to none. Unbelieveable friends and neighbors who would do anything for another person.

Cities? Fargo, ND is a large city with about everything a person needs and is 1 hour away or less.

For fishing.....I get headaches each day wondering which lake I want to fish. Endless possibilities.

I'll add the crime rate in WC MN is probably some of the lowest in the state also. It's a very peaceful place to live and have a family.

[wayne123]

Personally I would say Grand Rapids (like many others). I really like the area. You could fish a high quality lake every day for a year and not fish the same place twice. I am sure some other areas offer similar situations.

One item you can look at to help you decide is how far north you want to live. If a long ice fishing season is important look to the north. If a long summer is important look to the south. I would think you have ice in the far north for a month longer than the south. Probably more than a month but I am sure you can count on a month.

[The_Duckslayer]

For now I can not think of anywhere I would rather be than Hooterville. That is because my mom is just down the road and after being gone from the state for 30 years it is nice to be that close! Going home to visit is a big ordeal when you have to fly 18 hours just to get there! I would love to move up in the northwest part of the state some day but don't know if that will ever happen. I thrive in cold weather so that part does not bother me. Heck, if I kept driving long enough I guess I would like to move to Alaska! I have been to every state of the nation and that is the only other state that I would like to live in!

Just my humble .02 Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo