Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods of the Twin Cities & West Metro
Twenty-five places I know street by street: what living there actually feels like, who it suits, and what to watch for when you buy.
Lake Minnetonka
Excelsior
A walkable village on the lake with a real main street. Small inventory, so being ready to move matters here.
Lake Minnetonka
Deephaven
Old-money lakeshore on the eastern bays. Almost nothing comes up, so buyers wait for the right property.
Lake Minnetonka
Shorewood
The wooded southern shore. Large lots, Minnetonka schools, privacy over amenities.
Lake Minnetonka
Orono
The largest city on the lake. Acreage, shoreline, and almost no commercial development by design.
Lake Minnetonka
Wayzata
Lakefront and luxury, with a downtown that has kept its scale. Buyers trade square footage for location.
Lake Minnetonka
Mound
The most affordable way onto the lake, out on the western bays. Cottages, ramblers, and newer rebuilds.
Lake Minnetonka
Minnetrista
Where the lake gives way to open country. Acreage, hobby farms, and new executive construction.
West Metro
Medina
Estate lots and horse country, minutes from Wayzata. Some of the newest luxury building in the metro.
West Metro
Minnetonka
Wooded lots and quiet cul-de-sacs with quick access to 394. Space for the money, and good mid-century stock.
Carver County
Waconia
A lake town of its own, growing fast, with a historic downtown and real value per square foot.
Northwest
Plymouth
Family-first, trail-connected, and consistently well kept. Strong resale and a deep pool of newer homes.
Northwest
Maple Grove
Newer construction, parks, and an easy commute. The best value per square foot on this list.
Inner ring
Golden Valley
City-adjacent with Theodore Wirth on its doorstep. Post-war ramblers and substantial mid-century homes.
Inner ring
St. Louis Park
City access without city taxes. Charming older homes, an active rebuild market, quick trips to Uptown.
Inner ring
Hopkins
A real downtown, light rail on the way, and the most walkable value in the West Metro.
Inner ring
Richfield
First-ring value and the shortest airport commute in the metro. Changing quickly.
Southwest
Edina
Established streets, strong schools, and a wide price range, from Morningside bungalows to Country Club rebuilds.
Southwest
Eden Prairie
Big lots, lakes, and a corporate job base close to home. Popular with move-up buyers leaving the city.
Southwest
Chanhassen
Newer neighborhoods, top schools, and more land than anywhere closer in.
Carver County
Victoria
Lakes, new construction, and a small downtown that has grown up fast.
Carver County
Chaska
A genuine small-town downtown, decades of new building around it, and championship golf.
South Metro
Bloomington
The third largest city in Minnesota, with the broadest price range anywhere in the metro.
South Metro
Shakopee
One of the fastest growing cities in the metro, with new construction at a real value.
South Metro
Prior Lake
Two connected lakes, an active boating culture, and newer homes on real lots.
South Metro
Savage
Quiet, newer, and close in for the price, on the south side of the river.