MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Five Twin Cities suburbs were named among the best places to live in America, according to Money Magazine. Eden Prairie earned the highest ranking among Minnesota cities.
The honor likely won’t come as much of a surprise to Eden Prairie residents, as Money gave the city a first-place ranking two years ago. The 2012 list ranks Eden Prairie third, just behind Carmel, Ind. and McKinney, Texas.
Money Magazine praised Eden Prairie’s “terrific employment prospects, natural beauty, and a well-educated workforce,” and noted that the city has also maintained a budget surplus during recent years.
The only downsides noted by the magazine: “Winters are long and cold, and there’s not much of a downtown besides a mega shopping mall.”
Interestingly enough, the other four cities that made Money Magazine’s list of the top 100 places to live all earned slots in the top 25. They were: Woodbury (#11), Eagan (#14), Lakeville (#19), and Maple Grove (#22).
Money Magazine alternates their rankings each year between cities with populations under 50,000 and cities with populations between 50,000 and 300,000 people.
The top-ranking Minnesota city on Money Magazine’s 2011 list — which focused on cities under 50,000 — was Chanhassen, which scored 10th. Arden Hills, Lino Lakes, Shoreview and Savage were also listed in the 2011 edition.
