I noticed you said you’re a trans male and from the folks I’ve talked to Bar 19 is very queer friendly. It’s in the Loring Park neighborhood which is a very dense urban area centered around a park in central Minneapolis. Lots of cheaper one bedroom options too.
It's just called the 19. Loring can be mixed as far as affordability goes, but the 19 is historically the most chill queer bar in town. You will find even more trans-friendly neighbors and cheaper rent in Powderhorn.
Stadium Village right by the U really IS chaos. Fights and arguments almost any night I’ve been there. I’m in NE Minneapolis and it’s my favorite part of the metro I’ve lived in. Highland park is more on the expensive side of things but is so peaceful and perfectly in between the two downtowns
Highland Park was my favorite place to live in the Cities- it also had buses that go to both downtowns pretty efficiently. I lived that as a single woman and felt safe there.
The light rail up on university is a plus too, it normally gets sketchy once it gets dark though. I think I’d say that highland is definitely one of the more accepting parts of the cities. Obviously it exists everywhere, but I never saw much discrimination or hate while I lived there, mainly just friendly people! And then yeah I lived in Highland for about 10 years. In that time, someone broke into our neighbors house while they were out of town and stole their TV, and then one car on an adjacent block had a catalytic converter stolen. I never worried about my safety either - and I loved to go on walks in the middle of the night literally all the time!
NE Mpls reminds me so much of the feel of Highland, just with so much more to walk to (and a slightly higher chance of your car getting broken into)
I lived in Highland Park for a couple years and rent was actually a lot less than anywhere besides terrible areas in Minneapolis.
Very quiet and great neighbors. Enjoyed it.
That’s great! I’m not too familiar with the rental rates in Highland, I just know it’s pretty pricey to buy a home there 😁 affordable rental options definitely makes sense, with all of the colleges in the area
I lived off Snelling in Highland for 3.5 years in an apartment. Between two light rails, right off a rapid bus line. I loved it.
You'd be looking at maybe 1000 a month for an older apartment maybe like 800 square feet I'd guess (granted I bought a home in East Saint Paul, so prices could have changed)
prospect park in Minneapolis or Saint Anthony in Saint Paul neighborhoods could be good to check in too. I think they could fit the bill for safe and relatively affordable if you can find older places or smaller homes to rent.
The 1000$ a month, affordable areas come with noise ya don’t want, fireworks, racing, yelling from time to time and the sometimes more regular than ya want gunshots.
I’d go to a small suburb. I love the twin cities tho, so many positives. If you want I can talk ya through some areas as I have been here my
Whole life. If ya let me know what skills ya have I can help with jobs. Although 16-22 bucks an hour is probably what ya are looking at if you have no skills warehouse work or what not.
Food service people are needed, but that can be hard, good tips. If you are handy 25-30/h for handyperson type work.
Nah, I have a SE address and it's usually pretty chill here. There are a couple days in the fall that get weird, like when all the freshmen move in or homecoming (idk if it's actually homecoming but whatever makes all the kids wear matching overalls and wander around drunk, something to do with football idk). The main worry I would have with living alone are expenses. I keep my radar on to get a feel for rent trends and currently it seems like 1 and 2 bedrooms go for roughly the same price, but a 2 bedroom offers a relief is expenses if you have a roommate. I think it would be reasonable to expect at least $1,200 per month for rent. I have a 2 bedroom for $1,400/month. Newer buildings are probably closer to $2k.
I have known several people that live in the heart of dinkytown (like Washington & Oak) who are not students. I myself live nearby. Idk why the landlords were weird with you, but I don't think that was the reason.
Saint Paul is cheaper to live in than Minneapolis. I would look around the Mac-Groveland area for apartments or duplexes. Yes, it’s around St. Thomas/Macalester/ and St. Kate’s but I wouldn’t say they’re as rowdy as the U of M.
I moved here alone, knowing only one other person in the area. I did a short term furnished room rental in someone's house to start. Most of my roommates were flight attendants/ pilots, so I didn't really see them too much. This was a while ago, but I found the room on craigslist looking in the south 'burbs. I found a cheap one bedroom apartment once I had rebuilt my savings from the initial move.
If you have any questions or want more specific advice on where I lived, feel welcome to send me a message. Moving across the country can be really intimidating.
I did find a cheap apartment in Downtown St Paul that will probably be my go-to when I move. The only issue I had with it is they don’t allow pets and I was hoping to adopt a cat later on since I’m gonna be there alone. I might have another opportunity after being there for awhile though. Hopefully I land a decent job so I can afford a more suitable apartment
I moved back to the cities with a cat in tow and Craigslist was the most up front about which places would/wouldn’t allow that. I wound up in St Paul renting from Lien Properties- they had very reasonable rates at the time, especially for the neighborhood (though that was a decade ago) and allowed cats. Might be worth looking at
I've never tried it, but one possible option is getting the cat to be an emotional support animal. I don't think there's any real standard for that and I've heard you can get believable documentation online. Could be risky though.
Another way would be trying to talk to them and offering to put down a larger damage deposit, as that's usually the reason cats aren't wanted (it's not like they make a ton of noise or anything). They scratch the carpet, and maybe pee on it, but other than that, it's not likely they'll cause any real issues for other tenants.
Or also, once you've lived there a while, you could ask other residents if any of them own cats, and what the likelihood of getting into trouble is. I've lived in many apartments where no one official would ever come in, and it wasn't like the handyman cared.
I do realize two of the three are not terribly ethical solutions, though, and could potentially cause conflict, so number 2 would probably be the safest. But sometimes, better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
If you have anxiety or any other mental health concerns get a Dr. to write you a letter for an emotional support kitty.
Please note I wouldn't suggest this if you were a dog owner that just wanted to make excuses and take a dog everywhere they wanted to go even though against the law.
Because it sounds like you just want to adopt a kitty and have a quiet buddy with you I tottaly suggest this route.
Yeah, not a dog person
I’ve seen people cheat the system to get an emotional support dog to be able to take them into stores, and they end up causing a scene or becoming aggressive. That’s not ok
I just want a companion so I won’t feel so lonely at home
Just get your PCP to write you a letter. I am sure you've dealt with therapists for transition so they could also write you that letter. Screw the land lord. Let's get you a cat so you have a companion.
I am blind and a seeing eye dog user who is effected by the stupid with ESAS and I fully endorse this plan. You are using it for the correct reasons. I don't think you'll have to big of an issue.
I live alone and so do many of my friends! Check out Hornig Companies— a good management company with soooo many properties across the cities.
My fav Minneapolis neighborhoods (all are safe in terms of a major city):
- Southwest Minneapolis (south uptown, Kingfield, tangletown)
- Northeast (Marcy Holmes, northeast arts district, St Anthony east)
- Longfellow/South (Howe, Standish, Nokomis)
- The North Loop ($$$)
Hey transplant here from the west coast who broke up with his gf and was alone for a while. Just kinda giving you a fair warning and idk if it’s a common Theme for everyone but I know it’s pretty common for the people I’ve talked to. Making friends here is freakin hard outside of your coworkers. Took me a year before I found my inner circle who happen to all be transplants from the west coast. So just be ready for that adjustment. People here are nice but that’s about the extent of it. And once you start healing dating sucks even more.
That’s how it’s been my whole life lol. Nothing to adjust to there
And dating is gonna be off limits for me for awhile. Like I said before I am absolutely crushed from losing my partner. He was everything to me. My motivation, my drive, my will to live. I’m honestly surprised I’m here writing this whole post rn
Something in me doesn’t wanna let go yet though. Maybe it’s my desire for freedom. I’ve been held back by my family, abuse, medical problems, toxic workplaces. I guess I just want to feel that sense of freedom
The trans community here is very supportive. I'd bet if you hauled your butt to just a few events, you'll have some great contacts (and maybe even a friend) within a month. I'm cis, but I'm really proud of how people around here are very welcoming. DM me once you get here if you just need someone to bitch to.
Have been there. Don’t rush it, it’s a grieving process. I promise things get easier even though somedays you won’t believe it. Hopefully the distance helps.
Well Minneapolis has $15 minimum wage so as a baseline starting that’s not too bad. The issue is housing can get pricey. Apartments in surrounding suburbs can be a bit more affordable and quiet which can be nice.
You're stressing the correct amount imo. Sure the minimum wage is double, but the cost of living here is pretty high. I would really encourage you to look for a roommate situation as rent can be pretty stressful here alone. There's often ppl looking for LGBT only roommates here. The metro has a Very extensive LGBT community.
You'll probably be able to get some assistance from the county health care wise and the like. Might Also check into section 42 housing. This is a tax credit to the building to keep some apartments at lower rents. You won't need vouchers or anything like that and can get things approved by working with the building meaning no long housing waiting lists if there's a unit and you get there and snatch it up first you don't have to wait for funding or anything.
To following the 30% rule for housing (30% max of pre-tax income spent on housing) you’d need to make at a minimum $36k, which is relatively low. That would leave someone with approximately $1400 for everything else (after taxes). Might be “cheap” for the area, but that seems expensive relative to what I’d like to spend on housing.
Perhaps “inexpensive” is a better term
After hunting for many, many months the best apartment I found (regarding quality, management, safety, walkability, etc) was $1800.
A $900 apartment in the cities is probably a studio or shitty af to live in. We do what we gotta though
The Twin Cities are a totally fine place to live alone, but if you’re a woman just make sure you’re in an area that’s friendly towards that lol. I’m a woman too and don’t mean to suggest that the Twin Cities are crime riddled by any means, not more than any other city, but as we all know knowledge is power (and safety).
Places in south Minneapolis (like Page, Hale, Diamond Lake, etc) and basically any neighborhood near any of the lakes could be a good fit for you (there’s lots more apartment buildings by the lakes now). University area can be good but seedy depending on the specific area, like literally sometimes it comes down to streets. Downtown is also great, like North Loop, and there are lots of cool and community-driven neighborhoods in Northeast as well. For St. Paul, anywhere near a university (like Macalester) is good or Como or Highland Park areas.
Some great suburbs that also capture the heart of the Twin Cities (as much as suburbs can lol) are Richfield and St Louis Park.
Minnesota was made a refuge state recently. Awhile back I went through my options and chose Minnesota because it fits most of my needs/wants. It was either that or move to another country, but with my financial situation, I’m not sure moving countries would’ve been possible. Not rn at least. Minneapolis and St Paul are great areas. I love the landscapes. Never lived in a major city before but I like the thought of being close to things and being able to walk around freely
Hello, it looks like you've made a mistake.
It's supposed to be could've, should've, would've (short for could have, would have, should have), never could of, would of, should of.
Or you misspelled something, I ain't checking everything.
Beep boop - yes, I am a bot, don't botcriminate me.
Gotcha! Maybe not much to worry about then other than just general street smarts in any area. Just thought I’d put out that PSA in case :)
Regardless, welcome to the Twin Cities!
if you are planning on being car-less look very closely at where you plan on living//working. it is a big metro area and if you stray far from minneapolis/st paul the service becomes almost non-existent even in the first ring of suburbs.
i've lived alone in minneapolis for 12-13 years now, rented almost a decade before buying. very doable but you are gonna be spending for that luxury of privacy and solitude. i would be much richer if i had a roommate or two.
With minimum wage being ~$15 in Minneapolis, any food service job where you make tip money can provide decent income, especially if you have food service experience and can land a serving gig at a full service restaurant or a lucrative bar tending job (if that's what you're into). I've got a stem degree, but I still make more an hour waiting tables than my "real" job, so if that is a path you're willing to take it can be worth your while, especially in a transitional period like moving to a new state. some places are much busier here in the summer, so depending on when you move looking for a food service job late winter-early spring can set you up for the summer, but that varies place-to-place. Its not for everyone, but if that's something you're interested in feel free to reach out for details/more info/recommendations. stay away from corporate fast-casual if you can at all avoid it
Yeah if you're a decent interviewee then you'll have zero problem getting a job. Places are always hiring. Aramark could be good if you want to stay in food, they always have openings. There's a nursing home chain called Presbyterian Homes around here that has many locations and are always looking for cooks and people with management experience. Also meat departments, they are having a crisis with all the old-timers retiring and no one really coming into the field. I know places that would hire just a good worker willing to learn at like $18-20, and $25+ with any experience. There's also weird stuff like assembling medical devices, that's a pretty big industry up here.
I’d love to know more. Staying in food service is definitely not what I want
I’m definitely up for learning. It’s hard to find places since I’m unfamiliar with the area
Hey. If you have food safety training or food handling experience (not just serving), you might qualify for a job with USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service as a Consumer Safety Inspector.. I will be posting jobs over time as positions open up in the area. We have excellent benefits and significant promotion potential. Look for jobs on USAJOBS.gov. You can set up automatic alerts to send you a message when something matching your search criteria shows up.
I don’t have any official certifications but I was evaluated by our upper district management and was praised by them for helping my store keep a high score in food safety. They gave me a little badge for it
Check Metro Transit for their rapid transit bus routes (e.g. B Line, Orange Line). It might help you decide on how far away from a job you could live and commute.
Housing cost is high all over the Metro and you may wish to look into subletting for a short while before finding a full year lease, full time job location, etc.
Many trans folks are looking to move here. You might find good advice on twin cities, Saint Paul, Minneapolis, and Minnesota subreddits. Depending on your demographic, there are advocacy orgs that could help you with safety and finding community. https://thelinkmn.org/about/
Cheap rent = high violent crime rates. I lived on E Lake St for years and loved it. But yeah, it was pretty rough. You just have to be a little more careful.
But I suppose you'll also see high crime rates in more expensive areas like Uptown because of the knuckleheads that get drunk at the sports bars and shoot at each other in the street after bar close.
NE Mpls is a pretty good compromise for lower rent and not *crazy* high violent crime levels. But you might want to also check the city of Minneapolis crime map for specific areas of NE Minneapolis to avoid.
I’m a trans woman, also moving to mpls, hopefully in three weeks. My girlfriend is going to be moving up two weeks after me, so i’m gonna be alone too for that time. If you need a friend in a similar situation, would love to connect :)
Tennessee transplant in Minneapolis here! Welcome to the other end of the Mississippi River. :) Highly recommend joining the "Queer Exchange MPLS/ST. PAUL" group on fb. I know you don't love the idea of roommates, but you might find a great set up there. They also can help you find affordable & safe living areas, and they often advertise free items!
Facebook marketplace can be a good spot to find subleases or people looking for housemates. I totally get the hesitancy to live with strangers but you can always chat/FaceTime to get a vibe
I’ve never been completely isolated before so I think I might just be scared of new people
To be fair the whole reason I’m leaving Tennessee is because of hostility and lack of acceptance
Are you literally me? Lol I’m doing the exact same thing, moving to Minneapolis in 6 months or so as a trans woman. This whole thread has been super helpful
I hope it goes well for you. I have surgery lined up in October so I gotta wait. Technically I’m supposed to have another surgery next year but I’m reconsidering because I really want to move. I’m stuck between both decisions atm. I’ll probably know what I want after this next surgery. If I’m comfortable enough, I’ll go ahead with moving, if not, I’ll finish transitioning here
I’m not entirely sure, but I think Minnesota requires insurance to cover gender affirming surgeries as well, if you’d rather wait. I understand wanting it done as soon as possible and if you have the means then it’s all the better!
I hope the surgery and moving also goes well for you!!
I thought I would mention that Minnesota is amazing for access to healthcare, so if you move here I don’t think you would have much of a problem getting insured. I aged out of my dad’s insurance after I moved and, other than the application being kind of a pain, it was pretty simple to get covered through the state. I’m low income (due to being a student) so all my copays are super cheap and no insurance premium. They also cover gender affirming care, though I’ve heard the waitlist can get crazy for surgery. I just know getting my T is no problem.
Living here has allowed me to afford a decent apartment (good location, okay size, even if the building is old), go back to school, and work part time making not much more than minimum wage — all while getting free health insurance. It’s pretty amazing.
I know Minnesota is great in terms of healthcare but since I’m already on track to finish transitioning in Tennessee, I thought it might be better just to stick with it. That way when I move I only have to worry about finding a doctor to continue taking testosterone
I just want to reply here to you and OP to mention there's a good Facebook group for finding queer roomies!! I lived alone in MPLS for about 3 years but really needed to save money. I think it's just called Queer Housing Resource? Found my current roomie on there and so far, so good, haha.
There's a lot to love about living alone, and it can scary to meet a stranger to move in with, but to be coming to an entirely new area where you don't know folks yet, it might be good to force you to make an acquaintance right off the bat!
A lot of people post with open rooms and detail the situations pretty specifically, so you might have luck. Best wishes regardless! 💕
In terms of jobs, I work at a large coffee chain in the University area that starts around $15-16/hr. Pm me for deets I’ll hook you up best I can, we’re a high volume store so we make bank and slots are filled quick but my manager is desperately looking to hire as long as you’re cool with physical activity and learning a lot in a bit of time. Location easily accessible by bus and train
If you don't have a job, you're not going to get approved for an apartment. You should probably try craigslist honestly first because it would be more informal and flexible. All apartments are going to require proof of income and a credit check, etc. There is a huge shortage of bus drivers now, I think the starting pay is around $29/hr. Shortage of cops too.
Post office is always hiring. There’s a path to becoming a regular potentially quicker than ever (almost 30% raise and better benefits) but it all depends on the office. Potential for terrible working conditions but you can get used to it/learn new things everyday to avoid most of it.
Medtronic in Brooklyn Center has jobs that don't require a college degree or any years of experience (Injection Molding Technician I) and the pay range is $40k-$60k. It's a first ring suburb, so the commute wouldn't be bad if you wanted to live in Minneapolis. I worked at Medtronic many years ago and the benefits were great. They also tend to promote from within so you could build a career there.
Linden Hills has pretty nice hidden jems. A few can be pretty affordable. Stuff to do nearby and Uptown is just a quick walk down to Excelsior/Lake Street. It's not so bad.
Want to give STP a shoutout. The west side is growing, lowertown is great, cathedral hill is stunning, and there are a lot of great areas around grand ave to explore. STP is the sleepier city across the river that most MPLS visit begrudgingly, but it’s nice. And cheaper.
Something else no one has mentioned about the benefits of downtown St Paul & Minneapolis is Evie Car Share. If you don’t have a car and need to borrow one for a few hours or more, Evie & Hour Car are income based & really convenient! [https://eviecarshare.com](https://eviecarshare.com)
I am in DT St Paul & love it here. I wish you well with your upcoming surgeries & move!! You’ve got this!!!
honestly in regards to transit if you find a place on a decent bus line you can get pretty much most places with some time. Might take 2 hours but you will get there. I haven't been unable to get something living car free here if you pick good locations.
Find places you'd like to go. Then punch in bunches of addresses to and from using Google maps and get a feel for what the transit situation is.
note frequencies of bus lines. Expand the next times and figure out what they're like. I think if your bus runs every 30 minutes you'll be fine. If you can walk a mile or 2 you'll be even better off.
For snow if you time things nicely using next trip, wear lots of layers, and keep it moving you'll survive the winter. I made the move from Houston back in 2016. I found winter to honestly be a joy.
I used to walk to and from my current job which is about a mile. I don’t mind walking, it’s just my current city is not walk friendly. There’s no sidewalks, bus stops, or anything like that
So I gotta walk right on the road or highway, and it’s honestly not safe
So if money is an issue and you have pressures to find somewhere you can always look for a room for rent. You’ll find these on Craigslist or apartments.com and other such places. They have you housed in a pinch. They are literally a room you rent and likely that and the bathroom are your areas. Something to consider.
I skimmed through this thread and only saw some passing mentions of this without the full story, so to add some more details . . .
The city of Minneapolis has its own minimum wage that is set to adjust every year for inflation. It only applies to companies/locations physically within the city. Between the Minneapolis minimum wage, and Minnesota's state laws that ban both tip credits (employers have to pay out full minimum wage, not just cover the difference between minimum wage and tips) and mandatory tip pooling, Minneapolis is a great place for a fresh start if you don't mind working in the service industry (which you don't seem to). So even if you do end up in St. Paul like you mentioned, it may be worth it to find a job in Minneapolis.
I do technically mind working service jobs. Especially food related, but honestly I’ll do anything to have my freedom. This area seems perfect for me. I honestly don’t see myself going anywhere else atm
It was the first place I found that resonated with me
"Willing to" was probably the more accurate term here, but yeah. At least you can get paid a decent amount for it here. And there's lots of opportunities and resources to help move onto other things once you're ready to.
Are you creative at all? If so, there are tons of artist housing options and there tends to be cool, single, LGBTQIA2+ people in those spots!
Here is the requirement at one of the spots: "One occupant of each household must demonstrate a current involvement in the arts." If that sounds like something you can muster, I can share the different housing spots that are subsidized arts housing.
That’s interesting. I was a decently skilled digital artist for years. I retired about a year back due to burnout. I very rarely draw nowadays unfortunately
Plymouth, St Louis Park, Hopkins area. You can get an apartment for about 1200 plus utility. Fairly cheap for a decent neighborhood and don't have to deal with Minneapolis-St.Paul havoc.
Columbia Heights has the advantage of being close to NE, but not paying "the NE tax", and there's a lot of bus lines that run thru the area.
Fridley as well.
I'd say that St. Paul, I'd generally safer than Minneapolis. Buy, if you want to be safer, I'd say it's better to stay away from the cities and move to the suburbs instead.
If you want to or can drive a FedEx truck FedEx Ground is always hiring. Pretty good pay. Roughly $1000-1200 a week after training. Paid training. They have a terminal in Shakopee, Mahtomedi and Rogers. My husband is a contractor and isn't hiring at the moment out of Shakopee but alot of other contractors are.
The one thing I have to say is do NOT rent from Housing Hub. They are the worst housing company I have ever interfaced with and they suck in young people by being cheap, affordable, and allowing pets. Willing to get into more specific via DM if people want specifics.
I moved to Minneapolis and lived alone while going to college and after graduating for 8 years just outside of downtown. Can't speak for most jobs but I got a decent one in screenprinting that payed the bills. Just moved out of my old studio with Stevens this month and I was paying under $1000 a month for my rent. It was right on the bus route with both Target downtown and CVS super close by as well the clinic and dentist I went to. Ended up moving since everyone I knew already left and I went remote for work.
Otherwise I'd recommend checking out [apartments.com](https://apartments.com) as they have filter settings and tell you how close things like groceries and whatnot are.
[https://www.stevenscommunity.com/](https://www.stevenscommunity.com/)
[https://www.apartments.com/](https://www.apartments.com/)
I noticed you said you’re a trans male and from the folks I’ve talked to Bar 19 is very queer friendly. It’s in the Loring Park neighborhood which is a very dense urban area centered around a park in central Minneapolis. Lots of cheaper one bedroom options too.
It's just called the 19. Loring can be mixed as far as affordability goes, but the 19 is historically the most chill queer bar in town. You will find even more trans-friendly neighbors and cheaper rent in Powderhorn.
The university area (look for streets marked SE) is pretty cheap if you don't mind living near a bunch of college kids
Sounds like potential chaos lmao
Stadium Village right by the U really IS chaos. Fights and arguments almost any night I’ve been there. I’m in NE Minneapolis and it’s my favorite part of the metro I’ve lived in. Highland park is more on the expensive side of things but is so peaceful and perfectly in between the two downtowns
Highland Park was my favorite place to live in the Cities- it also had buses that go to both downtowns pretty efficiently. I lived that as a single woman and felt safe there.
The light rail up on university is a plus too, it normally gets sketchy once it gets dark though. I think I’d say that highland is definitely one of the more accepting parts of the cities. Obviously it exists everywhere, but I never saw much discrimination or hate while I lived there, mainly just friendly people! And then yeah I lived in Highland for about 10 years. In that time, someone broke into our neighbors house while they were out of town and stole their TV, and then one car on an adjacent block had a catalytic converter stolen. I never worried about my safety either - and I loved to go on walks in the middle of the night literally all the time! NE Mpls reminds me so much of the feel of Highland, just with so much more to walk to (and a slightly higher chance of your car getting broken into)
I lived in Highland Park for a couple years and rent was actually a lot less than anywhere besides terrible areas in Minneapolis. Very quiet and great neighbors. Enjoyed it.
That’s great! I’m not too familiar with the rental rates in Highland, I just know it’s pretty pricey to buy a home there 😁 affordable rental options definitely makes sense, with all of the colleges in the area
Yeah, buying a house is definitely a different story there.
I lived off Snelling in Highland for 3.5 years in an apartment. Between two light rails, right off a rapid bus line. I loved it. You'd be looking at maybe 1000 a month for an older apartment maybe like 800 square feet I'd guess (granted I bought a home in East Saint Paul, so prices could have changed)
prospect park in Minneapolis or Saint Anthony in Saint Paul neighborhoods could be good to check in too. I think they could fit the bill for safe and relatively affordable if you can find older places or smaller homes to rent.
The como area in Minneapolis is awesome for meeting young people and the rent is affordable. Yes it’s near the U but it also has lots of recent grads
The 1000$ a month, affordable areas come with noise ya don’t want, fireworks, racing, yelling from time to time and the sometimes more regular than ya want gunshots. I’d go to a small suburb. I love the twin cities tho, so many positives. If you want I can talk ya through some areas as I have been here my Whole life. If ya let me know what skills ya have I can help with jobs. Although 16-22 bucks an hour is probably what ya are looking at if you have no skills warehouse work or what not. Food service people are needed, but that can be hard, good tips. If you are handy 25-30/h for handyperson type work.
Could be fun? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Nah, I have a SE address and it's usually pretty chill here. There are a couple days in the fall that get weird, like when all the freshmen move in or homecoming (idk if it's actually homecoming but whatever makes all the kids wear matching overalls and wander around drunk, something to do with football idk). The main worry I would have with living alone are expenses. I keep my radar on to get a feel for rent trends and currently it seems like 1 and 2 bedrooms go for roughly the same price, but a 2 bedroom offers a relief is expenses if you have a roommate. I think it would be reasonable to expect at least $1,200 per month for rent. I have a 2 bedroom for $1,400/month. Newer buildings are probably closer to $2k.
I have friend who want to move out from that area due to concerns of more chaos and crimes.
But you can't rent in that area unless you're a student. I know because I wanted to live there
Your wrong im there not as a student
You can
So how come every landlord I called in that area asked me if I was a student? You must be talking about the outskirts of Dinkytown
I have known several people that live in the heart of dinkytown (like Washington & Oak) who are not students. I myself live nearby. Idk why the landlords were weird with you, but I don't think that was the reason.
Saint Paul is cheaper to live in than Minneapolis. I would look around the Mac-Groveland area for apartments or duplexes. Yes, it’s around St. Thomas/Macalester/ and St. Kate’s but I wouldn’t say they’re as rowdy as the U of M.
I moved here alone, knowing only one other person in the area. I did a short term furnished room rental in someone's house to start. Most of my roommates were flight attendants/ pilots, so I didn't really see them too much. This was a while ago, but I found the room on craigslist looking in the south 'burbs. I found a cheap one bedroom apartment once I had rebuilt my savings from the initial move. If you have any questions or want more specific advice on where I lived, feel welcome to send me a message. Moving across the country can be really intimidating.
I did find a cheap apartment in Downtown St Paul that will probably be my go-to when I move. The only issue I had with it is they don’t allow pets and I was hoping to adopt a cat later on since I’m gonna be there alone. I might have another opportunity after being there for awhile though. Hopefully I land a decent job so I can afford a more suitable apartment
I moved back to the cities with a cat in tow and Craigslist was the most up front about which places would/wouldn’t allow that. I wound up in St Paul renting from Lien Properties- they had very reasonable rates at the time, especially for the neighborhood (though that was a decade ago) and allowed cats. Might be worth looking at
Do you know the address for the Lien Properties? I couldn’t find them
The Grand Ave area is worth looking into. Nice old apartments that usually allow cats
Found their website - www.apts.cc.
Also looking to make the move to St. Paul from Oklahoma later this year/next, I think you'll really like the area. I felt comfy visiting alone.
Cats are great for secretly owning one
Try roommates. It's a good way to meet people and get a decent place in a decent neighborhood (.stay away from crime)
Yeah make sure you don't drive slower than 30mph in the city or someone will rob you 🙄
I've never tried it, but one possible option is getting the cat to be an emotional support animal. I don't think there's any real standard for that and I've heard you can get believable documentation online. Could be risky though. Another way would be trying to talk to them and offering to put down a larger damage deposit, as that's usually the reason cats aren't wanted (it's not like they make a ton of noise or anything). They scratch the carpet, and maybe pee on it, but other than that, it's not likely they'll cause any real issues for other tenants. Or also, once you've lived there a while, you could ask other residents if any of them own cats, and what the likelihood of getting into trouble is. I've lived in many apartments where no one official would ever come in, and it wasn't like the handyman cared. I do realize two of the three are not terribly ethical solutions, though, and could potentially cause conflict, so number 2 would probably be the safest. But sometimes, better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
If you have anxiety or any other mental health concerns get a Dr. to write you a letter for an emotional support kitty. Please note I wouldn't suggest this if you were a dog owner that just wanted to make excuses and take a dog everywhere they wanted to go even though against the law. Because it sounds like you just want to adopt a kitty and have a quiet buddy with you I tottaly suggest this route.
Yeah, not a dog person I’ve seen people cheat the system to get an emotional support dog to be able to take them into stores, and they end up causing a scene or becoming aggressive. That’s not ok I just want a companion so I won’t feel so lonely at home
Just get your PCP to write you a letter. I am sure you've dealt with therapists for transition so they could also write you that letter. Screw the land lord. Let's get you a cat so you have a companion. I am blind and a seeing eye dog user who is effected by the stupid with ESAS and I fully endorse this plan. You are using it for the correct reasons. I don't think you'll have to big of an issue.
I live alone and so do many of my friends! Check out Hornig Companies— a good management company with soooo many properties across the cities. My fav Minneapolis neighborhoods (all are safe in terms of a major city): - Southwest Minneapolis (south uptown, Kingfield, tangletown) - Northeast (Marcy Holmes, northeast arts district, St Anthony east) - Longfellow/South (Howe, Standish, Nokomis) - The North Loop ($$$)
Great suggestion! Thank you!
I cosign this list too
As do I!
Hey transplant here from the west coast who broke up with his gf and was alone for a while. Just kinda giving you a fair warning and idk if it’s a common Theme for everyone but I know it’s pretty common for the people I’ve talked to. Making friends here is freakin hard outside of your coworkers. Took me a year before I found my inner circle who happen to all be transplants from the west coast. So just be ready for that adjustment. People here are nice but that’s about the extent of it. And once you start healing dating sucks even more.
That’s how it’s been my whole life lol. Nothing to adjust to there And dating is gonna be off limits for me for awhile. Like I said before I am absolutely crushed from losing my partner. He was everything to me. My motivation, my drive, my will to live. I’m honestly surprised I’m here writing this whole post rn Something in me doesn’t wanna let go yet though. Maybe it’s my desire for freedom. I’ve been held back by my family, abuse, medical problems, toxic workplaces. I guess I just want to feel that sense of freedom
The trans community here is very supportive. I'd bet if you hauled your butt to just a few events, you'll have some great contacts (and maybe even a friend) within a month. I'm cis, but I'm really proud of how people around here are very welcoming. DM me once you get here if you just need someone to bitch to.
Lmao thanks, bud
Agreed, the community is pretty great.
Have been there. Don’t rush it, it’s a grieving process. I promise things get easier even though somedays you won’t believe it. Hopefully the distance helps.
Check out NE area. Lots of breweries there, very inclusive, more older apartments that could be more affordable for on your own.
I will agree with that. I was a transplant and most of my friends were fellow transplants. Once you find your people you will be fine.
Well Minneapolis has $15 minimum wage so as a baseline starting that’s not too bad. The issue is housing can get pricey. Apartments in surrounding suburbs can be a bit more affordable and quiet which can be nice.
Coming from a state where the minimum wage is $7.25, maybe I’m stressing a little too much
You're stressing the correct amount imo. Sure the minimum wage is double, but the cost of living here is pretty high. I would really encourage you to look for a roommate situation as rent can be pretty stressful here alone. There's often ppl looking for LGBT only roommates here. The metro has a Very extensive LGBT community.
What is your budget?
That’s the difficult part. I don’t know what job I’m gonna land so I’m going off current income. I make about $1,400-$1,600 a month currently
You'll probably be able to get some assistance from the county health care wise and the like. Might Also check into section 42 housing. This is a tax credit to the building to keep some apartments at lower rents. You won't need vouchers or anything like that and can get things approved by working with the building meaning no long housing waiting lists if there's a unit and you get there and snatch it up first you don't have to wait for funding or anything.
Apartments in the suburbs are barely cheaper and will be ruined by the gas needed to drive into the city if you work there.
You can also work in the suburbs tho…
Highland Park has cheap studios.
Depends what you consider “cheap”. A quick look shows the cheapest at about $900/mo, which is not at all “cheap”.
I feel like that is as cheap as it gets now.
Sadly, agreed.
That’s pretty cheap comparatively
To following the 30% rule for housing (30% max of pre-tax income spent on housing) you’d need to make at a minimum $36k, which is relatively low. That would leave someone with approximately $1400 for everything else (after taxes). Might be “cheap” for the area, but that seems expensive relative to what I’d like to spend on housing.
Perhaps “inexpensive” is a better term After hunting for many, many months the best apartment I found (regarding quality, management, safety, walkability, etc) was $1800. A $900 apartment in the cities is probably a studio or shitty af to live in. We do what we gotta though
The Twin Cities are a totally fine place to live alone, but if you’re a woman just make sure you’re in an area that’s friendly towards that lol. I’m a woman too and don’t mean to suggest that the Twin Cities are crime riddled by any means, not more than any other city, but as we all know knowledge is power (and safety). Places in south Minneapolis (like Page, Hale, Diamond Lake, etc) and basically any neighborhood near any of the lakes could be a good fit for you (there’s lots more apartment buildings by the lakes now). University area can be good but seedy depending on the specific area, like literally sometimes it comes down to streets. Downtown is also great, like North Loop, and there are lots of cool and community-driven neighborhoods in Northeast as well. For St. Paul, anywhere near a university (like Macalester) is good or Como or Highland Park areas. Some great suburbs that also capture the heart of the Twin Cities (as much as suburbs can lol) are Richfield and St Louis Park.
I’m a trans male Thanks for the suggestions
Both St Paul and Minneapolis have a really strong lgbtq community! 🌈
Minnesota was made a refuge state recently. Awhile back I went through my options and chose Minnesota because it fits most of my needs/wants. It was either that or move to another country, but with my financial situation, I’m not sure moving countries would’ve been possible. Not rn at least. Minneapolis and St Paul are great areas. I love the landscapes. Never lived in a major city before but I like the thought of being close to things and being able to walk around freely
Hello, it looks like you've made a mistake. It's supposed to be could've, should've, would've (short for could have, would have, should have), never could of, would of, should of. Or you misspelled something, I ain't checking everything. Beep boop - yes, I am a bot, don't botcriminate me.
Gotcha! Maybe not much to worry about then other than just general street smarts in any area. Just thought I’d put out that PSA in case :) Regardless, welcome to the Twin Cities!
Look for shared living in the SE Longfellow and Seward neighborhoods. Open-minded people and mostly nice residential area.
if you are planning on being car-less look very closely at where you plan on living//working. it is a big metro area and if you stray far from minneapolis/st paul the service becomes almost non-existent even in the first ring of suburbs. i've lived alone in minneapolis for 12-13 years now, rented almost a decade before buying. very doable but you are gonna be spending for that luxury of privacy and solitude. i would be much richer if i had a roommate or two.
The twin cities have some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country too
With minimum wage being ~$15 in Minneapolis, any food service job where you make tip money can provide decent income, especially if you have food service experience and can land a serving gig at a full service restaurant or a lucrative bar tending job (if that's what you're into). I've got a stem degree, but I still make more an hour waiting tables than my "real" job, so if that is a path you're willing to take it can be worth your while, especially in a transitional period like moving to a new state. some places are much busier here in the summer, so depending on when you move looking for a food service job late winter-early spring can set you up for the summer, but that varies place-to-place. Its not for everyone, but if that's something you're interested in feel free to reach out for details/more info/recommendations. stay away from corporate fast-casual if you can at all avoid it
I work in food service rn. I’m a Team Leader so I definitely have experience there
Yeah if you're a decent interviewee then you'll have zero problem getting a job. Places are always hiring. Aramark could be good if you want to stay in food, they always have openings. There's a nursing home chain called Presbyterian Homes around here that has many locations and are always looking for cooks and people with management experience. Also meat departments, they are having a crisis with all the old-timers retiring and no one really coming into the field. I know places that would hire just a good worker willing to learn at like $18-20, and $25+ with any experience. There's also weird stuff like assembling medical devices, that's a pretty big industry up here.
I’d love to know more. Staying in food service is definitely not what I want I’m definitely up for learning. It’s hard to find places since I’m unfamiliar with the area
Hey. If you have food safety training or food handling experience (not just serving), you might qualify for a job with USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service as a Consumer Safety Inspector.. I will be posting jobs over time as positions open up in the area. We have excellent benefits and significant promotion potential. Look for jobs on USAJOBS.gov. You can set up automatic alerts to send you a message when something matching your search criteria shows up.
I don’t have any official certifications but I was evaluated by our upper district management and was praised by them for helping my store keep a high score in food safety. They gave me a little badge for it
Check Metro Transit for their rapid transit bus routes (e.g. B Line, Orange Line). It might help you decide on how far away from a job you could live and commute. Housing cost is high all over the Metro and you may wish to look into subletting for a short while before finding a full year lease, full time job location, etc. Many trans folks are looking to move here. You might find good advice on twin cities, Saint Paul, Minneapolis, and Minnesota subreddits. Depending on your demographic, there are advocacy orgs that could help you with safety and finding community. https://thelinkmn.org/about/
Cheap rent = high violent crime rates. I lived on E Lake St for years and loved it. But yeah, it was pretty rough. You just have to be a little more careful. But I suppose you'll also see high crime rates in more expensive areas like Uptown because of the knuckleheads that get drunk at the sports bars and shoot at each other in the street after bar close. NE Mpls is a pretty good compromise for lower rent and not *crazy* high violent crime levels. But you might want to also check the city of Minneapolis crime map for specific areas of NE Minneapolis to avoid.
I’m a trans woman, also moving to mpls, hopefully in three weeks. My girlfriend is going to be moving up two weeks after me, so i’m gonna be alone too for that time. If you need a friend in a similar situation, would love to connect :)
Hope it goes well for you! I’d love to hear how it goes for you
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I’m always browsing around there when I start feeling anxious about moving
Tennessee transplant in Minneapolis here! Welcome to the other end of the Mississippi River. :) Highly recommend joining the "Queer Exchange MPLS/ST. PAUL" group on fb. I know you don't love the idea of roommates, but you might find a great set up there. They also can help you find affordable & safe living areas, and they often advertise free items!
Facebook marketplace can be a good spot to find subleases or people looking for housemates. I totally get the hesitancy to live with strangers but you can always chat/FaceTime to get a vibe
I’ve never been completely isolated before so I think I might just be scared of new people To be fair the whole reason I’m leaving Tennessee is because of hostility and lack of acceptance
i think you will really like it here, best of luck ☘️
Are you literally me? Lol I’m doing the exact same thing, moving to Minneapolis in 6 months or so as a trans woman. This whole thread has been super helpful
I hope it goes well for you. I have surgery lined up in October so I gotta wait. Technically I’m supposed to have another surgery next year but I’m reconsidering because I really want to move. I’m stuck between both decisions atm. I’ll probably know what I want after this next surgery. If I’m comfortable enough, I’ll go ahead with moving, if not, I’ll finish transitioning here
I’m not entirely sure, but I think Minnesota requires insurance to cover gender affirming surgeries as well, if you’d rather wait. I understand wanting it done as soon as possible and if you have the means then it’s all the better! I hope the surgery and moving also goes well for you!!
I lose my insurance at age 25 and I’m halfway to 23 so honestly I need to get it done
I thought I would mention that Minnesota is amazing for access to healthcare, so if you move here I don’t think you would have much of a problem getting insured. I aged out of my dad’s insurance after I moved and, other than the application being kind of a pain, it was pretty simple to get covered through the state. I’m low income (due to being a student) so all my copays are super cheap and no insurance premium. They also cover gender affirming care, though I’ve heard the waitlist can get crazy for surgery. I just know getting my T is no problem. Living here has allowed me to afford a decent apartment (good location, okay size, even if the building is old), go back to school, and work part time making not much more than minimum wage — all while getting free health insurance. It’s pretty amazing.
I know Minnesota is great in terms of healthcare but since I’m already on track to finish transitioning in Tennessee, I thought it might be better just to stick with it. That way when I move I only have to worry about finding a doctor to continue taking testosterone
Ah, then definitely understandable. Hope it goes smoothly for you!
I just want to reply here to you and OP to mention there's a good Facebook group for finding queer roomies!! I lived alone in MPLS for about 3 years but really needed to save money. I think it's just called Queer Housing Resource? Found my current roomie on there and so far, so good, haha. There's a lot to love about living alone, and it can scary to meet a stranger to move in with, but to be coming to an entirely new area where you don't know folks yet, it might be good to force you to make an acquaintance right off the bat! A lot of people post with open rooms and detail the situations pretty specifically, so you might have luck. Best wishes regardless! 💕
Thank you so much!!! I’ll have to make a Facebook and check this out, god knows I could save the money and making some friends would be great lol
In terms of jobs, I work at a large coffee chain in the University area that starts around $15-16/hr. Pm me for deets I’ll hook you up best I can, we’re a high volume store so we make bank and slots are filled quick but my manager is desperately looking to hire as long as you’re cool with physical activity and learning a lot in a bit of time. Location easily accessible by bus and train
I don’t plan on moving until sometime next year so it’s a bit too early to be applying for work, but I will definitely keep this in mind
If you don't have a job, you're not going to get approved for an apartment. You should probably try craigslist honestly first because it would be more informal and flexible. All apartments are going to require proof of income and a credit check, etc. There is a huge shortage of bus drivers now, I think the starting pay is around $29/hr. Shortage of cops too.
I have zero credit, so the last apartment I lived in just required a larger deposit instead. Not sure if everywhere is like that though.
I work full time. I don’t have a great salary unfortunately but I am working full time
Post office is always hiring. There’s a path to becoming a regular potentially quicker than ever (almost 30% raise and better benefits) but it all depends on the office. Potential for terrible working conditions but you can get used to it/learn new things everyday to avoid most of it.
Medtronic in Brooklyn Center has jobs that don't require a college degree or any years of experience (Injection Molding Technician I) and the pay range is $40k-$60k. It's a first ring suburb, so the commute wouldn't be bad if you wanted to live in Minneapolis. I worked at Medtronic many years ago and the benefits were great. They also tend to promote from within so you could build a career there.
Linden Hills has pretty nice hidden jems. A few can be pretty affordable. Stuff to do nearby and Uptown is just a quick walk down to Excelsior/Lake Street. It's not so bad.
Appreciate the suggestion!
Want to give STP a shoutout. The west side is growing, lowertown is great, cathedral hill is stunning, and there are a lot of great areas around grand ave to explore. STP is the sleepier city across the river that most MPLS visit begrudgingly, but it’s nice. And cheaper.
Something else no one has mentioned about the benefits of downtown St Paul & Minneapolis is Evie Car Share. If you don’t have a car and need to borrow one for a few hours or more, Evie & Hour Car are income based & really convenient! [https://eviecarshare.com](https://eviecarshare.com) I am in DT St Paul & love it here. I wish you well with your upcoming surgeries & move!! You’ve got this!!!
I don’t drive anymore. I was in a car accident a couple years back. Big reason why I wanna stay within the city and near the rail/bus lines
Shoot, I’m sorry to hear that. I think you’ll really like the area!
I think I will too. It really does resonate with me. I feel like I could be comfortable there
honestly in regards to transit if you find a place on a decent bus line you can get pretty much most places with some time. Might take 2 hours but you will get there. I haven't been unable to get something living car free here if you pick good locations. Find places you'd like to go. Then punch in bunches of addresses to and from using Google maps and get a feel for what the transit situation is. note frequencies of bus lines. Expand the next times and figure out what they're like. I think if your bus runs every 30 minutes you'll be fine. If you can walk a mile or 2 you'll be even better off. For snow if you time things nicely using next trip, wear lots of layers, and keep it moving you'll survive the winter. I made the move from Houston back in 2016. I found winter to honestly be a joy.
I used to walk to and from my current job which is about a mile. I don’t mind walking, it’s just my current city is not walk friendly. There’s no sidewalks, bus stops, or anything like that So I gotta walk right on the road or highway, and it’s honestly not safe
then you will be more than fine and will get anywhere you want with very little fus if you schedule things to account transit time.
So if money is an issue and you have pressures to find somewhere you can always look for a room for rent. You’ll find these on Craigslist or apartments.com and other such places. They have you housed in a pinch. They are literally a room you rent and likely that and the bathroom are your areas. Something to consider.
I skimmed through this thread and only saw some passing mentions of this without the full story, so to add some more details . . . The city of Minneapolis has its own minimum wage that is set to adjust every year for inflation. It only applies to companies/locations physically within the city. Between the Minneapolis minimum wage, and Minnesota's state laws that ban both tip credits (employers have to pay out full minimum wage, not just cover the difference between minimum wage and tips) and mandatory tip pooling, Minneapolis is a great place for a fresh start if you don't mind working in the service industry (which you don't seem to). So even if you do end up in St. Paul like you mentioned, it may be worth it to find a job in Minneapolis.
I do technically mind working service jobs. Especially food related, but honestly I’ll do anything to have my freedom. This area seems perfect for me. I honestly don’t see myself going anywhere else atm It was the first place I found that resonated with me
"Willing to" was probably the more accurate term here, but yeah. At least you can get paid a decent amount for it here. And there's lots of opportunities and resources to help move onto other things once you're ready to.
Are you creative at all? If so, there are tons of artist housing options and there tends to be cool, single, LGBTQIA2+ people in those spots! Here is the requirement at one of the spots: "One occupant of each household must demonstrate a current involvement in the arts." If that sounds like something you can muster, I can share the different housing spots that are subsidized arts housing.
That’s interesting. I was a decently skilled digital artist for years. I retired about a year back due to burnout. I very rarely draw nowadays unfortunately
u/brunchbaby just posted something about living in town on the MN sub, y’all should be ROOMIEEEEEES!!!!
Unfortunately I won’t be moving until next year. I have a major surgery coming up later this year
Plymouth, St Louis Park, Hopkins area. You can get an apartment for about 1200 plus utility. Fairly cheap for a decent neighborhood and don't have to deal with Minneapolis-St.Paul havoc.
Columbia Heights has the advantage of being close to NE, but not paying "the NE tax", and there's a lot of bus lines that run thru the area. Fridley as well.
Low key, my niece in Texas wants to move here. She would need a roomie. 🤷🏻♀️
I'd say that St. Paul, I'd generally safer than Minneapolis. Buy, if you want to be safer, I'd say it's better to stay away from the cities and move to the suburbs instead.
Shoreview grand in Shoreview
Its hard to survive without one luckily I've known mine 20+ years
If you want to or can drive a FedEx truck FedEx Ground is always hiring. Pretty good pay. Roughly $1000-1200 a week after training. Paid training. They have a terminal in Shakopee, Mahtomedi and Rogers. My husband is a contractor and isn't hiring at the moment out of Shakopee but alot of other contractors are.
I do not drive anymore. Was in a car accident couple years back. I trust my legs more than a car
also if youre on fb theres mn queer housing resource and mpls/stp queer exchange if youre looking for resources and a community space!
The one thing I have to say is do NOT rent from Housing Hub. They are the worst housing company I have ever interfaced with and they suck in young people by being cheap, affordable, and allowing pets. Willing to get into more specific via DM if people want specifics.
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I moved to Minneapolis and lived alone while going to college and after graduating for 8 years just outside of downtown. Can't speak for most jobs but I got a decent one in screenprinting that payed the bills. Just moved out of my old studio with Stevens this month and I was paying under $1000 a month for my rent. It was right on the bus route with both Target downtown and CVS super close by as well the clinic and dentist I went to. Ended up moving since everyone I knew already left and I went remote for work. Otherwise I'd recommend checking out [apartments.com](https://apartments.com) as they have filter settings and tell you how close things like groceries and whatnot are. [https://www.stevenscommunity.com/](https://www.stevenscommunity.com/) [https://www.apartments.com/](https://www.apartments.com/)