Is winter in Minneapolis really as bad as everyone says?
Answered by Chris Deutsch, Founder & Editor
Licensed Minnesota Realtor #20382264 ·
The short answer
The cold is real, and it's livable — both things are true. January brings stretches below zero, and snow that falls in December is often still on the ground in March. Nobody here will pretend otherwise.
On stage The 60-second answer
Captions on · Transcript below
The stage is set.
Chris's video answer is on its way. Until then, the short answer above says the same thing.
The transcript posts with the video.
The longer answer
What the horror stories leave out: the place is built for it. Plows run all night, attached garages are standard equipment, downtown connects through miles of heated skyways, and the lakes fill with skaters and ice anglers instead of emptying. Schools rarely close. Nobody cancels anything. What actually defeats transplants isn't the temperature — it's staying inside for five months. The people who thrive pick a winter thing, any winter thing, and keep moving. The gear costs less than you fear. The hibernation costs more.
The right house makes winter background noise — that's its own conversation. DM me RELOCATE for my relocation guide; the winter chapter is the honest one.
The next department over
What people in this spot usually ask next.
- Relocation to the Twin CitiesIs it a mistake to house-hunt in a Minnesota winter?Read the answer
- Relocation to the Twin CitiesWe're moving from Texas to Minnesota and I've never owned a snow shovel. Are we crazy?Read the answer
- Relocation to the Twin CitiesWhat should I look for in a house because of Minnesota winters?Read the answer
- Relocation to the Twin CitiesWe're moving from California to the Twin Cities. What should we expect?Read the answer
- Senior transitionsI live out of state. How do I manage my mother's move from 1,200 miles away?Read the answer
- Sudden wealth & business saleCan we keep what we paid for the house out of the public record?Read the answer
From the editor's desk
“As Founder and Editor, I review, correct, and stand behind every answer.”
Is your situation more specific than the market? That's the one worth talking through.