Mounds View, MN

Located just north of the Twin Cities, Mounds View is a quiet, convenient suburb covering roughly four square miles. Sitting right where Interstate 35W meets U.S. 10, the city gives residents an easy 15- to 20-minute drive into downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul. Mounds View Boulevard cuts diagonally through town, functioning as the main commercial strip for casual dining, local shops, and everyday errands. Because the city is so compact, you can reach the highway, a grocery store, or a local park in just a few minutes from practically any neighborhood.

ATTRTony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States / CC BY 2.0

Most residential areas feature quiet, leafy streets filled with 1960s and 1970s ramblers, split-level homes, and well-maintained yards, alongside a mix of apartments, townhomes, and manufactured home communities. Home prices often offer solid value compared to some of the surrounding suburbs, drawing first-time buyers and growing families alike. While plenty of people commute across the metro, Mounds View also has its own strong job base, anchored by a major Medtronic campus near the highway. Commuters heading into downtown Minneapolis can also take advantage of express bus service running through local park-and-ride facilities.

ATTRTony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States / CC BY 2.0

Recreation options are plentiful for a city of this size. Silver View Park is a popular gathering spot with a walking loop around the water, disc golf, athletic fields, and playgrounds, while the Mounds View Community Center offers gym space, fitness classes, and community rooms. For families, the area is served by the highly regarded Mounds View Public Schools. One helpful detail to keep in mind when house hunting is that school boundaries cross city lines; depending on the exact address, students may attend Irondale High School in New Brighton or Mounds View High School, which actually sits just across the border in neighboring Arden Hills.