Minneapolis Vs. Chicago: Which is Better & Key Differences (2024)
Are you looking at different cities in the Midwest to move to and are trying to decide between Minneapolis vs Chicago?
These two major cities are very popular places to move to in the Midwest, thanks to their easy access to the outdoors, great employment opportunities, shopping, and more.
As someone who’s lived in Minnesota for my entire life (just 30 minutes from Minneapolis for a while!) and has traveled to Chicago many times, I have some good input to give here.
In this post, I’ll share with you everything that you’ll want to know before making the jump and moving to either city.
Or, if you’re moving from Minneapolis to Chicago or vice versa, I hope that this will help you out!
Planning Your Trip to Minnesota? Use My Favorite Resources!
🛌 Accommodations: I love using Booking.com for any hotels or short-term rentals.
🏡Vacation Rentals: If you want your own house, VRBO is the best platform.
✈️ Flights: For flights to get here, check out Expedia to save some money!
🚘 Car Rentals: To get around, I use Discover Cars!
📍Tours: I recommend Viator for fun experiences.
Minneapolis Vs Chicago: Which is Better to Live In?
Both Minneapolis and Chicago are great choices for you if you’re thinking about moving somewhere else in the Midwest.
Whether you’re originally from the Midwest or are moving here, trust me when I say that it’s a great choice.
Although it can sometimes get a bad rep, it’s truly a great place to live and is overlooked far too often!
Minneapolis is well known for its friendly people, cold winters, fun activities, and so much more, being located in Southern Minnesota.
On the other hand, Chicago is located in Northern Illinois and is known for its vibrant nightlife, food scene, and iconic architecture.
Choosing which is better is more than just looking at these basic things since there’s so much that goes into a move.
What’s good for one person may not be great for another, which is why I’m going to walk you through some of the main differences and similarities between the two. Let’s go!
What About for Visiting: Chicago or Minneapolis
Now if you’re just visiting, maybe the choice won’t be as vital, but it’s still important to consider a few things!
Something that I would really think about is the time of year that you’re visiting, as this can impact weather and cost.
Summer is the best time to visit since it’s warm, but it’s also the most expensive time of year.
I’d also consider tourist season, which also falls during the summer time and can cause things to get really busy at popular destinations.
If you’re more of a big city person and love tourist attractions, then Chicago is the place for you!
But if you love smaller cities with lots of things to do outdoors, then pay a visit to Minneapolis.
So if you’re planning to visit Minneapolis or Chicago, be sure to consider these things!
Differences Between Minneapolis, MN & Chicago, IL
There are a lot of things that you’ll want to consider when moving, but these are some of the top considerations that most people want to know about.
Cost of Living
When moving somewhere new, the cost of living is often times one of the most important things to look at!
When we compare Minneapolis and Chicago, we can see that you’re going to need a higher income per year to live in Chicago than in Minneapolis.
According to Pay Scale, the cost of living in Chicago is about 22% higher than it is in Minneapolis.
This takes housing, utilities, transportation, and groceries into account, but doesn’t even look at anything extra you may want or need.
When we look at housing, the cost of housing in Chicago is about 52% higher than the United States average with the median home price hovering just under $700,000.
And as for rentals, the average rent price is around $2,000 for a one bedroom apartment in Chicago.
Even simple things like a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread will cost more in Chicago, which is very important to know before moving there!
Note: Remember that these costs of living won’t include everything that you’ll need, as everyone has different costs. So take this info with a grain of salt.
Employment Opportunities
If you don’t already have a job lined up for your move, then you might be wondering what types of employment opportunities you’ll find in either city.
When it comes to unemployment rates, Minneapolis is much lower with a rate of 2.4% in 2023, compared to Chicago’s which is 4.7%.
But, the good news, is that Chicago’s unemployment rate has been going down over the years, according to Illinois.gov.
Both cities do have a few Fortune 500 companies, as well as many other great jobs like nursing, engineering, and more.
Weather
The weather is another really important thing to factor into your decision, but honestly, it’s not a huge difference when we’re looking between Minneapolis or Chicago.
Both of these cities have extreme cold at certain times in the year and can sometimes reach below 0 degrees F.
Minneapolis does tend to get a bit colder, but they both get lots of snow and have similar winters.
In summer, both of them have beautiful weather, with Chicago getting just slightly warmer throughout June, July, and August.
Size
Sizing between Chicago and Minneapolis is a sizable difference, with Chicago being the bigger of the two.
As for physical size, Minneapolis is large, covering just over 57 square miles, and when combined with St. Paul, it’s just over 113 combined square miles.
But, Chicago is larger with a physical size of around 231 square miles with just itself!
Because Minneapolis is smaller, most of the best activities are concentrated in one area and you can sometimes get around without a car!
As for population, Minneapolis has about 425,000 residents, while Chicago has closer to 2.6 million. That means Chicago is almost 7 times larger than Minneapolis!
This makes Chicago the largest Midwestern city by population and square mileage.
Geography
As for geography, since they’re both in the Midwest, when we think of Minneapolis vs Chicago, they’re very similar.
Both are fairly flat with some rolling hills, but there aren’t any mountains, volcanoes, or oceans nearby.
However, Chicago is located on Lake Michigan, while Minneapolis is around 2 hours away from Lake Superior.
Minneapolis does have over 20 smaller lakes within the Twin Cities Metropolitan area though.
Safety & Crime
Another thing that you should always be aware of for new cities is the safety of the area, and both Minneapolis and Chicago can have some safety concerns.
But, just because I say that doesn’t mean you should immediately turn away because all major cities can have crime problems.
In Minneapolis, the crime rate is around 58 per 1,000 residents become a victim of crime, which is why people wonder about the safety of Minneapolis.
On the other hand, Chicago has a crime rate of 33 per 1,000 residents, meaning that by statistics, Chicago is safer than Minneapolis.
What I can tell you, is that as someone who has lived near Minneapolis, I’ve never felt super unsafe and with extra precautions, you can be safe anywhere.
Indoor & Outdoor Activities
Considering what types of activities that you’ll have in each city is important, and luckily, either Chicago or Minneapolis has great things to do.
In Minneapolis, there are so many great things to do either inside or outside, since there’s lots of shopping and the parks district is so strong, so there are lots of hiking trails.
The same goes for Chicago, as Lake Michigan is nearby as well as Indiana Dunes National Park, and of course, lots of indoor things as well.
Either city has plenty of museums, shopping centers, and restaurants, as well as hiking trails, breweries, and more.
Moving to Minneapolis: Pros & Cons
Considering the pros and cons of the city that you’re thinking of moving to can be very helpful in deciding which one to choose.
I’ve highlighted a few of the pros and cons that I’ve learned about while living close to Minneapolis below.
Pros
Below are some of the best reasons to choose Minneapolis to live in.
Great Outdoor Space
One of my personal favorite parts of Minneapolis is all of the green outdoor space that the city has, thanks to the Minneapolis Parks District.
From state to regional parks, there are locations all over to get out, hike, wander around, and enjoy the outdoors.
There are also several really great golf courses, waterparks, gardens, and so much more to check out.
Cost of Living is Low
When compared to Chicago, and many other major cities, the cost of living in Minneapolis is pretty low, which can save you some money.
When compared to the national average, it’s 1% lower, but when we look at Minneapolis compared to places like New York City, it rises exponentially.
Even when compared to other places in the Midwest, Minneapolis has a much lower cost of living.
Smaller Feel
While I wouldn’t really say that Minneapolis has a ‘small town feel,’ it most definitely feels quite a bit smaller than Chicago.
Comparing Chicago vs Minneapolis in size can explain this feeling, but it’s still always nice to know how a city will feel before moving there.
This may be great for some people (like myself who prefers smaller towns) and worse for others who love big cities.
Plenty of Employment Options
If you plan to work somewhere while living in Minneapolis, you’ll be glad to know that the employment opportunities are endless.
Minneapolis is home to several Fortune 500 companies and businesses like Target, General Mills, and Xcel Energy.
They also have dozens of schools, hospitals, shopping centers, real estate agencies, and more, so there are jobs available from cashier to brain surgeons.
Plus, the unemployment rate is low at just 2.4% in November of 2022, compared to the national average of 3.5%.
Cons
Now that you know the pros, here are some of the cons of Minneapolis.
Weather is Rough
One of the (dare I say) worst parts about living in Minnesota is the winter months.
This season is long, cold, dangerous, and physically and mentally draining. It seems to drag on forever and I often times want to escape to a beach.
But that’s just part of living in the Midwest and honestly, you’ll experience similar weather in Chicago.
More Dangerous
When talking strictly based on statistics, we can see that according to Neighborhood Scout, Minneapolis does have a high crime rate.
It’s higher than the national average and higher than Chicago’s, but that doesn’t automatically make it all that more dangerous.
With safety precautions and staying in safe neighborhoods, you can enjoy Minneapolis. I’ve visited so many times and have rarely ever felt unsafe.
Living in Chicago: Pros & Cons
Now that you know a few of the best pros and cons of Minneapolis, I also wanted to highlight some of the pros and cons of moving to and living in Chicago.
Pros
Below are some of the top pros to know about moving to and living in Chicago.
Great Food Scene
If you’ve ever visited Chicago, you’ll know that they have a fantastic food scene, and especially their pizza is great.
Chicago is known for their deep-dish pizza, and if you’ve never had any, you’re totally missing out!
But they also have so many other great foods to try and the restaurants are endless from the streets of Downtown to the Chicago suburbs
Lake Michigan is Close
If you love the lake, then you’ll love getting to spend time at Lake Michigan during the summer months in Chicago.
The city sits right on the shoreline of Lake Michigan and there are so many great ways that you can enjoy the Great Lake.
From visiting Navy Pier to taking a boat tour out onto the water, you can enjoy it in many ways.
Fun Downtown Area
If you’re a lover of big cities, then Chicago will likely be somewhere that you’ll feel very drawn to and love!
It has a major downtown area that has everything from great shopping to delicious restaurants.
This downtown and all of the skyscrapers also make for a stunning skyline that can be seen at nighttime from miles away.
Plus, there are so many fun tourist attractions that will be fun to check out after you’ve made the official move to Chicago.
Great Airport
If you’re a big traveler like I am, then you’ll be glad to know that Chicago has a really great airport to fly in and out of.
The Chicago O’Hare International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the country and offers nonstop flights almost anywhere.
So if you’re looking to travel somewhere new, being in Chicago vs Minneapolis will make that easy for you!
Cons
And below are the top cons that you should know of before signing a lease in a new place!
Harsh Winters
Similarly to Minnesota, Chicago does have some harsh winters that you’ll really want to be aware of.
These can become dangerous if you don’t know how to protect yourself from things like hypothermia and frostbite.
But on the bright side, Chicago does typically stay slightly warmer than Minneapolis.
High Cost of Living
Compared to Minneapolis, Chicago has a really high cost of living, being around 22% higher.
This means that if you wanted to live in Chicago instead of Minneapolis, you’d need to make closer to 22% higher in income.
For some people this might not matter as much, but for others with lower incomes, it’s a huge deal that should always be addressed.
Minneapolis vs Chicago: Best for Families
Moving your family to a new city can be very stressful, so if you’re trying to decide between Minneapolis vs Chicago, I’m here for you!
There are a lot of great reasons to move your family to either, but I’d say that Minneapolis wins.
With its easy access to the outdoors, plenty of fun for little ones like splash pads, outdoor waterparks, museums, and more, it’s a fun location for young families.
Minneapolis also has a smaller feel to it, so you won’t struggle with traffic as much as you would in Chicago.
Another major plus is that according to Great Schools, Minneapolis has plenty of great schools for your kids to get an education.
Plus, the lower unemployment rate and more employment opportunities make for an easy choice.
Chicago vs. Minneapolis: Best for Retirement
If you’re trying to think of where you should retire, Chicago or Minneapolis, you’ll be glad to know that either city is a great choice.
Minneapolis has more access to the outdoors and has a lower cost of living, so many people would choose this as their clear winner.
But with a lower crime rate, there’s also a reason why so many people love Chicago.
In the end, either place makes a great choice, but if I were retiring, I would personally choose Minneapolis!
Distance from Chicago, IL to Minneapolis, MN
If you’re planning to drive between Minneapolis and Chicago, you luckily won’t have to go super far!
The two major Midwestern cities are only 400 miles apart, which makes for about a 7 hour drive.
While this may seem long, it’s much shorter than if you were driving to other cities such as Portland or Seattle, which are other top considerations for places to move.
You can easily get the drive done in just one quick day!
FAQs
Yes, Minneapolis is a cheaper place to visit and live in when compared to Chicago. The cost of living in Minneapolis is about 22% lower.
The crime rate in Minneapolis is about 58 per 1,000 residents, while it’s 33 per 1,000 residents in Chicago.
Chicago is bigger when it comes to both physical size and population. Minneapolis has only 425,000 residents, while Chicago has over 2.5 million.
Chicago and Minneapolis are similar in temperatures, but Minneapolis does tend to get just a bit colder during winter than Chicago does.
Chicago is more expensive than Minneapolis regarding nearly everything from housing to groceries to transportation.
It is cheaper to live in Minnesota than Illinois, especially when comparing the two to Minneapolis vs Chicago.
Minneapolis is a fairly cheap city to live in and the cost of living is typically cheaper than the national average.
Chicago is about 7 times bigger than Minneapolis in terms of population, and almost 4.5 times bigger in physical size.
When comparing crime rates, Chicago is the safer city with a crime rate of 33 crimes per 1,000 residents. Minneapolis has a crime rate of 58 per 1,000 residents.
Wrap-Up: Chicago vs Minneapolis
Whether you’re choosing to live in either Minneapolis vs Chicago or you’re just trying to figure out where to visit, there’s a lot to consider.
These two cities are similar in a few ways, but are also very different, so it’s important to understand how they differ.
I hope that this post was able to provide you with some insight (from a local to Minnesota) about which is the best place to live or visit.
