QUALITY OF LIFE: THIS IS CENTRAL MINNESOTA

The Mississippi River runs through it. Pristine lakes and forests are nearby to the north, and the cultural amenities of a major urban center--Minneapolis and St. Paul--are a short drive to the south. You'll also find low crime and friendly people. Welcome to the St. Cloud area.

Newcomers may have already heard about St. Cloud and Central Minnesota via the storytelling of Garrison Keillor, humorist and host of National Public Radio's "A Prairie Home Companion," who spins tales of Lake Wobegon, a fictitious town bordering St. Cloud.  But that sleepy stereotype that Keillor comments about belies the reality of a growing regional business center that, by some estimates, continues to be the most rapidly growing metropolitan area in Minnesota.

Other highlights include:

   •Strong school systems - with test scores above the state and national averages and a variety of public school systems and

     private school options to chose from, this region is home to some of the finest K-12 education in the state.

 

     •Affordable housing - Central Minnesotans are well-grounded.  Real estate is more affordable than in comparable

      metropolitan areas.  With an extraordinary high rate of home ownership, business owners and employees alike find the

      Greater St. Cloud Area to be a great place to live and work.

 

     •Regional center for health care, retail and education - as a regional hub, the Greater St. Cloud Area draws in people from

      outlying communities who receive health care from several regional providers including CentraCare Health System,

      HealthPartners and Abbott Northwestern's Sartell Outpatient Center.  In addition, with a plethora of shopping and restaurant

      options, this area bustles with retail traffic.

 

     •Recreation and culture- local residents and tourists alike enjoy the many historic sites, theatres, parks and trails that provide

     an abundance of leisure opportunities.  Sports teams such as the NCAA Division I St. Cloud State Huskies hockey team,

     and the minor league baseball club the St. Cloud Riverbats, also find faithful followers.