Tired of long commutes, expensive living, and crime too close to home? Living in rural Minnesota provides a low cost of living on top of awesome career and entrepreneurial opportunities! Here are five fact-based reasons that families decide to move to a rural community and ditch the traffic and busy city life. Region 6W, also known as the Prairie Waters region, includes the Minnesota communities in Chippewa County, Lac qui Parle County, Swift County, and Yellow Medicine County.
Living in Rural Minnesota has its Perks:
- The Prairie Waters Region has the 2nd lowest cost of living in Minnesota –The typical family of two adults and one child would need to earn a combined income of $43,788 to provide a safe and healthy life for their family. The same lifestyle would cost $60,072 in the Twin Cities, Minnesota’s priciest region. The potential to earn more here is high – in Region 6W, 29.4% of households in earn $75k or more. Try our cost of living tool here.
- Rural Minnesota offers career opportunities in various positions –The median hourly wage in Region 6W is $15.52, compared to $20.79 in the Twin Cities. The cost of living in the Twin Cities is 37% higher, but the median wage is just 34% higher. In the second quarter of 2016 there were 831 job openings in the Prairie Waters region, ranging from 24 management positions (81% required higher education and had a median starting wage of $28.27/hr) to 216 food service positions (no higher education requirement, minimum wage). 114 job openings had a median wage offer above $20/hr.
- Entrepreneurs make dreams come true here -Region 6W is home to 3,351 self-employed individuals with sales receipts of $141.8 million! You can make your dream business come to life here in rural Minnesota. The lost cost of living and high-speed broadband access in the Prairie Waters region help you to connect with your customers and build your business.
- Fiber broadband makes remote work & school work better than ever -Over the last several years, the Prairie Waters region has worked diligently to bring the fastest fiber broadband internet to its communities. In fact, three of the five counties in this region rank in the top 10 counties in Minnesota for individuals telecommuting from home. This allows residents to bring their jobs with them to the region while enjoying life in a slower paced community with a lower cost of living. A recent citywide survey conducted in a Prairie Water community showed that 17% of its residents were currently enrolled in a college course. High-speed broadband is increasingly important to college students, as well as elementary and high school students. Students can bring assignments home with them, and have the same ability to complete the work at home, as they do in school.
- Rural Minnesota residents love the short travel time to work -Usually, rural residents can be at their workplace in a matter of just a few short minutes. Telecommuters can eliminate the daily commute altogether by working from home! In the Prairie Waters region, 40.1% of our residents have a commute of 10 minutes or less, compared to only 10.7% having a short commute in the Twin Cities metro area.
Consider moving to rural Minnesota, you will love the slow pace of living, short commutes, and safe environment to raise a family. Interested in learning more about the Prairie Waters region? Contact Western Minnesota Prairie Waters or click on the links below to find out more about what rural Minnesota has to offer. We would love to have you come to our community to work, live, or visit!
Check out housing – Rural Minnesota Housing
Check out jobs – Rural Minnesota Employment Opportunities
Visit us first – Download our Visitors Guide
Contact us – We would love to help!