SnowBog wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 2:47 am
I've spent lots of time on both.
I love the Madison area, probably one of my favorite Midwest cities to
visit. But I'm not sure I'd want to live there long term... It's much smaller, and offers much less as a result. It's also harder to get in and out. If you plan on traveling, you'd likely be forced to fly to Minneapolis or Chicago for connecting flights elsewhere.
Personally, I'm not a fan of "big cities" and wouldn't go out of my way to visit downturn Minneapolis or St. Paul on their own. But they offer a ton of entertainment, theaters, events, restaurants, etc. That said, I'd happily live in many of the numerous suburbs around the Twin Cities area. Many of them have their own feel, so you have tons of variety and flexibility. I haven't been to them all, but some seem like hidden gems, each offering something unique. Those within the 494 (West and South boundaries) and 694 (North and East boundaries) will have the closest proximity. But even those outside the boundary can be within 20-30 minutes (in good traffic) of most everything the area has to offer. With well established public transportation, including light rail in and areas, giving ease of access to lots of the region.
Never confirmed it personally, but have been told by people who live in MN they have some of the highest per capita bike trials, parks, and golf courses in the nation (the golf course was qualified to be outside of FL, the others weren't qualified, but they didn't claim to be the top, just near the top.) I'm sure the 10,000 lake contributed...
MN is also usually recognized for great medical care. Most people are familiar with Mayo Clinic, with their main facility a short drive south in Rochester, MN (smaller city, maybe similar in size to Madison). They have several other clinics and regional hospitals as part of their broader system. Not sure if it's because of proximity to Mayo, a result of the school systems, or other - but there's actually many more medical options in the MN area - especially around the Twin Cities area.
And MSP is the former home of Northwest Airlines, and still a major hub of Delta and other airlines. I think it's been rare I could not get a direct flight in/out of MSP from most other destinations (with exception of small airports not near MN who funnel people to larger hubs anyway) .
For "overall" beauty, nature, etc. - in my experience - they are fairly closely matched - at least the parts I've been too. Large areas of both MN and WI look a lot alike.
My one exception to that would be the North Shore area along Lake Superior from Duluth up to the Canadian border. I love the rugged cliffs against the shore, with the vastness of Lake Superior (further up the shore you'll lose sight of the WI side, and could easily think you are looking at an ocean). By contrast, I find the WI side of Lake Superior a let down. To me, it lacks the rugged beauty, and has far less to offer (although Bayfield and Madeline Island deserve a notable mention).
Personally, I dream of retiring along that North Shore area. There's few places in the US that come close to it for me. Maybe areas north of San Francisco would do, but the cost of living is vastly different (last I was there homes on the coast were far more than I'd ever want to spend on a home even if we had the money to burn).
One final point, depending on your finances, if you can afford the two households - you could consider joining the "snowbird" ranks. MN goes through all 4 seasons, and not everyone enjoys the winter, especially as they get older. Some who can afford to do so, will have a residence (or rent, RV, etc.) in another state for the winter.
For example, knew someone who lived the majority of their adult life in MN, the cold bothered them more every year coinciding with their arthritis getting worse, so they moved to FL for the winter. Over the years they extended the time they spent in FL, eventually making it their "primary" residence (and potentially avoiding state taxes). They can stay in FL until it starts to get too hot then MN (or WI) until it starts to get cold.