10 coolest cities in the Midwest
America’s heartland too frequently gets labeled as flyover country -- the states you fly over to get between the East and West coasts. But take another look and you’ll notice that the Midwest harbors some of the country’s coolest college towns, hippest city neighborhoods, cheapest real estate, best cuisine and all-around greatest places to live and visit.
Text by Chelsea Lin | Photo editing by Mike Hipple
of 11 of 11
This article failed terribly at doing Minneapolis / St Paul justice. The Twin Cities are well known for their diversity, arts, low unemployment, health, and culture! And yes I say that as a world-traveled San Francisco native who moved here ten years ago and couldn't be happier. The TC has the highest rate of literacy in the entire US, the highest rate of same-sex households per capita in the entire US (even beating out CA, go figure!) the highest percentage of people who bike to work, EVEN in our brutal winters, an enormous muslim population, and more theater seats per capita than anywhere else in the country except for Broadway. We have an incredibly vibrant arts and music culture and a well known food scene. Our universities, spiritual centers of all kinds and museums are incredible. We have so much fun in outdoor activities year round. Our annual gay pride parade is NOT to be missed - total riot! Plus there are jobs galore, especially in the health field, and housing is half the price it is on the coasts.
I'd never live anywhere else. It's like all the best parts of every major city I have lived in, world wide, combined.
