Moving to Minneapolis from Des Moines?

Although there are several differences between Des Moines and Minneapolis, you may be surprised to learn that they also have many similarities. So, if you’re moving from Des Moines to Minneapolis, there will be a few things that you’ll have to get used to as well as a few things that you’ll already be familiar with! Both Des Moines and Minneapolis are beautiful and friendly Midwestern cities, but Minneapolis is a bit larger. While Des Moines has a population of 203,433, Minneapolis has a population of 387,753. The difference shouldn’t take you long to get used to, though, and you’ll quickly feel right at home!

Traveling from Des Moines to Minneapolis

• Minneapolis is only about 240 miles from Des Moines. So, if you choose to drive when moving from Des Moines to Minneapolis, you’ll only be on the road for about three and a half hours!
• During the drive, you’ll be traveling through the beautiful landscapes of northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. Then, before you know it, you’ll be in Minneapolis!

The Weather in Minneapolis

• Fortunately, moving from Des Moines to Minneapolis doesn’t mean that you’ll have to get used to a drastically different climate.
• Compared to Des Moines’s average yearly temperature of 51 F, Minneapolis’s average yearly temperature is somewhat cooler at 46 F.
• Minneapolis’s summers are hot and humid with average highs in the high 80s while winters are very cold and snowy with average lows in the single digits!
• Minneapolis also receives about 30.6 inches of precipitation and about 50.8 inches of snow each year.

Getting Around Minneapolis

• Public transportation in Minneapolis is provided by Metro Transit and is more extensive than Des Moines Area Regional Transit.
• Metro Transit provides several buses that go throughout the city as well as a light rail and a commuter rail which make travel, especially downtown, much easier!
• Driving in Minneapolis, which the majority of residents prefer, is also fairly easy with the many major roads connecting to the city!    

Schools in Minneapolis

• Minneapolis is home to several great colleges and universities including the University of Minnesota, which is the largest in the state and enrolls more than 50,000 undergraduates each year!
• Other colleges and universities in the city include Minneapolis Community and Technical College, the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and Augsburg College.
• Additionally, Minneapolis Public Schools provides public education to the city and has an enrollment of more than 32,000 students.
• There are also more than 20 private schools and more than 20 charter schools located here! 

Fun in Minneapolis

• Moving from Des Moines to Minneapolis will open you up to many new ways to have fun whether you love the arts or sports or both!
• If you love sports, you’ll enjoy seeing the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL, the Minnesota Twins of the MLB, the Minnesota Timberwolves of the WNBA and the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA play!
• Minneapolis is home to the Walker Art Center, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Minnesota Opera, the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts and the Guthrie Theater!
• Additionally, if you love taking in the beauty of nature, be sure to visit Minnehaha Park where you can also see the gorgeous Minnehaha Falls!

You’re sure to love this great city, so come on up to the “City of Lakes”! U-Pack can help you make this move! We have locations that service both cities, and our rates are often comparable to truck rental.