Maplewood exemplifies the pastoral wonder of living near Minnesota's 10,000 lakes. Nature fills its communities with parks and ponds within walking distance of every home. The city's unique L shape creates diverse neighborhood layouts, ranging from distinctly suburban streets to bustling commercial hubs. "There are certain sections that you have no idea if you're in Maplewood or St Paul unless you look up at the street sign," says Joe Sheeran, the city's communications manager. The city has employment opportunities in healthcare, retail and manufacturing. "We have a tiny little company you might've heard of; you use it for your scotch tape and sandpaper," Sheeran lightheartedly says. "By a quirk in the mapping, we became home to 3M." The business park employs tens of thousands inside Maplewood and maintains a massive global presence.
Homes on the south side of Maplewood are near Battle Creek Lake.
3M's corporate offices call Maplewood home.
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Green spaces abound and Maplewood Museum keeps history alive
The city's claim to fame is its access to nature. "Our goal is to have a park or preserve within a half a mile walking distance of everyone," Sheeran says. Bike trails connect the city's parks and several residents have backyard lake access. Phalen Regional Park offers a lakefront beach, the St. Paul – Changsha China Friendship Garden and the Phalen Park Golf Course. A couple more greens are scattered across the city. Goodrich Park has Aldrich Ice Arena, an indoor rink hosting hockey tournaments and open skate days. Battle Creek Regional Park's dense forest holds playgrounds, a seasonal waterpark and a dog park.
For live music, Myth Live is standing room only for its rock and electronic concerts. Sheeran says the Maplewood Museum's preserved farmstead and red-rust barn offer an opportunity to learn about the community's history, starting with the German families that established the city in the 19th century.
Maplewood residents enjoy the short stroll through Maple Wood Heights Park.
The Ramsey County Maplewood Library is conveniently located near the mall.
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Neighborhoods for all lifestyles and families
Maplewood's homes are diverse, ranging from midcentury modern ranches to early 2000s townhouses. Median prices settle around $335,000, less than the national median. Neighborhoods like Carver Ridge and Highwood East offer upscale contemporary properties with larger lot sizes. "There are little hidden pockets of town, like in south Maplewood where I found my home, that are wooded and feel private but are still close to everything," says Sam Boatman, a realtor with Pemberton Homes.
Although most of the city is developed, Sheeran says Maplewood is ripe for redevelopment. Three multifamily projects are nearing completion, and plans are underway to build more properties that accommodate multigenerational families. "We're home to a large Southeast Asian population, so multigenerational housing fits very well in our community," Sheeran says. The city also has many 55-and-older communities, from independent living cooperatives to full-service memory care housing.
Cape cod style homes can be found in Maplewood.
Rows of modern craftsman style homes is common sight in Maplewood.
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The state’s most diverse school district
Over 10,000 students attend the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District. Niche gives it a B rating and ranks it the sixth-best Ramsey County district out of 28. It's also considered the most diverse school district in Minnesota. The city is within 6 miles of the B-rated Metropolitan State University and Saint Paul College, which has a B-minus rating.
Weaver Elementary School serves grades K-5 in the Maplewood community.
Maplewood students end the education path at North High School.
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Uplifting entrepreneurs through Maplewood Mall
The city is home to over 1,300 businesses, and Maplewood Mall has about 170. Most are locally owned start-up businesses since the mall is an incubator for rising entrepreneurs. Other restaurants and shops are throughout the city in small commercial pockets. If Maplewood doesn't have what residents need, Downtown St. Paul is under 6 miles away, and Minneapolis is about 15 miles away.
Spend the day at the Maplewood Mall, the top shopping, eating destination in Maplewood.
Locals stop by the Aldi's for fresh affordable groceries and small goods.
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Multiple connections to the Twin Cities
Many people work near home at 3M corporate headquarters. However, plenty of commuters work in the Twin Cities. Major thoroughfares include Interstates 94 and 494 and Highways 5, 36 and 61. These roads are exceptionally busy, so traffic and noise levels increase around rush hours. The METRO Bus Rapid Transit Red Line connects to Downtown St. Paul, and Rush-Hour Buses complete the same trip with fewer stops during peak commute hours. Once in St. Paul, people can take the light rail to reach Minneapolis, where Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport is located. Inside the city is M Health Fairview St. John's Hospital.
Steering snowplows at Touch-A-Truck
The city hosts about five major events each year. Residents celebrate summer in the parks, and seasonal events include the annual Halloween Trunk or Treat Festival. The public works department hosts Touch-A-Truck, where attendees can climb in and explore snowplows, fire engines and other emergency vehicles.
Winter warnings, local forestry and crime rates
Winter temperatures regularly approach single digits. When it's snowing, street parking is restricted to 30-minute increments for plowing. The city also has special programs to protect local forestry. Emerald Ash Borer infestations heavily impact ash trees, so the city created the EAB Private Ash Tree Relief policy to help residents finance removal costs.
The FBI reports that while violent crime rates in Maplewood increased between 2022 and 2023, property crime rates have steadily decreased since 2021.
Brittney Besser has been a licensed realtor in Minnesota since April 2020. Her passion for the industry comes from helping people and she is thrilled that this career has introduced her to so many new friends.
She and her husband John own a cabinetry company in Burnsville called Kona Cabinetry and Design. Brittney and her husband John are very enthusiastic about working together. He helps a lot of her customers from the perspective of remodeling all while she helps them find their next home.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
