B loomington, Minnesota is located just ten minutes outside of the booming metropolis of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Ten minutes' drive in the opposite direction will take you to a whole other world of scenic lakes, woods and emerald greenery. This is the Midwest at its finest. With a focus on hard work and free time spent with family, Bloomington residents have their feet firmly planted on the ground.

Located in Hennepin County, Bloomington encompasses just over 35 square miles and supports around 85,000 residents. The average household income here is about $55,000 per year and median home value is around $147,000. Like the rest of the state, folks in Bloomington are known for their friendly, down to earth demeanor. Though the weather may get chilly, you just won't find a warmer bunch of people. They spend their free time with their families and in their communities. They are involved in their churches, and volunteer their time to help provide a better life for folks they may not ever meet.

While Minnesota is widely known for its Scandinavian roots, the city of Bloomington has established a Sister City relationship with the town of Izumi, Japan. Every year, the city sponsors Kite Day in Bloomington, in celebration of Children's Day in Japan. This event is a huge undertaking for its planners, and is truly an international gathering of peace and understanding. The festivities kick off with a cooperative performance by the Bloomington Middle School and Izumi school performing bands. Special guests include the Mayor and First Lady of Izumi alongside Bloomington's Mayor. Then it's on to a day of kite flying, with special exhibitions by the Minnesota Kite Society. At the close of the day, prizes are awarded for the most authentic Japanese style kite, most aeronautical, and best homemade kite. This relationship contributes greatly to helping young people from both countries gain exposure to the rest of the world. While some school children may read about other nations, these students are able to learn from each other. Parents report that this creates a more mature student, who is able to understand and talk about things like cultural differences and interdependence.

Of course, no one can discuss Bloomington without bringing up the Mall of America. This is an entertainment and retail site of simply epic proportions. Visitors from around the world are awed by the scale of the facility, and can easily spend a day or more exploring its various attractions, shops and restaurants. But Mall of America is even more that that. It represents that Midwestern work ethic and ingenuity that you may not see in other parts of the country. This behemoth complex was created when the Minnesota Twins and Vikings, the town's professional baseball and football teams, relocated to the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. This situation could have caused a crippling economic blow to Bloomington. But instead, city planners took a good hard look at what they had--78 acres intersected by four major highways. This highly accessible land was a prime piece of real estate for development.

The Bloomington Port Authority purchased the land and created a plan like none other. While they entertained countless ideas, proponents urged that the site be a mixed use of retail and entertainment. Today, that vision is the Mall of America. And you just don't know the meaning of the word Big until you've stepped inside. To give you an idea of the scale, the Mall is home to Camp Snoopy, the nation's largest indoor family theme park with over thirty rides. including a roller coaster, on seven acres of land. It contains the LEGO Imagination Center, a four-story complex of building block fun. There is a state of the art, twelve-lane bowling alley. The NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway, a high-tech indoor stock racing venue. America Live features five full service bars and restaurants with sports, pool, darts and a live dueling piano show, all under one roof. The Mall houses Underwater Adventures, Minnesota's largest aquarium, which was voted the "World's Best Shark Encounter" by the Discovery Channel. And that doesn't even include the hundreds of shops, and approximately 20,000 who work here each day to make it all happen.

As you can see, Bloomington is a truly unique community, full of gregarious and inventive people. With easy access to two major cities, unspoiled wilderness, and the largest recreation complex in the world, there's plenty to keep you busy. If you are thinking of moving to Bloomington, Minnesota, our relocation packet is yours for the asking!