Edina is consistently at the top of Minnesota suburb lists — and for good reason. It's 5 miles from downtown Minneapolis, has the most genuinely walkable commercial district of any Twin Cities suburb, feeds into one of the state's most academically respected school districts, and has a housing stock that blends historic character with well-maintained established neighborhoods. It also has the highest entry price point of any comparable suburb in the metro.
The question for relocating buyers isn't whether Edina is good — it clearly is. The question is whether what makes Edina distinctive is actually what you'll use on a regular basis. This guide tries to answer that honestly.
50th & France: The Real Thing
50th & France is what separates Edina from virtually every other Twin Cities suburb. It's a genuine walkable neighborhood commercial district — not a lifestyle center designed to look like one, but an organically evolved collection of independent restaurants, wine bars, coffee shops, boutiques, Lunds & Byerlys (the region's premier grocery), and services that serve the surrounding neighborhood on foot.
On a warm evening, 50th & France has real pedestrian energy — people walking between dinner and dessert, sidewalk café seating, neighborhood residents treating it as an extension of their living space. For buyers relocating from cities like Chicago, Portland, or San Francisco who are worried about losing urban walkability, 50th & France is the most credible answer the Twin Cities suburbs can offer.
Key anchors: Edina Grill, Cooks of Crocus Hill (cooking school and kitchenware), Lunds & Byerlys, multiple independent wine bars and restaurants, Fairview Southdale medical clinic, and dozens of boutique retail shops. Weekend mornings bring stroller traffic, dog walkers, and the unhurried pace of a neighborhood that knows it has somewhere good to be.
ISD 273: The School Story
Edina Public Schools (ISD 273) carries one of the strongest academic reputations of any Minnesota school district. Edina High School consistently ranks in the top five high schools in the state — high standardized test scores, strong AP participation rates, a well-regarded performing arts program, and competitive athletics (the Hornets have a strong tradition particularly in hockey and swimming).
The district is small by metro standards — around 8,500 students total — which means smaller class sizes, tighter school community feel, and administration that's more responsive to individual families than in large suburban districts. Elementary schools within ISD 273 have consistently high parent satisfaction scores and benefit from one of the highest per-pupil spending levels in the metro.
For families who specifically prioritize academic rigor and small-district character, ISD 273 regularly earns its reputation.
Centennial Lakes Park
One of Edina's most underappreciated assets is Centennial Lakes Park — a beautifully designed urban park built around a series of connected ponds in the Centennial Lakes district. Miles of walking and biking paths circle the ponds, with paddle boats available in summer and a free ice skating oval in winter. The park is surrounded by restaurants and retail, making it a genuinely livable public space rather than just a green buffer between parking lots.
The Centennial Lakes area also has some of Edina's most accessible price points — condos and townhomes starting in the $350K–$500K range — for buyers who want Edina's school access and lifestyle at a lower entry than the single-family market requires.
Neighborhoods Worth Knowing
Country Club
Edina's most storied neighborhood — the streets immediately surrounding the Edina Country Club and within walking distance of 50th & France. Tudor, Colonial, and craftsman homes on tree-lined streets, many original to the 1920s–1940s with period character that's genuinely hard to find in the metro. Prices start at $700K for smaller homes needing work and climb to $2M–$4M+ for the largest, most fully restored properties. This is Edina at its most historically distinctive.
Morningside
Adjacent to the Minneapolis border, Morningside offers bungalows and smaller homes at Edina's most accessible single-family price points — $500K–$700K range. The neighborhood has strong community identity and is popular with buyers who want Edina school access without Country Club pricing.
Countryside and West Edina
Larger lots, established 1960s–1980s homes on quiet streets, $600K–$900K range. More suburban in feel than the walkable east-side neighborhoods, but well-maintained and with good school access. Popular with families who prioritize yard space and quieter streets over walkability.
Centennial Lakes / Southeast Edina
More urban density — condos, townhomes, some mixed-use. $350K–$550K range for condos and townhomes. Centennial Lakes Park access is the main draw. Good for buyers who want Edina school access (verify condo boundaries — most of southeast Edina feeds into ISD 273) at a significantly lower price than single-family requires.
Housing Reality
Edina's single-family entry point is now firmly $550K+, with most desirable neighborhoods trading at $650K–$1.2M. Inventory is limited — this is an established, built-out suburb with minimal new construction. Homes that are well-priced and in good condition move quickly. The Country Club neighborhood in particular has a deep pool of buyers at all times.
For buyers with California or Chicago equity who are arriving with $500K+ in cash or a large down payment, Edina is often where that financial position starts to make strong sense — the combination of proximity to Minneapolis, school quality, and walkability justifies the premium in a way that lower-priced suburbs may not for this buyer profile.
Commute and Location
- Downtown Minneapolis: 10–15 min by car, bikeable via Midtown Greenway trail for parts of Edina
- MSP Airport: 20–25 min via I-494
- West-metro employers (Eden Prairie, Minnetonka): 20–30 min
- Downtown St. Paul: 25–35 min
Edina's location is its strongest commute card — closer to Minneapolis than any other highly-regarded suburban school district in the metro.
Honest Trade-offs
- Price — Edina's single-family market starts where other suburbs' move-up market ends; budget carefully
- Limited new construction — almost entirely a resale market; buyers who want new builds should look elsewhere
- Older housing stock in most neighborhoods — period character is part of the appeal, but older homes mean more maintenance
- Traffic on France Ave and 50th — the walkable district creates parking and traffic congestion, particularly on weekends
Who Edina Is Right For
Edina consistently attracts buyers who will genuinely use what makes it distinctive: walkability to 50th & France, proximity to Minneapolis, and ISD 273's school quality. It's the right choice for buyers who come from urban backgrounds and don't want to feel fully suburban, who have the budget to enter the market, and who will actually walk to the coffee shop on a Saturday morning rather than drive.
It's not the right choice for buyers who primarily need square footage per dollar, new construction, or a south or east-metro commute. For those buyers, the Edina premium doesn't pay off in daily life the way it does for the right household.
Thinking About Edina?
Demyan helps out-of-state buyers evaluate whether Edina's premium fits their actual daily life — and if not, which west-metro alternative delivers better value for their specific situation. Schedule a free consultation to work through it together.
* Sources: ISD 273 district data, City of Edina, Walk Score, Zillow Research 2024. Figures represent 2024–2025 averages.