If you’re seeking a Minnesota city in which to settle, where you’ll be surrounded by affluent, well-educated folks, consider Edina. Although a city in its own right, Edina is considered a suburb of Minneapolis and it’s located just southwest of it. This makes for a handy commute to the Twin Cities area. Since you’re interested in purchasing a home in Edina, let’s get you a little closer to being a local-in-the-know.

The median household income of Edina residents is significantly higher than Minnesota’s average.

The median value of a house or condo in Edina is $187,574 more than the state’s median.

The median age of Edina residents is 44.5 years. The median age of Minnesota’s residents is 35.4.

Over half of Edina’s residents hold a bachelor’s degree, and almost one-fourth hold a graduate or professional degree.

In the beginning of its journey on the road to becoming a city, back in the 1850s, Edina was a part of Richfield Township. Seventeen Irish immigrants settled the southwest corner of Richfield Township and were soon followed by farmers who immigrated from Scotland and England. The farmers staked a claim to yet more land, near Minnehaha Creek. It wasn’t until 1888 that residents decided to separate from Richfield Township and create a village of their own. Naming the new village, however, was a different matter. The choices were: Hennepin Park, Edina and Westfield. According to the historical record from that period, meetings on the matter became contentious and disrupted into chaos, with board members threatening to resign. The name Edina was finally adopted, but it was a close vote, 47 in favor and 42 against.

Independent School District 273 serves most of Edina’s children. A large school district, it serves 7,500 students in grades K through 12 with a staff that numbers over 1,100. Younger children attend one of six elementary schools while the older kids have two middle schools and one high school from which to choose. Edina High School was chosen as one of the top 100 schools in the country by Newsweek magazine back in 2005. It has an amazing graduation rate – 98 percent – and 85 percent of these students go on to graduate from college within five years. As well, 43 percent go on to receive postgraduate degrees. Edina is home to several institutions of higher learning, including Minnesota State University, Minnesota School of Business, Keller Graduate School of Management and Devry University.

Outdoor enthusiasts love living in Edina for its multitude of parks and wide-open spaces. Residents use the parks’ facilities to play baseball, soccer, football and softball. Many of the parks offer tennis and basketball courts, outdoor skating rinks and picnic facilities. Bikers, hikers and nature lovers take to the city’s eight miles of pathways in the spring and summer. In winter, they hit these trails to go snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. As if that weren’t enough, the City of Edina Park and Recreation Department operates the Art Center, Aquatic Center, Braemar Golf Courses and Braemar Arena, Fred Richards Golf Course and Centennial Lakes and Edinborough Parks.

Edina is a city with a multitude of housing styles from which to choose. If you are hoping to buy or sell a house in Edina, here’s a quick rundown of the real estate market now, compared to last year at this time.

The number of new listings hitting the market has increased slightly.

Pending sales of Edina homes are up over 34 percent.

The median sales price of an Edina home has decreased 1.4 percent to $138,000.

Homes are selling quicker. The number of days spent on the market has decreased 7.3 percent.

The inventory of available homes is down 27.2 percent.

Although the median sales price of an Edina home sits at $138,000, you’ll find a variety of homes in price ranges up and down the scale. You can pick up a small, 1-bedroom, 1-bath condo for under $50,000. Single-family home prices start at $119,000 and go as high as $7 million. If you’re shopping for a luxury home in Edina you will not be disappointed with what you’ll find. Estates in the Rolling Green neighborhood include a stunning 6-bedroom home built with formal entertaining in mind. Other luxury offerings include a 5-bedroom home with 6,487 square feet of living space. This estate is situated on over 8.5 acres of oak-studded land that features a pond and a stable. No matter what home price you’re seeking, the Certified Residential Specialists with Edina Realty can help you find it. We are the local experts with over 11 years as the market leader.