Should I live in Dinkytown or Stadium Village?
There are two major residence areas around the University of Minnesota. The Dinkytown neighborhood, which of course has been around forever and houses a large portion of the student body, but also the up and coming Stadium Village neighborhood.
Depending on what type of personality you have, you might prefer one over the other? Which one is right for you?
Dinkytown...?
First off, let's take a look at what Dinkytown has to offer. Historically, this has been the "go-to" neighborhood to live off campus.
It's home to some UMN staples such as Mesa Pizza, where you'll find college students lined out the door at 2am looking for a slice to fill their boozy stomachs.
It's also home to Target Express, which is a recent addition, but finally brought a much need grocery and convenience store closer to campus.
If you don't like studying in a stale library, you'll definitely be able to find someone to set up your laptop with a strong internet signal between Starbucks, Espresso Royale, and ChaTime.
But what really sets Dinkytown apart from Stadium Village is the culture of the nightlife.
House parties are abundant, because most of the houses are either in Dinkytown or Como, frat row is closer, and the Dinkytown bars are nearby, which keeps the streets alive at night.
Stadium Village...?
Stadium Village neighborhood on the other hand has some sweet perks as well.
Some of the new apartments that have been popping up have been build-outs on this side of campus, because the real estate companies think this will be a promising neighborhood for residents in the future.
Even some companies like Mesa Pizza have taken a big bet on the future of Stadium Village by building a second location on that side of campus.
But is that bet unwarranted? Mesa Pizza just shut down in Stadium Village because they didn't have enough of their core business coming through.
But what Stadium Village does offer is closer access to the rec center, the green line train, and a variety of restaurants unique to the area such as Sally's and Stub and Herbs.
Although there is nothing quite like the Target Express, you'll still be able to find most of what you need at the local CVS and Walgreens, but you will likely still need a car for grocery runs (which becomes a problem, because parking is harder on this side of campus).
So, now what?
What this means is that although Dinkytown has been a dominant location for student housing, Stadium Village is coming up quick on the rise, and depending on some factors that might be important to you -- such as night life or access to the Green Line -- one side of campus may be better for you than the other.
Thinking of living in Dinkytown?
Come check out the Northstar, one of the most highly rated apartments in the area. Book a tour of the apartment today.
