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Money Magazine has chosen Eden Prairie, MN as the best small city to live  in the United States.  The city is  family-friendly, it has a dynamite economy too with an unemployment rate of 5.1%, well below the national average.

The area has rolling hills and 17 lakes nearby that residents flock to year-round for swimming and ice skating. Town parks contain 125 miles of running, hiking, and biking trails.

Residents rank among the healthiest people in the nation.  Excellent schools and low crime make this an excellent place to live and the big city of  Minneapolis is an easy drive.

Minnesota has a strong interest in alternative energy. The Minnesota State Fair in late august and Early September has an alternative energy exhibit. See our post Eco Experience at the Minnesota State Fair for more details. On October 2, Minnesota Solar Tour will take place throughout the region. See our post Minnesota Solar Tour for details.

In 2008, an Eden Prairie home with innovative solar technology was featured.  The Eden Prairie solar home  has a solar starter kit installed in September 2008  for under $8,000. A single solar panel can added at a time. It has a new computer controlled micro-inverter system, where each panel has its own inverter and monitor. The system could pay for itself in 10-11 years, and can deliver 2,835 watts per day, providing more than 7 percent of the home’s energy needs according to information from the 2008 solar tour. Tax credits are available for such projects.