Yeah it is pretty amazing how many people disappeared in North Branch when the housing market tanked. A lot of people over their heads in the sprawl there.
Nice thing about my job is I am usually home Thursday late (midnight or so) and work from the house Friday. I watch the parade of idiots making a parking lot on the interstate from my porch until about 9 or so every Friday nite. Then, all day Sunday, watch them do it again going South.
Wifey works in Forest Lake, and knows to take 61 up.
Rush city was a good compromise for me - didn't want to live in the cities, but needed to due to the modern "conveniences" (airport, UMN, availability of parts, dining, etc). Yet, I am far out enough where I don't have to keep a shotgun loaded behind locked doors at the ready every second like when I lived in Shoreview (now I just don't have to lock the door :greenchainsaw: ) Nice town with nice folks (2,000 or so people) and I am on the outskirts of that. Have about three houses anywhere even close to me, and they are all farmers (easy enough to get along with).
Seeing as I grew up in the UP of MI, Duluth or higher would have been fine with me as well, but the Mrs had to have work too.
I do wish there were more trees around though - being a wood scientist, this is the first time I lived somewhere that wasn't covered in trees (Michigan, New Hampshire, Maine).