About Mankato
Greater Mankato includes the communities of Mankato and North Mankato, which are located within Blue Earth and Nicollet counties, respectively. It is located in the scenic Minnesota River valley approximately 80 miles southwest of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The combined population is more than 98,000.
General
Area businesses are well balanced between commercial, industrial and agricultural. Employment opportunities are offered in health care, education, high technology, manufacturing, printing, retail and service- related industries.
Mankato/North Mankato has a daily newspaper, several AM and FM radio stations and a local TV station.
Greater Mankato is a regional medical center that offers the services of more than 100 physicians and the care of a large medical center, Mayo Clinic Health System.
The Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center seats up to 5,000 people and hosts conventions, sporting events (including Maverick men’s and women’s hockey games), trade shows, seminars and a variety of celebrations.
Education
The exceptional educational opportunities in Greater Mankato extend from early-childhood learning to higher education. A record of academic excellence and commitment to life-long learning are evident in Greater Mankato’s colleges, universities, private schools and public school system (which ranks in the top 17 percent nationally).
Shopping/Restaurants/Accommodations
The communities of Mankato/North Mankato are a regional retail center for southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. There are specialty shops, an indoor shopping mall, an array of restaurants from casual to fine dining, coffee houses and several full-service hotels, as well as camping opportunities. The Farmer's Market offers shoppers the opportunity to buy fresh produce from June through October.
Activities and Attractions
Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate Greater Mankato’s abundant wildlife, water and recreation activities. In addition to the Minnesota River, there are numerous lakes in the area. Greater Mankato also has more than 60 parks and 50 miles of paved trails for walking, running or biking. Greater Mankato is home to a thriving arts community, including a variety of theater, music, dance, visual and written arts programs. No matter what your interest, there's always something to do in Greater Mankato.
Cultural Diversity
There are several annual culturally diverse festivals or activities, including:
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
- Mdewakanton Pow Wow
- Community/Minnesota State Mankato Cinco de Mayo Celebration
- Mankato Area International Festival
- The Mankato area is enriched with a variety of ethnic restaurants including German, Middle Eastern, Asian, and Hispanic traditional foods.
Housing
One of the reasons Greater Mankato has seen steady population growth is because of its reasonable cost of living, safe and charming neighborhoods and friendly atmosphere. Housing options range from single family homes, town homes, patio homes, condominiums, lakeside property, apartment rentals, senior communities and more.
Quality of Life
The residents of Mankato/North Mankato enjoy a personal level of safety due to a low crime rate.
The health of Minnesota residents is consistently rated among the top three states in the nation.
Additional Information
For more information, please contact the chair of the search committee for the position sought, visit More Mankato or the Greater Mankato Convention & Visitors Bureau website.
