[quote=jstoesz]
Are we talking renting or buying. Because the median home price in Brooklyn park is right around 200k (yup you read that right), but the median price in MM is right around 500k. [/quote]

The median price in MM is closer to 350k. There are 157 detached listings in MM as of this moment, and only 8 of them are above the 500k mark.

There are some really cheap houses in Brooklyn Park, like this one

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/6217-Century-Blvd-Brooklyn-Park-MN-55429/1955923_zpid/

and the only hitch is that the house is two blocks from this elementary school

http://www.zillow.com/school/MN-Brooklyn-Park/Osseo-Public-School-District-6117/Zanewood-Elementary-School-48896/

and, judging by demographics, that part of Brooklyn Park is more similar to Encanto than to Mira Mesa.