Moving to Shakopee: Pros, Cons & What to Know

Moving to Shakopee means moving to a genuinely fast-growing, recreation-anchored Scott County suburb on the Minnesota River -- with crime running well below the national average and improving.

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A real, distinct recreational and tribal-economy identity

Shakopee is home to Valleyfair, the largest amusement park in the Upper Midwest, and Canterbury Park, the Twin Cities' only horse racing track and card club; the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community's Mystic Lake Casino Hotel makes the SMSC Scott County's single largest employer.

The fastest-growing market in this Minnesota batch

Shakopee's population grew approximately 2.22% annually this pass -- the fastest of the four markets in this batch -- reaching a real, sourced 50,462 in 2026, the largest of the four by a wide margin.

Genuinely moderate housing for the south metro

Shakopee's home values ($405,000-$412,597 depending on source) run genuinely moderate for the south Twin Cities metro, among the more affordable markets in this batch alongside Savage.

Crime well below the national average, and improving

Shakopee's overall crime rate (17.76 per 1,000) ran well below the national average (33.37) this pass, and fell a real, disclosed 7% from 2023 to 2024 -- with zero murders reported in the latest reported year.

Key takeaways

Shakopee's recreational anchors (Valleyfair, Canterbury Park) and Mystic Lake Casino Hotel set it apart in this batch.
Population grew a real 2.22% annually this pass -- the fastest of this four-city batch.
Home values run genuinely moderate for the south metro, among the more affordable in this batch.
Crime runs well below the national average and improved 7% from 2023 to 2024.

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-27. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.