Chanhassen (sweet-sap or sugar maple tree in the Sioux language) is Money Magazine's second pick for its Top 10 Best Places to Live in America. A suburb to the southwest of the Twin Cities, Chanhassen is home to approximately 25,000 people. within 24 square miles of land that includes a dozen beautiful lakes and a large arboretum and public gardens compound. Additional green space draws new residents to town.

From 2004 - 2009, property taxes in Chanhassen decreased as property values actually increased overall. Unemployment in the second half of 2009 remained significantly lower than the national average, because of a wealth of open positions among a variety of career fields in nearby Minneapolis to the east. Chanhassen supports its own growing economy as well as serving as a suburb and residential outpost of the Twin Cities.

Chanhassen, unlike the Number One Best Place to Live, Lousiville CO, has room to expand its population. Louisville covers only about 8 square miles of territory in comparison to Chanhassen's 24, three times the area.

Chanhassen was a small farming community from the mid-1800s to 1960, when it began to grow with new residents and businesses. In 1852, Germans from the St. Paul MN area moved into the Chanhassen area to begin farming careers in fertile soils. Native American land ownership ended in 1853 and additional settlers moved in. After the American Civil War, a parish of German Catholic residents flourished. That group still exists in Chanhassen, but alongside other faiths, including the world HQ of ECK, Eckankar.

In the 1890s, manufacturing moved to Chanhassen and brought with it taverns and hotels. The first mall was built in the 1960s. This was followed by the move in of a large home builder that increased the numbers of houses in the city and founded the dinner theaters so popular today.

The 1970s brought a movement to revitalize the Downtown Chanhassen area, which has drawn additional businesses and residents to the city, with room for expansion. The local development organization provides ongoing plans for expansion and attraction of new commercial enterprises to the city.

The population of Chanhassen is largely descended from the German, Norwegian, Irish, Swedish, and English, with nearly 3% Native Americans, higher than in many other US States. Genealogy is traced for some of these groups at the Chanhassen Historical Society, which provides a large online gallery of old photos as well and family links. The Minneapolis Genealogy Society also examines and keep many such records (see links above).

The Dakota of the Sioux Nation tribes was a local Indigenous roup in this territory. The Dakota largely moved west after the 1862 Sioux Uprising that resulted when certain US agents withheld annuity payments to the reservations and caused starvation. In fact, one government representative reportedly stated that the Sioux should go eat grass. The Indigenous People revolted and attacked, and some Dakota were jailed, hanged, or expelled from Minnesota. Eventually, their reservations eliminated; however, today the local Sioux maintain several successful businesses in the Chanhassen area. For example:

• Mystic Lake Resort Hotel
• Native Americans in Philanthropy
• PlayWorks - Learning centers for kids.
• Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux
• Shakopee Sioux Pow Wow
• Sioux Trail Mental Health Center

The Sioux have also installed wind turbines to access alternative energy beginning in October 2009.

High Demand Jobs to 2016, with Median Average Salary in 2009

1. Registered Nurses (RNs) $73,503
2. Computer Software Applications and Systems Software Engineers $89,389/$94,317
3. Accountants and Auditors $60,018
4. Sales Representatives $52,936
5. Mainstream Elementary and Secondary School Teachers ~ $50,000
6. Computer Systems Analysts $74,902
7. Computer Specialists $49,033 to$76,675
8. Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts $83,361
9. Management Analysts $80,861
10. Network and Computer Systems Administrators $73,417
11. Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services $66,999
12. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses $43,014
13. Industrial Engineers $79,703
14. Human Resources, Employment & Training Professionals $61,691
15. Insurance Sales Agents $53,910
16. Child, Family, and School Social Workers $59,151

Of the 23,000+ job openings listed online for the Greater Chanhassen Area, the highest in demand employment opportunities centered around the following job titles. Those listed in bold type are mentioned in the employment projections above.

1. SALES: Salespersons, Inside Sales, Sales Specialists, Sales Representatives, Service Specialists, Sales and Service Specialists
2. Business Analysts - May include management analysts.
3. Teachers
4. Physical Therapists
5. Store Managers
6. Account Managers - Financial accounts and others.
7. Project Managers
8. Assistant Managers
9. Customer Service Representatives
10. Account Executives - Financial and others.
11. Dental Assistants
12. Software Engineers
13. Financial Advisors
14. Java Developers - Software engineers.
15. Sap Crm Developers - Software engineers.

1. Medtronic
2. IBM
3. UnitedHealth Group
4. University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
5. Deloitte
6. Ameriprise
7. Target
8. Frontier Communications
9. Allina
10. Petsmart
11. US Bancorp
12. Wells Fargo
13. HealthEast Care System
14. Boston Scientific
15. Allina Hospitals & Clinics
16. Ecolab
17. CDI
18. Cargill
19. Robert Half Finance & Accounting

1. Rosemount, Inc. - Aerospace and electrical products.
2. Life Time Fitness
3. IWCO Direct
4. SuperValu
5. General Mills

Major employers like IBM and Medtronic in Chanhassen and the Twin Cities specialize in techniques, tools, and equipment that increasingly improve healthcare and lengthen the healthy lifespan. Together, Healthcare and Information Technology comprise the most important industrial fields full of employment opportunities in this part of Minnesota today. Resisting economic deterioration via continued development, even in a recession, Chanhassen is home to workers whose median household income is over $90,000 annually.