Living in Edina, MN: Southdale, 50th & France, Parks & Daily Life

Edina is a Hennepin County city bordering southwest Minneapolis. Two commercial areas shape much of what people ask about it: Southdale, near France Avenue and 66th Street, and the 50th & France district on the city's northeast edge. The city's park system, its mill-era history and the METRO E Line round out the picture.

This guide uses city, Library of Congress, Minnesota Historical Society, transit and Census sources, plus a dated MLS snapshot. It does not rank neighborhoods, schools or businesses. For property-oriented information, use the Edina neighborhood page; this article supplements that page rather than replacing it.

Edina at a glance

Measure	Figure and source date
Population estimate	54,356; July 1, 2025 (Census V2025)
Decennial population count	53,494; April 1, 2020 Census
Land area	15.46 square miles; 2020 (Census)
Households	22,914; ACS 2020–2024
Owner-occupied housing unit rate	72.4%; ACS 2020–2024
Mean travel time to work	20.4 minutes; ACS 2020–2024
MLS median sales price, All Property Types	$922,082; trailing 12 months through Oct 2026

Census figures are from QuickFacts.

A mill, a vote and a name

The city's Edina Mills Site page traces the area's early economy to Minnehaha Creek, whose waterpower settlers saw as a resource for many industrial uses. The page's history of the mill site, near today's West 50th Street and Browndale Avenue, runs as follows:

• The land was part of a tract claimed by William Hoyt in 1855; the next year he sold it to speculators planning a town called Waterville.
• The Waterville Mill, built by local carpenter William Marriott, was an active grist mill when William Rheem and Jonathan T. Grimes acquired it in 1859. Daniel H. Buckwalter owned it from 1867.
• Andrew Craik bought the mill in 1869. He and his sons improved it and processed wheat, corn, rye, oats and barley for the local market.
• Craik's manager, George Millam, bought the mill in 1875, and in 1889 Millam sold it to Henry F. Brown, a Minneapolis lumberman who established a large stock farm in Edina.
• After a series of floods, the mill closed for good in 1906 and was later used to store grain. The Browndale Farm estate, including the mill, was bought by Thorpe Bros. Realty in 1922 for the Country Club development.

Today the site is an archaeological site in Dwight Williams Park. The only surface structure left is the mill dam beneath the Browndale Bridge; the city added an information kiosk, a preserved millstone and posts outlining the millhouse walls.

The two city pages describe the name's origin slightly differently, so both are quoted:

• The Edina's Name page says Craik renamed the mill Edina Mill after "Edinborough," and that when residents formed a village in 1888, the name Edina won a vote 47 to 42. The page also addresses a long-repeated story about an Irish-versus-Scottish naming dispute and explains why it does not hold up.
• The Edina Mills Site page says Craik named it the Edina Mill after his home of Edinburgh, Scotland.

City Hall is at 4801 W. 50th St. (Edina's Name).

Heritage landmarks

The city's Heritage Landmarks program lists designated landmarks, including the Browndale Bridge, Cahill School, the Edina Country Club District, the Edina Mills Site, the Edina Theatre Sign, the Grange Hall, the Grimes House, the Hendrick & Marri Oskam House, the Paul Peterson House and the Wooddale Avenue Bridge. The city says its Heritage Preservation Board follows the Secretary of the Interior's standards in planning treatment of the Mills Site. Owners of property within a designated landmark or district should ask the city what review applies before exterior work. The city's Parks & Trails page also links to the Edina Historical Society for local history.

Southdale

According to the Library of Congress, Southdale Center opened on October 8, 1956. It was designed by architect Victor Gruen for the Dayton family's company, and the Library describes it as the start of fully enclosed shopping destinations. The Minnesota Historical Society keeps a research guide on Southdale for readers who want primary sources.

The Library of Congress guide adds context. Gruen's path to Southdale began in 1943, when he and partner Elsie Krummeck submitted a shopping-center prototype for Architectural Forum's "Architecture 194X" feature. His idea was a less car-centric place where people could park once and then walk, shop, eat, run errands and socialize. Earlier centers such as Detroit's Northland Center (1954) were open-air; Southdale was fully enclosed, so shoppers were not affected by weather. The Library notes that, despite online shopping and changing tenants, Southdale remains an active mall.

Southdale is operated by Simon. The center's dining directory (PDF) lists, among others, Rustica (bakery), Peoples Organic, Smithson, Yumi Sushi, Shake Shack, The Cheesecake Factory, Dave & Buster's, RH Rooftop and Puttshack. Tenant lists change; confirm a specific business before visiting.

Nearby along France Avenue, Galleria, at 69th Street and France Avenue, lists shops and restaurants in its own directory (Galleria).

The E Line

Metro Transit says the METRO E Line bus rapid transit opened on December 6, 2025. It serves a 13-mile corridor that links the Southdale area of Edina with Uptown, downtown Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota (Metro Transit). Check Metro Transit for current schedules and stations.

50th & France

The 50th & France business district centers on the intersection of West 50th Street and France Avenue. The district straddles the Edina–Minneapolis border, so some businesses in it have Minneapolis addresses. The 50th & France Business Association publishes a directory, a map with parking and transit information, an event calendar and information on the annual Edina Art Fair. This guide lists only businesses with Edina addresses.

Parks and recreation

The city's Parks & Trails page describes more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of open space. That is the city's current web summary; the city's comprehensive plan has its own park inventory, so if a precise count matters, check the plan.

The page says many parks include playgrounds, walking, biking or multi-use trails, ice rinks, picnic tables, restrooms and picnic shelters or park buildings, some of which can be rented. A city Park Finder map searches by location, activity or amenity, and the city designates off-leash areas for dogs. Posted park rules prohibit alcohol, tobacco and vaping, and park hours are generally 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. or sunrise to sunset unless otherwise posted (Parks & Trails). The Parks & Recreation Department is based at City Hall, 4801 W. 50th St.

From the city's Parks & Recreation page and facility pages:

• Braemar Park, 6364 John Harris Drive — about 500 acres, including Braemar Golf Course, Braemar Arena, Braemar Field, the Golf Dome and Courtney Fields (Braemar Park). The city lists three indoor rinks at Braemar Arena.
• Centennial Lakes Park — paddleboats and a putting course in warm months, a farmers market, and about 10 acres of ice in winter.
• Edinborough Park, 7700 York Ave. S. — an indoor park with the Adventure Peak play structure, a pool and a track (Edinborough Park).
• The Edina Art Center and Edina Senior Center are also part of the department.

The city also notes a Rosland Park pedestrian-bridge project, with West 64th Street closed through early summer 2027; check the city page for current status.

Dining

These Edina restaurants were confirmed on each business's own website (or the Southdale directory) on Nov 12, 2026. Inclusion is not an endorsement; confirm hours before visiting.

• Bojae's Wine Bar & Bistro, 4950 France Ave. S. — wine bar and bistro (Bojae's).
• Coconut Thai, 3948 W. 50th St. — Thai (Coconut Thai).
• Pajarito, 3910 W. 50th St. — regional Mexican (Pajarito).
• Tamarind Indian Cuisine, 3875 Gallagher Drive — Indian (Tamarind).
• Yumi Sushi, 200 Southdale Center — Japanese (Yumi).
• CRAVE American Kitchen & Sushi Bar, 3520 W. 70th St. — American and sushi (CRAVE).
• Good Earth, 3460 Galleria — American, at Galleria (Good Earth).
• Dino's Mediterranean Fresh, 6539 York Ave. S. — Mediterranean (Dino's).
• Rustica (bakery), Peoples Organic and Smithson (steakhouse) — listed in Southdale's dining directory (Southdale dining PDF).

Shopping and entertainment

• Southdale Center — department stores, shops and dining; entertainment tenants in the directory include Puttshack and Dave & Buster's (Southdale dining PDF).
• Galleria — shops and restaurants at 69th Street and France Avenue (Galleria).
• 50th & France — shops, services and events, including the Edina Art Fair (50th & France).
• Centennial Lakes Park and Edinborough Park — seasonal and indoor recreation listed above.

Schools

Edina Public Schools (ISD 273) serves most of the city (Edina Public Schools). District boundaries do not always follow city limits, so verify the school district by address. This guide does not rank or compare schools.

Edina market snapshot — trailing 12 months through October 2026

InfoSparks area: Edina (CITY). With All Property Types selected, the median sales price was $922,082 (+6.3% year over year), with 772 closed sales (-0.3%). Median days on market were 24 (-25.0%); months supply was 3.0 (-6.3%), as displayed in InfoSparks' October 2026, 12 Months view.

Separately reported closed-sale categories were Single-Family: 512 (+0.6%) and Townhouse-Condo: 247 (-3.1%). These are reported categories, not shares of all sales; they should not be assumed to exhaust or reconcile to the total.

NorthstarMLS Matrix showed 221 active-only listings as of Nov 6, 2026 for the municipality. This count uses the Single Family search class, which includes multiple residential styles; it excludes Coming Soon, Pending and other statuses, as well as Lots/Land, Multi-Family, Commercial, Farm and Rental classes. It is not InfoSparks' “Homes for Sale” measure.

These figures summarize recorded activity for Edina as a whole; they are not a prediction of future prices or a guarantee of how quickly a particular property will sell. The 25.0% drop in median days on market is a move to 24 days, about eight days shorter, and a citywide median blends very different housing types. Use comparable properties for an individual address.

Source: NorthstarMLS via InfoSparks, trailing 12 months through October 2026; active-only count from NorthstarMLS Matrix as of Nov 6, 2026. Data deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Housing forms and Census context

The MLS snapshot reports Single-Family and Townhouse-Condo sales separately; those are reported categories, not shares of all sales. Census adds a different, multiyear view: an owner-occupied housing unit rate of 72.4% and a median value of owner-occupied housing units of $646,300 (ACS 2020–2024) (QuickFacts). That Census value describes the existing owner-occupied stock over a five-year period; it is not an MLS sales price and not an appraisal.

Frequently asked questions

How did Edina get its name?

The city says Andrew Craik bought a local mill in 1869 and renamed it Edina Mill; one city page ties the name to "Edinborough" and another to Edinburgh, Scotland. When the village formed in 1888, Edina won a vote 47 to 42. Edina's Name.

When did Southdale open?

The Library of Congress says Southdale Center opened on October 8, 1956, designed by Victor Gruen for the Dayton family's company. Library of Congress.

What is 50th & France?

It is a business district around West 50th Street and France Avenue that straddles the Edina–Minneapolis border. Its business association publishes a directory, parking and transit information and event details, including the Edina Art Fair. 50th & France.

How many parks does Edina have?

The city's Parks & Trails page describes more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of open space. Braemar Park alone covers about 500 acres. Parks & Trails.

What is at Braemar Park?

The city describes Braemar Park, at 6364 John Harris Drive, as about 500 acres including Braemar Golf Course, Braemar Arena, Braemar Field, the Golf Dome and Courtney Fields. The city lists three indoor rinks at the arena. Braemar Park.

Where was the Edina Mill?

The city places the mill site on Minnehaha Creek near West 50th Street and Browndale Avenue, now in Dwight Williams Park. The mill closed in 1906; its dam survives beneath the Browndale Bridge, and the city added an interpretive kiosk and millstone. Edina Mills Site.

What transit serves Edina?

Metro Transit says the METRO E Line opened December 6, 2025, linking the Southdale area of Edina with Uptown, downtown Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota along a 13-mile corridor. Metro Transit.

What are the Edina housing-market figures?

For the trailing 12 months through October 2026, All Property Types had a $922,082 median sales price (+6.3% year over year), 772 closed sales (-0.3%), 24 median days on market (-25.0%) and 3.0 months supply (-6.3%). Matrix showed 221 active-only listings as of Nov 6, 2026. These dated figures are not a forecast. See the snapshot above for filters and attribution.

Is the Census housing value the same as the MLS median sale price?

No. Census reports a $646,300 median value of owner-occupied housing units for 2020–2024. That multiyear housing-stock measure differs from the trailing-period MLS sales median and is not an appraisal of an individual home. Census QuickFacts.

Which school district serves Edina?

Edina Public Schools (ISD 273) serves most of the city. District lines do not always follow city limits, so verify by address. Edina Public Schools.

Talk through an address-specific plan

Bryce Schuenke, REALTOR®, eXp Realty; MN Broker #41012271 | WI Salesperson #88518; (651) 302-4812; Info@RealtorBryce.com; 20731 Holyoke Ave Ste 103, Lakeville, MN 55044; www.RealtorBryce.com.