Yea winter there can be rough from mid November through mid March but I found it one of the nicest cities I've ever been too. The people are friendly and engaged. It's very clean, culturally diverse, good employment opportunities,lots of parks and social and cultural events and venues abound It's also a very pretty city and the lakes, woods and country side surrounding the city are just drop dead gorgeous and it's one of the best places in the nation if you're interested in outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, cycling, off-roading, camping, etc, etc. That section of the country is with out a doubt one of the lovliest areas to live east of the Mississippi river. I love the Twin City's area but yea....winters can be a bit rough. More like Europe in that respect.
People in cold climates are usually friendly and engaged, it is the long winter and harsh conditions that make us that way!