You almost have to go that far out to find any sensibility.
The first-ring suburbs like Maplewood, Richfield, Crystal, etc are starting to circle around the drain too. Crime, iffy housing, etc.
You have to go outside the 494-694 belt to find any sense of conservatism.
I am seen the same up here in Canada. In the Toronto area, for instance, you have to travel up to around Barrie - 60 miles away from downtown - to really get into conservatism...
The schools are night and day. So much more parent involvement out here. Wright county, I think, is the most Republican county in MN. God's country!