Baxter, MN Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Baxter. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Baxter compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Baxter, Minnesota

Cost of living in Baxter research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Baxter is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Minnesota, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

104 Cost of living index 1.0x higher vs US
#62 Cheapest in Minnesota (of 151)
#2,973 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$364,189 Median home value
$1,154 Median rent
$70,688 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Baxter, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Baxter has an overall cost of living index of 104, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Baxter has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Minnesota's index of 101.

The standard of living in Baxter ranks as #62 most affordable out of the 151 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Baxter ranks as the #89 most expensive place in the North Star State.

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Baxter Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Baxter. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Baxter is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Baxter is 100.

  • The Health index in Baxter is 114.

  • The Housing index in Baxter is 102.

  • The Transportation index in Baxter is 104.

  • The Utilities index in Baxter is 102.

Living Expense Baxter Minnesota National Average
Overall 104 101 100
Services 101 101 100
Groceries 100 99 100
Health 114 99 100
Housing 102 101 100
Transportation 104 103 100
Utilities 102 101 100

Baxter Cost Of Living Compared To Minnesota Averages

Services
Baxter 101
Minnesota avg 101
Groceries
Baxter 100
Minnesota avg 99
Health
Baxter 114
Minnesota avg 99
Housing
Baxter 102
Minnesota avg 101
Transportation
Baxter 104
Minnesota avg 103
Utilities
Baxter 102
Minnesota avg 101

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Baxter, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

$364,189Median Home Value
$1,154Median Rent
$70,688Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Minnesota, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Baxter is $364,189.

  • The Median Rent in Baxter is $1,154.

  • The Median Income in Baxter is $70,688.

  • The Home Value To Income in Baxter is 5.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Baxter is 0.2x.

Statistic Baxter Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $364,189 $346,667 $332,700
Median Rent $1,154 $1,280 $1,413
Median Income $70,688 $89,062 $80,734
Home Value To Income 5.2x 3.9x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.17x 0.21x

Baxter, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Baxter Services costs vs. Minnesota
Item Baxter Minnesota
Shampoo $1.52 $1.28
Movie $11.24 $12.13
Bowling $26.39 $18
Haircut $27.97 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.17 $45.56
Detailed Baxter Groceries costs vs. Minnesota
Item Baxter Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $4.86 $4.93
Pizza $13.07 $12.09
Beer $9.52 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7
Detailed Baxter Health costs vs. Minnesota
Item Baxter Minnesota
Optometrist $109.94 $125.68
Doctor $162.98 $135.78
Dentist $96.9 $113.29
Detailed Baxter Transportation costs vs. Minnesota
Item Baxter Minnesota
Gasoline $3.31 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.97 $59.92
Detailed Baxter Utilities costs vs. Minnesota
Item Baxter Minnesota
All Electricity $175.69 $193.99
Phone $188.55 $192.25

Baxter SnackAbility

8.5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 8.5/10
Housing 8/10
Affordability 8/10
Diversity 4/10
Safety 6/10
Amenities 6/10
Education 9/10
Commute 9/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Baxter

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Baxter. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Sartell, MN has a cost of living index of 105, 1.0x Baxter.

  • Brainerd, MN has a cost of living index of 93, 0.9x Baxter.

  • Little Falls, MN has a cost of living index of 95, 0.9x Baxter.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Baxter
Sartell, MN 19,758 105 1.0x
Brainerd, MN 14,468 93 0.9x
Little Falls, MN 9,121 95 0.9x