Cost of living in Detroit Lakes 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 Detroit Lakes 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:
The cost of living index in Detroit Lakes is 98, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Detroit Lakes is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Detroit Lakes ranks as the #32 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.
Detroit Lakes ranks as the #2,372 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Detroit Lakes is $367,358.
The median income in Detroit Lakes is $62,123.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Detroit Lakes has an overall cost of living index of 98, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Minnesota, Detroit Lakes has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Minnesota's index of 97.
The standard of living in Detroit Lakes ranks as #32 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Detroit Lakes ranks as the #116 most expensive place in the North Star State.
For more reading on life in Detroit Lakes, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Detroit Lakes. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Detroit Lakes is 91.
The Groceries index in Detroit Lakes is 94.
The Health index in Detroit Lakes is 105.
The Housing index in Detroit Lakes is 95.
The Transportation index in Detroit Lakes is 95.
The Utilities index in Detroit Lakes is 109.
| Living Expense | Detroit Lakes | Minnesota | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 98 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 91 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 94 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 105 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 95 | 100 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 95 | 95 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 109 | 94 | 100 | |
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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Detroit Lakes is $367,358.
The Median Rent in Detroit Lakes is $925.
The Median Income in Detroit Lakes is $62,123.
The Home Value To Income in Detroit Lakes is 5.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Detroit Lakes is 0.18x.
| Statistic | Detroit Lakes | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $367,358 | $344,484 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $925 | $1,235 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $62,123 | $87,556 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.9x | 3.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | Detroit Lakes | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.04 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $8.02 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $20.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $22.5 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $38.0 | $45.56 |
| Item | Detroit Lakes | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.52 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.38 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.48 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.11 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.88 | $3.7 |
| Item | Detroit Lakes | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $140.67 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $169.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $96.0 | $113.29 |
| Item | Detroit Lakes | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.27 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $57.0 | $59.92 |
| Item | Detroit Lakes | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $222.79 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $191.52 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Detroit Lakes. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Fargo, ND has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Detroit Lakes.
Moorhead, MN has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Detroit Lakes.
Fergus Falls, MN has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Detroit Lakes.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Detroit Lakes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo, ND | 129,064 | 101 | 1.0x |
| Moorhead, MN | 44,706 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Fergus Falls, MN | 14,138 | 97 | 1.0x |