Elk River, MN Cost Of Living

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

Cost of living in Elk River, Minnesota

Cost of living in Elk River 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 Elk River 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:

106 Cost of living index 1.1x higher vs US
#74 Cheapest in Minnesota (of 151)
#3,167 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$391,288 Median home value
$1,283 Median rent
$108,741 Median income
Not sure Elk River fits your budget? Try our place-match quiz →

What is the cost of living in Elk River, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Elk River has an overall cost of living index of 106, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Elk River ranks as #74 most affordable out of the 151 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Elk River ranks as the #77 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Elk River, check out:

Elk River Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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

  • The Services index in Elk River is 99.

  • The Groceries index in Elk River is 102.

  • The Health index in Elk River is 127.

  • The Housing index in Elk River is 99.

  • The Transportation index in Elk River is 104.

  • The Utilities index in Elk River is 101.

Living Expense Elk River Minnesota National Average
Overall 106 101 100
Services 99 101 100
Groceries 102 99 100
Health 127 99 100
Housing 99 101 100
Transportation 104 103 100
Utilities 101 101 100

Elk River Cost Of Living Compared To Minnesota Averages

Services
Elk River 99
Minnesota avg 101
Groceries
Elk River 102
Minnesota avg 99
Health
Elk River 127
Minnesota avg 99
Housing
Elk River 99
Minnesota avg 101
Transportation
Elk River 104
Minnesota avg 103
Utilities
Elk River 101
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:

Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Elk River Get matched →

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

Elk River, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

$391,288Median Home Value
$1,283Median Rent
$108,741Median 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 Elk River is $391,288.

  • The Median Rent in Elk River is $1,283.

  • The Median Income in Elk River is $108,741.

  • The Home Value To Income in Elk River is 3.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Elk River is 0.14x.

Statistic Elk River Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $391,288 $346,667 $332,700
Median Rent $1,283 $1,280 $1,413
Median Income $108,741 $89,062 $80,734
Home Value To Income 3.6x 3.9x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.14x 0.17x 0.21x

Elk River, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Elk River Services costs vs. Minnesota
Item Elk River Minnesota
Shampoo $1.5 $1.28
Movie $11.32 $12.13
Bowling $25.68 $18
Haircut $25.86 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.0 $45.56
Detailed Elk River Groceries costs vs. Minnesota
Item Elk River Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.4 $1.57
Milk $4.6 $4.67
Potatoes $4.76 $4.93
Pizza $13.0 $12.09
Beer $9.44 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7
Detailed Elk River Health costs vs. Minnesota
Item Elk River Minnesota
Optometrist $112.72 $125.68
Doctor $164.15 $135.78
Dentist $95.01 $113.29
Detailed Elk River Transportation costs vs. Minnesota
Item Elk River Minnesota
Gasoline $3.32 $3.46
Tire Balancing $59.91 $59.92
Detailed Elk River Utilities costs vs. Minnesota
Item Elk River Minnesota
All Electricity $180.11 $193.99
Phone $187.59 $192.25

Elk River SnackAbility

9Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 9/10
Housing 8/10
Affordability 8.5/10
Diversity 6/10
Safety 8/10
Amenities 8/10
Education 8/10
Commute 5/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Elk River

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

  • Maple Grove, MN has a cost of living index of 117, 1.1x Elk River.

  • Andover, MN has a cost of living index of 122, 1.2x Elk River.

  • Ramsey, MN has a cost of living index of 116, 1.1x Elk River.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Elk River
Maple Grove, MN 71,173 117 1.1x
Andover, MN 33,035 122 1.2x
Ramsey, MN 28,421 116 1.1x
Champlin, MN 23,294 111 1.0x
Otsego, MN 22,245 116 1.1x
St. Michael, MN 20,010 112 1.1x
Ham Lake, MN 16,702 117 1.1x
Rogers, MN 13,685 124 1.2x
Oak Grove, MN 9,130 120 1.1x
Dayton, MN 9,095 123 1.2x