Cost of living in Fergus Falls 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 Fergus Falls 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 Fergus Falls is 97, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Fergus Falls is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Fergus Falls ranks as the #28 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.
Fergus Falls ranks as the #2,245 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Fergus Falls is $198,700.
The median income in Fergus Falls is $50,865.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fergus Falls has an overall cost of living index of 97, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Minnesota, Fergus Falls has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Minnesota's index of 97.
The standard of living in Fergus Falls ranks as #28 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Fergus Falls ranks as the #120 most expensive place in the North Star State.
For more reading on life in Fergus Falls, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fergus Falls. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Fergus Falls is 110.
The Groceries index in Fergus Falls is 98.
The Health index in Fergus Falls is 123.
The Housing index in Fergus Falls is 74.
The Transportation index in Fergus Falls is 99.
The Utilities index in Fergus Falls is 94.
| Living Expense | Fergus Falls | Minnesota | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 97 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 110 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 123 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 74 | 100 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 99 | 95 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 94 | 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 Fergus Falls is $198,700.
The Median Rent in Fergus Falls is $839.
The Median Income in Fergus Falls is $50,865.
The Home Value To Income in Fergus Falls is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Fergus Falls is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Fergus Falls | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $198,700 | $344,484 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $839 | $1,235 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $50,865 | $87,556 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.9x | 3.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | Fergus Falls | 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 |
| Item | Fergus Falls | 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 |
| Item | Fergus Falls | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $109.94 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $162.98 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $96.9 | $113.29 |
| Item | Fergus Falls | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.31 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.97 | $59.92 |
| Item | Fergus Falls | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $175.69 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $188.55 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fergus Falls. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Alexandria, MN has a cost of living index of 101, 1.0x Fergus Falls.
Detroit Lakes, MN has a cost of living index of 98, 1.0x Fergus Falls.
Wahpeton, ND has a cost of living index of 87, 0.9x Fergus Falls.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Fergus Falls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexandria, MN | 14,579 | 101 | 1.0x |
| Detroit Lakes, MN | 10,002 | 98 | 1.0x |
| Wahpeton, ND | 7,996 | 87 | 0.9x |
| Morris, MN | 5,092 | 101 | 1.0x |