Lake Elmo, MN Cost Of Living

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

Cost of living in Lake Elmo, Minnesota

Cost of living in Lake Elmo 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 Lake Elmo 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:

132 Cost of living index 1.3x higher vs US
#144 Cheapest in Minnesota (of 151)
#5,025 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$618,480 Median home value
$2,407 Median rent
$153,669 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Lake Elmo, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lake Elmo has an overall cost of living index of 132, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Lake Elmo has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than Minnesota's index of 101.

The standard of living in Lake Elmo ranks as #144 most affordable out of the 151 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Lake Elmo ranks as the #7 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Lake Elmo, check out:

Lake Elmo Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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

  • The Services index in Lake Elmo is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Lake Elmo is 99.

  • The Health index in Lake Elmo is 206.

  • The Housing index in Lake Elmo is 97.

  • The Transportation index in Lake Elmo is 105.

  • The Utilities index in Lake Elmo is 98.

Living Expense Lake Elmo Minnesota National Average
Overall 132 101 100
Services 101 101 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 206 99 100
Housing 97 101 100
Transportation 105 103 100
Utilities 98 101 100

Lake Elmo Cost Of Living Compared To Minnesota Averages

Services
Lake Elmo 101
Minnesota avg 101
Groceries
Lake Elmo 99
Minnesota avg 99
Health
Lake Elmo 206
Minnesota avg 99
Housing
Lake Elmo 97
Minnesota avg 101
Transportation
Lake Elmo 105
Minnesota avg 103
Utilities
Lake Elmo 98
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

Lake Elmo, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

$618,480Median Home Value
$2,407Median Rent
$153,669Median 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 Lake Elmo is $618,480.

  • The Median Rent in Lake Elmo is $2,407.

  • The Median Income in Lake Elmo is $153,669.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lake Elmo is 4.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Lake Elmo is 0.19x.

Statistic Lake Elmo Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $618,480 $346,667 $332,700
Median Rent $2,407 $1,280 $1,413
Median Income $153,669 $89,062 $80,734
Home Value To Income 4.0x 3.9x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.17x 0.21x

Lake Elmo, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Lake Elmo Services costs vs. Minnesota
Item Lake Elmo Minnesota
Shampoo $1.3 $1.28
Movie $13.47 $12.13
Bowling $21.5 $18
Haircut $28.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $34.55 $45.56
Detailed Lake Elmo Groceries costs vs. Minnesota
Item Lake Elmo Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.49 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.63 $4.67
Potatoes $4.98 $4.93
Pizza $12.49 $12.09
Beer $9.36 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7
Detailed Lake Elmo Health costs vs. Minnesota
Item Lake Elmo Minnesota
Optometrist $145.44 $125.68
Doctor $229.08 $135.78
Dentist $108.67 $113.29
Detailed Lake Elmo Transportation costs vs. Minnesota
Item Lake Elmo Minnesota
Gasoline $3.38 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.74 $59.92
Detailed Lake Elmo Utilities costs vs. Minnesota
Item Lake Elmo Minnesota
All Electricity $175.38 $193.99
Phone $187.39 $192.25

Lake Elmo SnackAbility

6Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 9/10
Housing 9/10
Affordability 8.5/10
Diversity 6/10
SafetyN/A
Amenities 6/10
Education 9.5/10
Commute 7/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lake Elmo

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

  • Woodbury, MN has a cost of living index of 120, 0.9x Lake Elmo.

  • Eagan, MN has a cost of living index of 117, 0.9x Lake Elmo.

  • Cottage Grove, MN has a cost of living index of 115, 0.9x Lake Elmo.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lake Elmo
Woodbury, MN 78,305 120 0.9x
Eagan, MN 68,000 117 0.9x
Cottage Grove, MN 40,992 115 0.9x
Richfield, MN 36,642 106 0.8x
Oakdale, MN 28,585 109 0.8x
Rosemount, MN 27,562 117 0.9x
Shoreview, MN 26,714 116 0.9x
Stillwater, MN 19,355 113 0.9x
Hugo, MN 16,340 115 0.9x
North St. Paul, MN 12,570 105 0.8x