Cost of living in North Branch 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 North Branch 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 North Branch is 101, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in North Branch is 1.0x higher than the national average.
North Branch ranks as the #51 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.
North Branch ranks as the #2,735 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in North Branch is $353,500.
The median income in North Branch is $90,383.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, North Branch has an overall cost of living index of 101, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Minnesota, North Branch has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Minnesota's index of 97.
The standard of living in North Branch ranks as #51 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies North Branch ranks as the #97 most expensive place in the North Star State.
For more reading on life in North Branch, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in North Branch. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in North Branch is 95.
The Groceries index in North Branch is 100.
The Health index in North Branch is 100.
The Housing index in North Branch is 110.
The Transportation index in North Branch is 98.
The Utilities index in North Branch is 93.
| Living Expense | North Branch | Minnesota | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 101 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 95 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 100 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 100 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 110 | 100 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 98 | 95 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 93 | 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 North Branch is $353,500.
The Median Rent in North Branch is $1,178.
The Median Income in North Branch is $90,383.
The Home Value To Income in North Branch is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in North Branch is 0.16x.
| Statistic | North Branch | Minnesota | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $353,500 | $344,484 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,178 | $1,235 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $90,383 | $87,556 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.9x | 3.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.16x | 0.17x | 0.21x |
| Item | North Branch | 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 |
| Item | North Branch | 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 |
| Item | North Branch | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $145.44 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $229.08 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $108.67 | $113.29 |
| Item | North Branch | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.38 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.74 | $59.92 |
| Item | North Branch | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $175.38 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.39 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around North Branch. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Forest Lake, MN has a cost of living index of 113, 1.1x North Branch.
East Bethel, MN has a cost of living index of 107, 1.1x North Branch.
Cambridge, MN has a cost of living index of 95, 0.9x North Branch.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. North Branch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Lake, MN | 20,678 | 113 | 1.1x |
| East Bethel, MN | 11,995 | 107 | 1.1x |
| Cambridge, MN | 9,992 | 95 | 0.9x |
| Wyoming, MN | 8,063 | 105 | 1.0x |
| Isanti, MN | 7,023 | 101 | 1.0x |