Cost of living in Willmar 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 Willmar 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 Willmar is 94, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Willmar is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Willmar ranks as the #15 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.
Willmar ranks as the #1,806 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Willmar is $243,646.
The median income in Willmar is $63,368.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Willmar has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Minnesota, Willmar has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Minnesota's index of 97.
The standard of living in Willmar ranks as #15 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Willmar ranks as the #133 most expensive place in the North Star State.
For more reading on life in Willmar, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Willmar. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Willmar is 111.
The Groceries index in Willmar is 96.
The Health index in Willmar is 125.
The Housing index in Willmar is 75.
The Transportation index in Willmar is 98.
The Utilities index in Willmar is 93.
| Living Expense | Willmar | Minnesota | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 94 | 97 | 100 | |
| Services | 111 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 96 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 125 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 75 | 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 Willmar is $243,646.
The Median Rent in Willmar is $830.
The Median Income in Willmar is $63,368.
The Home Value To Income in Willmar is 3.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Willmar is 0.16x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Willmar. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Hutchinson, MN has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Willmar.
Waite Park, MN has a cost of living index of 100, 1.1x Willmar.
Grove, OK has a cost of living index of 92, 1.0x Willmar.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Willmar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson, MN | 14,629 | 97 | 1.0x |
| Waite Park, MN | 8,341 | 100 | 1.1x |
| Grove, OK | 7,101 | 92 | 1.0x |
| St. Joseph, MN | 7,024 | 101 | 1.1x |
| Litchfield, MN | 6,599 | 99 | 1.1x |
| Montevideo, MN | 5,303 | 91 | 1.0x |