Willmar, MN Cost Of Living

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

Cost of living in Willmar, Minnesota

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:

93 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#13 Cheapest in Minnesota (of 151)
#1,516 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$237,639 Median home value
$910 Median rent
$62,280 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Willmar, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Willmar has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Willmar has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Minnesota's index of 101.

The standard of living in Willmar ranks as #13 most affordable out of the 151 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Willmar ranks as the #138 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Willmar, check out:

Willmar Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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

  • The Services index in Willmar is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Willmar is 98.

  • The Health index in Willmar is 74.

  • The Housing index in Willmar is 100.

  • The Transportation index in Willmar is 104.

  • The Utilities index in Willmar is 99.

Living Expense Willmar Minnesota National Average
Overall 93 101 100
Services 102 101 100
Groceries 98 99 100
Health 74 99 100
Housing 100 101 100
Transportation 104 103 100
Utilities 99 101 100

Willmar Cost Of Living Compared To Minnesota Averages

Services
Willmar 102
Minnesota avg 101
Groceries
Willmar 98
Minnesota avg 99
Health
Willmar 74
Minnesota avg 99
Housing
Willmar 100
Minnesota avg 101
Transportation
Willmar 104
Minnesota avg 103
Utilities
Willmar 99
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

Willmar, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

$237,639Median Home Value
$910Median Rent
$62,280Median 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 Willmar is $237,639.

  • The Median Rent in Willmar is $910.

  • The Median Income in Willmar is $62,280.

  • The Home Value To Income in Willmar is 3.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Willmar is 0.18x.

Statistic Willmar Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $237,639 $346,667 $332,700
Median Rent $910 $1,280 $1,413
Median Income $62,280 $89,062 $80,734
Home Value To Income 3.8x 3.9x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.17x 0.21x

Willmar, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Willmar Services costs vs. Minnesota
Item Willmar 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
Detailed Willmar Groceries costs vs. Minnesota
Item Willmar 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
Detailed Willmar Health costs vs. Minnesota
Item Willmar Minnesota
Optometrist $109.94 $125.68
Doctor $162.98 $135.78
Dentist $96.9 $113.29
Detailed Willmar Transportation costs vs. Minnesota
Item Willmar Minnesota
Gasoline $3.31 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.97 $59.92
Detailed Willmar Utilities costs vs. Minnesota
Item Willmar Minnesota
All Electricity $175.69 $193.99
Phone $188.55 $192.25

Willmar SnackAbility

5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 6/10
Housing 6/10
Affordability 8/10
Diversity 9/10
Safety 4/10
Amenities 8.5/10
Education 6/10
Commute 10/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Willmar

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 92, 1.0x Willmar.

  • Waite Park, MN has a cost of living index of 96, 1.0x Willmar.

  • Grove, OK has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Willmar.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Willmar
Hutchinson, MN 14,680 92 1.0x
Waite Park, MN 8,399 96 1.0x
Grove, OK 7,176 91 1.0x
St. Joseph, MN 7,021 97 1.0x
Litchfield, MN 6,576 96 1.0x
Montevideo, MN 5,315 89 1.0x