Before you decide to relocate to Minnesota, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Minnesota that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2019-2023 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 146 places in Minnesota with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Minnesota for 2025.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Minnesota For 2025
What’s the most expensive place to live in Minnesota? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Orono is the most expensive place to live in Minnesota.
International Falls (the cheapest place to live in Minnesota) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Minnesota and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Minnesota For 2025
/10
Population: 8,205
Cost Of Living Index: 155
Median Income: $181,875
Average Home Price: $952,400
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.2x
More on Orono: Data
The overall cost of living in Orono is 155. The median income in Orono comes in at $181,875 and the average home value is $952,400 for 2025.
/10
Population: 5,175
Cost Of Living Index: 150
Median Income: $235,858
Average Home Price: $756,300
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.2x
More on North Oaks: Data
The overall cost of living in North Oaks is 150. The median income in North Oaks comes in at $235,858 and the average home value is $756,300 for 2025.
/10
Population: 6,858
Cost Of Living Index: 149
Median Income: $219,181
Average Home Price: $660,800
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.0x
More on Medina: Data
The overall cost of living in Medina is 149. The median income in Medina comes in at $219,181 and the average home value is $660,800 for 2025.
/10
Population: 8,509
Cost Of Living Index: 143
Median Income: $156,346
Average Home Price: $624,600
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.0x
More on Minnetrista: Data
The overall cost of living in Minnetrista is 143. The median income in Minnetrista comes in at $156,346 and the average home value is $624,600 for 2025.
/10
Population: 53,125
Cost Of Living Index: 133
Median Income: $129,225
Average Home Price: $624,000
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.8x
More on Edina: Data
The overall cost of living in Edina is 133. The median income in Edina comes in at $129,225 and the average home value is $624,000 for 2025.
/10
Population: 7,679
Cost Of Living Index: 133
Median Income: $172,325
Average Home Price: $684,500
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.0x
More on Shorewood: Data
The overall cost of living in Shorewood is 133. The median income in Shorewood comes in at $172,325 and the average home value is $684,500 for 2025.
/10
Population: 10,972
Cost Of Living Index: 126
Median Income: $192,821
Average Home Price: $572,800
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.0x
More on Victoria: Data
The overall cost of living in Victoria is 126. The median income in Victoria comes in at $192,821 and the average home value is $572,800 for 2025.
/10
Population: 12,504
Cost Of Living Index: 124
Median Income: $153,407
Average Home Price: $588,900
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.8x
More on Lake Elmo: Data
The overall cost of living in Lake Elmo is 124. The median income in Lake Elmo comes in at $153,407 and the average home value is $588,900 for 2025.
/10
Population: 26,001
Cost Of Living Index: 123
Median Income: $138,034
Average Home Price: $530,700
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.8x
More on Chanhassen: Data
The overall cost of living in Chanhassen is 123. The median income in Chanhassen comes in at $138,034 and the average home value is $530,700 for 2025.
/10
Population: 6,854
Cost Of Living Index: 121
Median Income: $143,250
Average Home Price: $540,100
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.8x
More on Corcoran: Data
The overall cost of living in Corcoran is 121. The median income in Corcoran comes in at $143,250 and the average home value is $540,100 for 2025.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The North Star State For 2025
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Minnesota are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2019-2023 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Minnesota to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 146 places in Minnesota that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Minnesota according to the data is Orono. We updated this article for 2025. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Minnesota.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Minnesota For 2025
Well, there you have it, the places in Minnesota that have the highest cost of living, with Orono ranking as the most expensive city in the North Star State.
The most expensive cities in Minnesota are Orono, North Oaks, Medina, Minnetrista, Edina, Shorewood, Victoria, Lake Elmo, Chanhassen, and Corcoran.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Minnesota according to the data:
- International Falls
- Thief River Falls
- Crookston
For more Minnesota reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Minnesota
- Cheapest Places To Live In Minnesota
- Most Dangerous Cities In Minnesota
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Minnesota
- Safest Places In Minnesota
- Worst Places To Live In Minnesota
Most Expensive Cities In Minnesota
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orono | 155 | 8,205 | $181,875 | $952,400 | 5.2x |
| 2 | North Oaks | 150 | 5,175 | $235,858 | $756,300 | 3.2x |
| 3 | Medina | 149 | 6,858 | $219,181 | $660,800 | 3.0x |
| 4 | Minnetrista | 143 | 8,509 | $156,346 | $624,600 | 4.0x |
| 5 | Edina | 133 | 53,125 | $129,225 | $624,000 | 4.8x |
| 6 | Shorewood | 133 | 7,679 | $172,325 | $684,500 | 4.0x |
| 7 | Victoria | 126 | 10,972 | $192,821 | $572,800 | 3.0x |
| 8 | Lake Elmo | 124 | 12,504 | $153,407 | $588,900 | 3.8x |
| 9 | Chanhassen | 123 | 26,001 | $138,034 | $530,700 | 3.8x |
| 10 | Corcoran | 121 | 6,854 | $143,250 | $540,100 | 3.8x |
| 11 | Eden Prairie | 120 | 63,249 | $127,732 | $463,300 | 3.6x |
| 12 | Mendota Heights | 119 | 11,644 | $132,935 | $504,100 | 3.8x |
| 13 | Carver | 118 | 5,935 | $144,408 | $427,600 | 3.0x |
| 14 | Plymouth | 117 | 79,526 | $133,865 | $474,700 | 3.5x |
| 15 | Woodbury | 115 | 76,945 | $126,222 | $434,900 | 3.4x |
| 16 | Minnetonka | 115 | 53,256 | $120,496 | $456,200 | 3.8x |
| 17 | Prior Lake | 115 | 27,832 | $130,278 | $429,900 | 3.3x |
| 18 | Arden Hills | 115 | 9,737 | $128,668 | $423,800 | 3.3x |
| 19 | Lakeville | 114 | 72,480 | $138,119 | $425,200 | 3.1x |
| 20 | St. Michael | 113 | 19,267 | $130,814 | $365,800 | 2.8x |
| 21 | Ham Lake | 113 | 16,575 | $116,845 | $430,100 | 3.7x |
| 22 | Rogers | 113 | 13,405 | $159,638 | $437,900 | 2.7x |
| 23 | Maple Grove | 112 | 70,539 | $129,481 | $397,400 | 3.1x |
| 24 | Savage | 112 | 32,706 | $122,646 | $395,600 | 3.2x |
| 25 | Golden Valley | 112 | 21,927 | $114,435 | $423,500 | 3.7x |
| 26 | Hugo | 112 | 16,076 | $114,057 | $394,200 | 3.5x |
| 27 | Andover | 111 | 32,825 | $131,528 | $389,200 | 3.0x |
| 28 | Mahtomedi | 111 | 8,108 | $132,326 | $466,100 | 3.5x |
| 29 | Falcon Heights | 111 | 5,145 | $93,233 | $366,800 | 3.9x |
| 30 | Chaska | 110 | 28,146 | $110,000 | $379,400 | 3.4x |
| 31 | Ramsey | 110 | 28,070 | $112,060 | $345,000 | 3.1x |
| 32 | Shoreview | 110 | 26,724 | $109,399 | $365,100 | 3.3x |
| 33 | Lino Lakes | 110 | 21,847 | $121,800 | $385,000 | 3.2x |
| 34 | Waconia | 110 | 13,223 | $104,929 | $407,600 | 3.9x |
| 35 | Oak Grove | 110 | 9,031 | $114,679 | $394,100 | 3.4x |
| 36 | Eagan | 109 | 68,158 | $107,486 | $380,800 | 3.5x |
| 37 | St. Louis Park | 109 | 49,541 | $100,250 | $371,600 | 3.7x |
| 38 | Shakopee | 109 | 45,002 | $110,989 | $361,400 | 3.3x |
| 39 | East Bethel | 109 | 11,995 | $114,583 | $343,200 | 3.0x |
| 40 | Burnsville | 108 | 64,295 | $83,953 | $335,100 | 4.0x |
| 41 | Rosemount | 108 | 26,509 | $127,247 | $406,100 | 3.2x |
| 42 | Hermantown | 108 | 10,192 | $92,026 | $374,000 | 4.1x |
| 43 | St. Anthony | 108 | 9,516 | $97,784 | $365,700 | 3.7x |
| 44 | Cottage Grove | 107 | 40,124 | $121,452 | $359,600 | 3.0x |
| 45 | Mound | 107 | 9,176 | $91,370 | $348,600 | 3.8x |
| 46 | Apple Valley | 106 | 55,696 | $99,277 | $354,200 | 3.6x |
| 47 | Roseville | 106 | 35,905 | $88,440 | $334,800 | 3.8x |
| 48 | New Brighton | 106 | 22,900 | $87,272 | $345,900 | 4.0x |
| 49 | Forest Lake | 106 | 20,678 | $89,879 | $375,900 | 4.2x |
| 50 | Stillwater | 106 | 19,323 | $109,297 | $398,100 | 3.6x |
| 51 | Hopkins | 106 | 18,696 | $71,170 | $350,100 | 4.9x |
| 52 | Buffalo | 106 | 16,388 | $88,306 | $281,900 | 3.2x |
| 53 | Baxter | 106 | 8,804 | $71,272 | $298,400 | 4.2x |
| 54 | Dayton | 106 | 8,381 | $137,383 | $510,600 | 3.7x |
| 55 | Delano | 106 | 6,712 | $118,091 | $347,500 | 2.9x |
| 56 | Jordan | 106 | 6,704 | $110,139 | $319,000 | 2.9x |
| 57 | Bloomington | 105 | 88,838 | $90,677 | $346,200 | 3.8x |
| 58 | Blaine | 105 | 71,261 | $103,382 | $327,500 | 3.2x |
| 59 | Oakdale | 105 | 28,109 | $90,379 | $305,900 | 3.4x |
| 60 | Elk River | 105 | 26,367 | $99,457 | $338,300 | 3.4x |
| 61 | Farmington | 105 | 23,675 | $118,556 | $345,100 | 2.9x |
| 62 | Sartell | 105 | 19,620 | $77,465 | $278,000 | 3.6x |
| 63 | Minneapolis | 104 | 426,845 | $80,269 | $345,600 | 4.3x |
| 64 | Inver Grove Heights | 104 | 35,772 | $104,055 | $352,300 | 3.4x |
| 65 | White Bear Lake | 104 | 24,026 | $79,712 | $318,000 | 4.0x |
| 66 | Champlin | 104 | 23,450 | $115,719 | $338,400 | 2.9x |
| 67 | Otsego | 104 | 21,358 | $127,219 | $367,200 | 2.9x |
| 68 | Maplewood | 103 | 40,981 | $88,534 | $291,300 | 3.3x |
| 69 | Little Canada | 103 | 10,546 | $71,370 | $302,600 | 4.2x |
| 70 | New Prague | 103 | 8,195 | $98,424 | $323,500 | 3.3x |
| 71 | Albertville | 103 | 8,066 | $126,307 | $326,400 | 2.6x |
| 72 | Wyoming | 103 | 8,063 | $101,938 | $328,900 | 3.2x |
| 73 | Brooklyn Park | 102 | 84,349 | $85,964 | $313,500 | 3.6x |
| 74 | Coon Rapids | 102 | 63,348 | $86,618 | $287,200 | 3.3x |
| 75 | Richfield | 102 | 36,725 | $84,055 | $320,400 | 3.8x |
| 76 | Monticello | 102 | 14,607 | $81,563 | $298,400 | 3.7x |
| 77 | Alexandria | 102 | 14,579 | $61,558 | $247,200 | 4.0x |
| 78 | Robbinsdale | 101 | 14,318 | $84,719 | $280,400 | 3.3x |
| 79 | Vadnais Heights | 101 | 12,789 | $91,946 | $334,500 | 3.6x |
| 80 | St. Francis | 101 | 8,279 | $101,875 | $297,800 | 2.9x |
| 81 | Zimmerman | 101 | 6,410 | $86,169 | $284,600 | 3.3x |
| 82 | Chisago City | 101 | 5,629 | $96,964 | $366,600 | 3.8x |
| 83 | Crystal | 100 | 22,685 | $86,752 | $280,500 | 3.2x |
| 84 | Mounds View | 100 | 12,992 | $90,148 | $294,500 | 3.3x |
| 85 | North St. Paul | 100 | 12,511 | $81,641 | $286,600 | 3.5x |
| 86 | Big Lake | 100 | 12,115 | $113,333 | $291,700 | 2.6x |
| 87 | La Crescent | 100 | 5,266 | $82,109 | $244,500 | 3.0x |
| 88 | St. Paul | 99 | 307,762 | $73,055 | $280,300 | 3.8x |
| 89 | Northfield | 99 | 20,678 | $92,000 | $305,300 | 3.3x |
| 90 | Hutchinson | 99 | 14,629 | $71,730 | $210,300 | 2.9x |
| 91 | Sauk Rapids | 99 | 13,851 | $67,004 | $240,200 | 3.6x |
| 92 | Waite Park | 99 | 8,341 | $56,884 | $217,000 | 3.8x |
| 93 | Spring Lake Park | 99 | 6,997 | $77,112 | $281,800 | 3.7x |
| 94 | St. Cloud | 98 | 69,926 | $61,112 | $212,800 | 3.5x |
| 95 | Hastings | 98 | 22,050 | $92,940 | $294,100 | 3.2x |
| 96 | Willmar | 98 | 21,136 | $63,368 | $186,000 | 2.9x |
| 97 | West St. Paul | 98 | 21,076 | $70,738 | $281,800 | 4.0x |
| 98 | Anoka | 98 | 17,941 | $75,262 | $292,900 | 3.9x |
| 99 | Grand Rapids | 98 | 11,186 | $56,542 | $200,600 | 3.5x |
| 100 | North Branch | 98 | 11,182 | $90,383 | $290,600 | 3.2x |