countyscore

Cost of Living · Minnesota

Most Affordable Counties in Minnesota 2026

Ranked by housing affordability including median rent and home values.

Top 10 — Cost of Living in Minnesota

Score reflects cost of living only — not overall county quality.

1Koochiching County, MN
77.3
2Traverse County, MN
77.3
3Mahnomen County, MN
74.4
4Red Lake County, MN
73.7
5Lincoln County, MN
72.6
6Marshall County, MN
71.8
7Lac qui Parle County, MN
70.8
8Big Stone County, MN
70.2
9Wilkin County, MN
69.4
10Kittson County, MN
68.5

All Minnesota Counties — Cost of Living Rankings

87 counties ranked by cost of living score. Overall Score shown for context.

#CountyCost of Living ScoreOverall Score
1Koochiching County, MN
77.3
62.2
2Traverse County, MN
77.3
66.7
3Mahnomen County, MN
74.4
47.5
4Red Lake County, MN
73.7
73.3
5Lincoln County, MN
72.6
68.1
6Marshall County, MN
71.8
69.9
7Lac qui Parle County, MN
70.8
74.8
8Big Stone County, MN
70.2
68.3
9Wilkin County, MN
69.4
64.7
10Kittson County, MN
68.5
69.5
11Yellow Medicine County, MN
66.9
66.7
12Pipestone County, MN
66
66.9
13Redwood County, MN
65.5
62.2
14Martin County, MN
64.9
57.6
15Rock County, MN
62.3
70.5
16Clearwater County, MN
62
65.8
17Norman County, MN
62
68.8
18Wadena County, MN
61.9
62.1
19Jackson County, MN
61.3
70.9
20Faribault County, MN
60.5
63.9
21Murray County, MN
58.8
71.3
22Cottonwood County, MN
57.1
63.1
23Watonwan County, MN
56.1
53.8
24Renville County, MN
55.9
56
25Lyon County, MN
55
63.6
26Grant County, MN
53.5
65.8
27Aitkin County, MN
53
55
28Swift County, MN
51.2
64.3
29Morrison County, MN
49.6
51.2
30Freeborn County, MN
48
46.6
31Nobles County, MN
47.9
48.7
32Fillmore County, MN
47.4
64.3
33Cass County, MN
45.9
58.8
34Lake of the Woods County, MN
45.8
74.9
35Todd County, MN
45.8
55.4
36Chippewa County, MN
44
58.5
37Brown County, MN
43
60.7
38Otter Tail County, MN
42
50.5
39Stevens County, MN
41.6
64.1
40Roseau County, MN
40.8
56.2
41Wabasha County, MN
40.8
64.1
42Houston County, MN
40.2
59.8
43Polk County, MN
39.8
50.9
44Pennington County, MN
39.5
44.7
45Pine County, MN
39.1
47
46Cook County, MN
38.5
63.2
47Sibley County, MN
38
57.4
48Pope County, MN
37.3
65.3
49Mower County, MN
36.7
43.6
50Winona County, MN
36.1
47.5
51Hubbard County, MN
35.8
51
52Waseca County, MN
35
51.3
53Meeker County, MN
34.9
58.2
54Becker County, MN
33.8
52.9
55Itasca County, MN
33.5
56
56Beltrami County, MN
31.4
36
57Kandiyohi County, MN
31.4
44.4
58Mille Lacs County, MN
30.9
42.6
59Lake County, MN
30.4
65.1
60St. Louis County, MN
30
40.1
61Douglas County, MN
29.4
56.4
62McLeod County, MN
29.3
49.7
63Crow Wing County, MN
29.1
49.9
64Kanabec County, MN
28.3
52.5
65Nicollet County, MN
25.6
53.8
66Le Sueur County, MN
25.5
54.6
67Goodhue County, MN
25.1
47.4
68Benton County, MN
24
40.8
69Carlton County, MN
23.1
49.4
70Steele County, MN
22.1
49.2
71Stearns County, MN
21.4
50.1
72Clay County, MN
21.1
41.6
73Dodge County, MN
21.1
58.2
74Blue Earth County, MN
20
41.5
75Rice County, MN
18.9
49.1
76Sherburne County, MN
13.4
55.8
77Chisago County, MN
12.6
46.1
78Isanti County, MN
12
43.7
79Olmsted County, MN
11.6
43.5
80Ramsey County, MN
10.4
32.5
81Wright County, MN
10.1
56.5
82Anoka County, MN
8.3
43.5
83Dakota County, MN
6.5
42.9
84Hennepin County, MN
6.3
35.8
85Carver County, MN
5.3
56
86Scott County, MN
5.2
46.1
87Washington County, MN
4.6
47.5

Explore More

Best overall counties in MinnesotaFull Cost of Living data on CostByCounty