Cost of Living

This data layer indicates the 2025 Cost of Living. It was developed by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development and the Natural Resources Research Institute. Cost of Living data provides annual expenses at the county level for the average family size of three in Minnesota: one full-time worker, one part-time worker, and one child. Expenses are separated into seven categories and include food, housing, health care, transportation, child care, other necessities, and net taxes. The wage necessary to meet these expenses is also included. Cost of living data may assist planners in community comparisons and as a framework for examining living wages within a community.