Albert Lea, MN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Albert Lea, MN Summary

Cost of living in Albert Lea 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 Albert Lea 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 Albert Lea is 85, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Albert Lea is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Albert Lea ranks as the #5 cheapest in Minnesota out of 147.

  • Albert Lea ranks as the #777 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Albert Lea is $113,900.

  • The median income in Albert Lea is $51,047.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
85
Albert Lea's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Albert Lea, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Albert Lea has an overall cost of living index of 85, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Albert Lea has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Minnesota's index of 95.

The standard of living in Albert Lea ranks as #5 most affordable out of the 147 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Albert Lea ranks as the #142 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Albert Lea, check out:

5 out of 147
In Minnesota
777 out of 6,412
In America

Albert Lea Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

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

  • The Services index in Albert Lea is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Albert Lea is 92.

  • The Health index in Albert Lea is 97.

  • The Housing index in Albert Lea is 56.

  • The Transportation index in Albert Lea is 89.

  • The Utilities index in Albert Lea is 111.

Living Expense Albert Lea Minnesota National Average
Overall 85 95 100
Services 98 101 100
Groceries 92 98 100
Health 97 111 100
Housing 56 83 100
Transportation 89 98 100
Utilities 111 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
Albert Lea Cost of Living Vs. MN

Albert Lea, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Albert Lea is $113,900.

  • The Median Rent in Albert Lea is $746.

  • The Median Income in Albert Lea is $51,047.

  • The Home Value To Income in Albert Lea is 2.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Albert Lea is 0.18x.

Statistic Albert Lea Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $113,900 $250,200 $244,900
Median Rent $746 $1,081 $1,163
Median Income $51,047 $77,706 $69,021
Home Value To Income 2.2x 3.2x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.17x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Albert Lea, MN
$113,900
Median Home Value
$746
Median Rent
$51,047
Median Income

Albert Lea, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Albert Lea Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Albert Lea Minnesota
Shampoo $1.05 $1.06
Movie $9.5 $10.68
Bowling $10.0 $14.67
Haircut $19.56 $18.62
Beauty Salon $24.89 $39.05

Detailed Albert Lea Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Albert Lea Minnesota
Ground Beef $3.78 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.53 $1.39
Milk $1.88 $2.05
Potatoes $2.63 $3.29
Pizza $12.07 $10.62
Beer $8.53 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.59 $2.34

Detailed Albert Lea Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Albert Lea Minnesota
Optometrist $91.44 $108.57
Doctor $126.17 $116.17
Dentist $93.33 $99.13

Detailed Albert Lea Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Albert Lea Minnesota
Gasoline $2.01 $2.22
Tire Balancing $45.42 $50.07

Detailed Albert Lea Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Albert Lea Minnesota
All Electricity $197.53 $167.67
Phone $180.82 $175.64

Albert Lea SnackAbility

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

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Albert Lea

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Albert Lea. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Mankato, MN has a cost of living index of 95, 1.1x Albert Lea.

  • Owatonna, MN has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Albert Lea.

  • Austin, MN has a cost of living index of 84, 1.0x Albert Lea.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Albert Lea
Mankato, MN 43,938 95 1.1x
Owatonna, MN 26,366 92 1.1x
Austin, MN 26,030 84 1.0x
Faribault, MN 24,310 92 1.1x
North Mankato, MN 14,356 96 1.1x
Waseca, MN 9,237 88 1.0x
Clear Lake, IA 7,673 90 1.1x
Kasson, MN 6,772 90 1.1x
Stewartville, MN 6,620 94 1.1x

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