Ranked from ACS 2023 5-Year
Counties Where Renting Costs Far Less Than Owning in Minnesota
The widest gaps between median rent and the full monthly cost of owning the median home. A large gap does not automatically mean renting is the better decision, because rent buys no equity and is not fixed for thirty years, but it does show where the market prices ownership at a steep premium.
Minnesota ranked
| # | County | Monthly saved by renting | Median rent | Monthly to own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carver County | $1,933 | $1,444 | $3,377 |
| 2 | Scott County | $1,656 | $1,485 | $3,141 |
| 3 | Hennepin County | $1,602 | $1,439 | $3,041 |
| 4 | Chisago County | $1,543 | $1,112 | $2,655 |
| 5 | Washington County | $1,538 | $1,637 | $3,175 |
| 6 | Sherburne County | $1,515 | $1,151 | $2,666 |
| 7 | Le Sueur County | $1,468 | $885 | $2,353 |
| 8 | Cook County | $1,442 | $886 | $2,328 |
| 9 | Douglas County | $1,433 | $896 | $2,329 |
| 10 | Wright County | $1,421 | $1,246 | $2,667 |
| 11 | Dakota County | $1,388 | $1,497 | $2,885 |
| 12 | Rice County | $1,360 | $1,046 | $2,406 |
| 13 | Goodhue County | $1,272 | $939 | $2,211 |
| 14 | Wabasha County | $1,241 | $798 | $2,039 |
| 15 | Crow Wing County | $1,223 | $962 | $2,185 |
| 16 | Ramsey County | $1,222 | $1,298 | $2,520 |
| 17 | Otter Tail County | $1,219 | $805 | $2,024 |
| 18 | Becker County | $1,219 | $899 | $2,118 |
| 19 | Nicollet County | $1,210 | $931 | $2,141 |
| 20 | Anoka County | $1,207 | $1,396 | $2,603 |
| 21 | Olmsted County | $1,197 | $1,283 | $2,480 |
| 22 | Dodge County | $1,194 | $1,007 | $2,201 |
| 23 | Cass County | $1,162 | $889 | $2,051 |
| 24 | Morrison County | $1,155 | $782 | $1,937 |
| 25 | Hubbard County | $1,134 | $923 | $2,057 |
| 26 | Clay County | $1,121 | $1,000 | $2,121 |
| 27 | Benton County | $1,119 | $917 | $2,036 |
| 28 | Pope County | $1,105 | $851 | $1,956 |
| 29 | Isanti County | $1,068 | $1,241 | $2,309 |
| 30 | Kandiyohi County | $1,063 | $843 | $1,906 |
| 31 | Mille Lacs County | $1,058 | $909 | $1,967 |
| 32 | McLeod County | $1,054 | $906 | $1,960 |
| 33 | Stearns County | $1,048 | $1,057 | $2,105 |
| 34 | Houston County | $1,026 | $881 | $1,907 |
| 35 | Blue Earth County | $994 | $1,076 | $2,070 |
| 36 | Waseca County | $993 | $819 | $1,812 |
| 37 | Meeker County | $990 | $894 | $1,884 |
| 38 | Carlton County | $984 | $967 | $1,951 |
| 39 | Pine County | $974 | $873 | $1,847 |
| 40 | Winona County | $974 | $866 | $1,840 |
| 41 | Steele County | $969 | $1,006 | $1,975 |
| 42 | Sibley County | $952 | $858 | $1,810 |
| 43 | Aitkin County | $946 | $912 | $1,858 |
| 44 | Fillmore County | $938 | $763 | $1,701 |
| 45 | Polk County | $920 | $843 | $1,763 |
| 46 | Rock County | $900 | $745 | $1,645 |
| 47 | Lyon County | $894 | $742 | $1,636 |
| 48 | Wilkin County | $879 | $561 | $1,440 |
| 49 | Lake of the Woods County | $872 | $867 | $1,739 |
| 50 | Kanabec County | $855 | $1,003 | $1,858 |
| 51 | Beltrami County | $854 | $991 | $1,845 |
| 52 | Itasca County | $803 | $944 | $1,747 |
| 53 | Lake County | $778 | $1,026 | $1,804 |
| 54 | St. Louis County | $778 | $970 | $1,748 |
| 55 | Wadena County | $760 | $706 | $1,466 |
| 56 | Todd County | $743 | $850 | $1,593 |
| 57 | Grant County | $733 | $779 | $1,512 |
| 58 | Pennington County | $732 | $900 | $1,632 |
| 59 | Clearwater County | $730 | $740 | $1,470 |
| 60 | Red Lake County | $728 | $628 | $1,356 |
| 61 | Murray County | $724 | $768 | $1,492 |
| 62 | Stevens County | $675 | $833 | $1,508 |
| 63 | Nobles County | $653 | $863 | $1,516 |
| 64 | Martin County | $635 | $735 | $1,370 |
| 65 | Lincoln County | $633 | $688 | $1,321 |
| 66 | Mower County | $632 | $848 | $1,480 |
| 67 | Brown County | $619 | $931 | $1,550 |
| 68 | Roseau County | $613 | $886 | $1,499 |
| 69 | Yellow Medicine County | $612 | $688 | $1,300 |
| 70 | Mahnomen County | $594 | $685 | $1,279 |
| 71 | Freeborn County | $590 | $837 | $1,427 |
| 72 | Cottonwood County | $589 | $765 | $1,354 |
| 73 | Marshall County | $574 | $737 | $1,311 |
| 74 | Renville County | $564 | $760 | $1,324 |
| 75 | Redwood County | $539 | $767 | $1,306 |
| 76 | Jackson County | $528 | $736 | $1,264 |
| 77 | Watonwan County | $516 | $807 | $1,323 |
| 78 | Big Stone County | $468 | $718 | $1,186 |
| 79 | Koochiching County | $463 | $774 | $1,237 |
| 80 | Chippewa County | $460 | $846 | $1,306 |
| 81 | Kittson County | $455 | $728 | $1,183 |
| 82 | Norman County | $448 | $752 | $1,200 |
| 83 | Lac qui Parle County | $444 | $809 | $1,253 |
| 84 | Pipestone County | $394 | $731 | $1,125 |
| 85 | Traverse County | $392 | $617 | $1,009 |
| 86 | Swift County | $369 | $900 | $1,269 |
| 87 | Faribault County | $255 | $837 | $1,092 |
Every figure is modelled on the county's own median home with 20% down at 7.03%. Property tax and electricity are county and state specific; homeowners insurance uses the NAIC average premium for that state, which ranges from 0.16% of home value in Hawaii to 1.16% in Oklahoma. Maintenance and water are national estimates. Full methodology.
Nationwide
Counties Where Renting Costs Far Less Than Owning across all 3,133 US counties · Every county in Minnesota