Cost of Living

The Northland is an affordable place to live, thanks in large part to its relatively cheap housing stock. Rarely do costs rise high above the national average, and in the few cases where they do, it's driven by real estate along Lake Superior. The region's affordability becomes especially obvious when compared to other major cities in the region and across the country.

Sperling's Best Places measures the cost of living in an area relative to a US average of 100. If the number is above 100, it's more expensive to live in that area. If the number is below 100, then it's less expensive in that area.

The total of all costs of living is weighted subjectively as follows: housing (30%), food and groceries (15%), transportation (10%), utilities (6%), health care (7%), and miscellaneous expenses such as clothing, services, and entertainment (32%). State and local taxes are not included in any category.

This table lists 20 of the largest communities in the region. For information on smaller towns, contact Karl Schuettler at 218-481-3899 or kschuettler@northspan.org.

Cost of Living
	Overall	Grocery	Health	Housing	Utilities	Transportation	Miscellanous
Aitkin	92.4	104.9	109	65	104	101	107
Chisholm	85.7	102.8	107	48	103	101	105
Cloquet	97.6	104.6	104	82	102	104	107
Cohasset	113	104.6	107	132	105	104	102
Duluth	97.7	102.8	107	85	103	101	105
Ely	87.3	102.8	107	53	103	101	105
Eveleth	83.3	102.8	107	41	103	101	105
Grand Marais	103.1	102.7	105	100	103	104	107
Grand Rapids	97.3	104.6	107	83	105	104	102
Hermantown	111.4	102.8	107	128	103	101	105
Hibbing	87.5	102.8	107	54	103	101	105
Hoyt Lakes	83.4	102.8	107	41	103	101	105
International Falls	85.9	102	107	48	104	104	104
Moose Lake	93.3	104.6	104	69	102	104	107
Mountain Iron	90.8	102.8	107	64	103	101	105
Proctor	90.2	102.8	107	62	103	101	105
Rice Lake	84.1	102.9	108	42	104	104	104
Silver Bay	88.4	103.9	104	54	104	104	106
Superior	101.1	98.8	110	99	107	102	101
Two Harbors	95.8	103.9	104	77	104	104	106
Virginia	87.8	102.8	107	55	103	101	105

Source:  Sperling's Best Places (www.bestplaces.net)