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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Early in your career, the right city accelerates everything: salary growth, networking, savings. We ranked 2 cities in Minnesota for young professionals, weighting income, job market depth, and transport. Minneapolis leads with income of $80,269 and 425,115 residents.
425,115 residents · Minnesota
Minneapolis earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 101 cost index sits 11 points below the national baseline, and the $80,269 — we had to double-check this one — median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $327,043 — $140,327 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 93, while Healthcare trails at 104.
303,820 residents · Minnesota
The #2 spot goes to St Paul, and the breakdown explains why. Renters here pay $1,485/month — we had to double-check this one — — saving renters $4,920 per year compared to the national average. Meanwhile, Utilities is the standout at index 89, making it one of the cheapest in the country for that category. The weak spot? Healthcare at 100. At a 24% rent-to-income ratio, there's genuine breathing room in the average household budget.
#1 Ranked: Minneapolis — cost index 101, rent $1,638/mo, income $80,269
Minneapolis rent up 4% over the past year
Young-professional scoring: income $80,269, population 425,115 (job market depth), transport index 96
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minneapolis | 101 | $1,638 | Details |
| 2 | St Paul | 97 | $1,485 | Details |
Early in your career, the right city accelerates everything: salary growth, networking, savings. We ranked 2 cities in Minnesota for young professionals, weighting income, job market depth, and transport. Minneapolis leads with income of $80,269 and 425,115 residents.
For young professionals, we weight income potential highest (20pts) — early career earnings compound over decades. Population comes next (15pts) as a proxy for job market depth: more employers means more opportunity. Transport costs (10pts) matter because most early-career workers are car-dependent. Minneapolis leads with $80,269 — make of that what you will — median income and 425,115 residents.
Why Minneapolis ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. And in practical terms, at 101 on the cost index, residents save roughly 11% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,638/month while the median household pulls in $80,269/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 93, though Healthcare (104) lags behind. Home prices average $327,043 — $140,327 below the national median.
This data point is the sleeper of the ranking: Minneapolis rent up 4% over the past year. Rent in #1-ranked Minneapolis has increased from $1,569 to $1,638/mo over the past 12 months — a 4% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
Bottom line: Minneapolis leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. That's about what we'd expect given the state context. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers (which, to be fair, is a metric that favors smaller cities).
Minneapolis ranks #1 in Minnesota for this analysis with a cost index of 101 and median income of $80,269.
Minneapolis scores highest for young professionals due to its strong income potential, median rent of $1,638/mo, and competitive median income of $80,269.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Minneapolis (ranked #1) has a cost index of 101 and rent of $1,638/mo, while St Paul (ranked #2) has a cost index of 97 and rent of $1,485/mo — a 4-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Minneapolis is $1,638/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $257 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Minneapolis is $327,043, which is 4.1× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Minnesota has a 9.85% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.545%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.02%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.