Residential comparison · 13 facts
Elk River, MN vs Owatonna, MN
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Elk River needs about $82,000 in Owatonna to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Owatonna, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $88,000 in Elk River.
A few differences
- Elk River is higher on median household income ($108,741 vs $80,750).
- Owatonna is lower on cost of living index (88 vs 96).
- Owatonna is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,125/mo vs $1,226/mo).
Elk River vs Owatonna · facet by facet
| Facet | Elk River, MN | Owatonna, MN |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $370,100 | $245,200 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,226/mo | $1,125/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.05% | 1.05% |
| State & local income tax | 3.68% | 3.68% |
| Sales tax | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Cost of living index | 96 | 88 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $108,741 | $80,750 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Crime index | 40/100 | 40/100 |
| School rating | 7.0/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 195 days | 195 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Elk River, MN · Owatonna, MN
Questions & answers
- Is Elk River cheaper than Owatonna?
- Owatonna has the lower day-to-day cost index (88 vs 96 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Owatonna equals $85,000 in Elk River?
- A household earning $85,000 in Elk River needs about $82,000 in Owatonna to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Owatonna lifestyle costs about $88,000 in Elk River.