States › Minnesota › Moorhead

Is Moorhead, MN expensive to live in?

CheapRent takes 18 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,14535% lower than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$78,473about $6,539/month · 10% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$249,00025% lower than U.S. average

Rent is lower than in 79% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.2 years of household income. Commutes are short, about 17.8 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $45,800 a year. That is $22 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Minnesota cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of Minnesota. It is number 28 of 150 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Moorhead
$1,145
Mankato
$1,411
Shakopee
$2,154
Cottage Grove
$2,338
St. Louis Park
$2,024
Maplewood
$1,682
Minnetonka
$2,100

How much do households earn in Moorhead?

Under $25k
15.4%
$25k–50k
19.4%
$50k–100k
34.1%
$100k–150k
17.0%
$150k+
7.0%

Share of households by yearly income. 24.0% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Moorhead

SizeMoorheadU.S. average
Studio$853$1,338
1 bedroom$806$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,153$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,765$1,698
4 bedrooms$1,970$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Moorhead overall?

Everyday prices in Minnesota overall are 1% below the U.S. average (index 98.6, U.S. = 100).

Housing
91
Goods (food, clothes…)
101
Utilities
91
Other services
100
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Moorhead, so the Minnesota figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Moorhead

🏛️ Property tax$3,104a year · 1.25% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$142a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Moorhead

Commute to work17.8 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree41.6%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home58.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line16.1%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment5%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Moorhead?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $583 a month less.

Renting
$1,145
Owning
$1,728

Owning assumes a typical $249,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $24,900 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Moorhead, MN?

Renting in Moorhead costs a median of about $1,145 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Minnesota median is $1,525.

How much do I need to make to live in Moorhead?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $45,800 a year, or $22 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Moorhead cheap or expensive?

Moorhead is rated Cheap: rent takes 17.5% of the typical household income of $78,473. It ranks 28th cheapest of 150 Minnesota cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Moorhead?

The median homeowner in Moorhead pays $3,104 a year in property taxes, about 1.25% of the median home value.

Is Moorhead more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Minnesota are 1% below the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Moorhead?

The median home value in Moorhead is $249,000, about 3.2 times the typical yearly household income.

45,036 people live in Moorhead. Numbers are typical (middle) values.