States › Minnesota › Northfield

Is Northfield, MN expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 24 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,8355% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$91,559about $7,630/month · 5% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$329,4001% lower than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 59% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 3.6 years of household income. Commutes are short, about 17.7 minutes.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $73,400 a year. That is $35 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Minnesota cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Minnesota. It is number 108 of 150 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Northfield
$1,835
Forest Lake
$1,778
South St. Paul
$1,433
New Hope
$1,604
Willmar
$1,090
West St. Paul
$1,434
St. Michael
$1,568

How much do households earn in Northfield?

Under $25k
9.3%
$25k–50k
18.8%
$50k–100k
33.7%
$100k–150k
22.9%
$150k+
10.8%

Share of households by yearly income. 33.6% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Northfield

SizeNorthfieldU.S. average
Studio$911$1,338
1 bedroom$948$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,295$1,509
3 bedrooms$1,507$1,698

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

How expensive is Northfield 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 Northfield, so the Minnesota figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Northfield

🏛️ Property tax$4,522a year · 1.37% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$138a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Northfield

Commute to work17.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree53.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home69.3%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line8.8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment4.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Northfield?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $451 a month less.

Renting
$1,835
Owning
$2,286

Owning assumes a typical $329,400 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $32,940 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Northfield, MN?

Renting in Northfield costs a median of about $1,835 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Minnesota median is $1,525.

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

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $73,400 a year, or $35 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Northfield cheap or expensive?

Northfield is rated OK: rent takes 24.1% of the typical household income of $91,559. It ranks 108th cheapest of 150 Minnesota cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Northfield?

The median homeowner in Northfield pays $4,522 a year in property taxes, about 1.37% of the median home value.

Is Northfield 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 Northfield?

The median home value in Northfield is $329,400, about 3.6 times the typical yearly household income.

20,742 people live in Northfield. Numbers are typical (middle) values.