Alexandria vs West Union
Alexandria, Minnesota versus West Union, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Alexandria edges out West Union on overall objective livability (48 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Alexandria | West Union |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $64k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $46k |
| Home Value | $234k | $102k |
| Monthly Rent | $852 | — |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $29 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.97% | 0.91% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.50% | 14.01% |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 8.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 11°F | 11°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 70°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 24.1 in | 24.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 46.3 in | 54.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 234 days | 234 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 86 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 32.2 | 75.1 |
| Air Quality | — | 53 AQI |
| School Quality | 68.1 | 49.8 |
| Violent Crime | 954/100k | 685/100k |
| Property Crime | 1689/100k | 640/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 14,400 | 77 |
| Median Age | 37.9 | 36.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.13 | 0.00 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.20 |
| Political Leaning | R+34 | R+50 |
| White (%) | 90.6% | 100.0% |
| Black (%) | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.4% | 0.0% |
| Asian (%) | 0.9% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.8% | 0.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | — |
| Walkability | 6.8/20 | 5.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 125 mi | 111 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.6% | 75.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 43.75 | 129.87 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Alexandria or West Union more affordable?
- Alexandria has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Alexandria's $43k and West Union's $46k.
- Is Alexandria or West Union safer?
- West Union has the lower violent crime rate. Alexandria reports 954/100k and West Union reports 685/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Alexandria or West Union?
- The median home value is $234k in Alexandria and $102k in West Union, so homes are more affordable in West Union.