Andover vs Elk River
Andover, Minnesota versus Elk River, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Andover edges out Elk River on overall objective livability (50 vs 46 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Andover | Elk River |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $123k | $96k |
| Cost of Living | $53k | $52k |
| Home Value | $370k | $306k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.93% | 1.19% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.34% | 16.36% |
| Unemployment | 2.6% | 2.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 16°F | 15°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 28.8 in | 32.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 44.1 in | 35.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 182 days | 234 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 94 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 25.6 | 50.1 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 59.1 | 66.1 |
| Violent Crime | 0/100k | 641/100k |
| Property Crime | 0/100k | 1712/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 32,639 | 25,936 |
| Median Age | 39.3 | 35.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.23 | 0.25 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+33 |
| White (%) | 86.4% | 85.3% |
| Black (%) | 4.1% | 3.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.3% | 3.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.5% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.7% | 6.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 27 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 6.3/20 | 6.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 26 mi | 34 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.8% | 91.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 50.86 | 24.29 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
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 Andover or Elk River more affordable?
- Elk River has the lower cost of living: its index is $52k, compared with Andover's $53k and Elk River's $52k. Median rent is $2k in Andover versus $1k in Elk River.
- Is Andover or Elk River safer?
- Andover has the lower violent crime rate. Andover reports 0/100k and Elk River reports 641/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Andover or Elk River?
- The median home value is $370k in Andover and $306k in Elk River, so homes are more affordable in Elk River.