Austin vs Owatonna
Austin, Minnesota versus Owatonna, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Austin and Owatonna score about the same overall (49 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Austin | Owatonna |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $62k | $78k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $47k |
| Home Value | $139k | $217k |
| Monthly Rent | $877 | $925 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.03% | 1.32% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.89% | 16.20% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | 3.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 16°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.2 in | 35.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 43.4 in | 44.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 235 days | 235 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 62°F |
| Comfortable Days | 90 days | 95 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 73.4 | 64.7 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 43 AQI |
| School Quality | 61.0 | 97.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1366/100k | 758/100k |
| Property Crime | 2048/100k | 1038/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 26,156 | 26,400 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 40.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.44 | 0.23 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.04 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+23 |
| White (%) | 65.0% | 84.6% |
| Black (%) | 5.7% | 4.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 17.4% | 7.3% |
| Asian (%) | 8.0% | 0.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 3.5% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 8.9/20 | 6.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 84 mi | 54 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.3% | 86.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 21.41 | 21.97 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Austin or Owatonna more affordable?
- Austin has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Austin's $45k and Owatonna's $47k. Median rent is $877 in Austin versus $925 in Owatonna.
- Is Austin or Owatonna safer?
- Owatonna has the lower violent crime rate. Austin reports 1366/100k and Owatonna reports 758/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Austin or Owatonna?
- The median home value is $139k in Austin and $217k in Owatonna, so homes are more affordable in Austin.