Bemidji vs Red Lake
Bemidji, Minnesota versus Red Lake, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Bemidji edges out Red Lake on overall objective livability (40 vs 36 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bemidji | Red Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $50k | $53k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $45k |
| Home Value | $177k | $138k |
| Monthly Rent | $955 | $483 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $248 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.23% | — |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.91% | 12.55% |
| Unemployment | 4.2% | 19.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 8°F | 6°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 27.5 in | 22.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 48.9 in | 48.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 233 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 58°F | 58°F |
| Comfortable Days | 73 days | 69 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 64.0 | 57.8 |
| Air Quality | 57 AQI | 59 AQI |
| School Quality | 54.6 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 3441/100k | 1852/100k |
| Property Crime | 7900/100k | 3159/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 15,441 | 1,435 |
| Median Age | 29.1 | 31.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.40 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 1.06 |
| Political Leaning | R+30 | Even |
| White (%) | 75.8% | 3.9% |
| Black (%) | 1.8% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.7% | 3.6% |
| Asian (%) | 1.2% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 18.5% | 91.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | — |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 4.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 196 mi | 223 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.9% | 82.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 47.92 | 90.59 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
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 Bemidji or Red Lake more affordable?
- Bemidji has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Bemidji's $43k and Red Lake's $45k. Median rent is $955 in Bemidji versus $483 in Red Lake.
- Is Bemidji or Red Lake safer?
- Red Lake has the lower violent crime rate. Bemidji reports 3441/100k and Red Lake reports 1852/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bemidji or Red Lake?
- The median home value is $177k in Bemidji and $138k in Red Lake, so homes are more affordable in Red Lake.