Big Falls vs Red Lake
Big Falls, 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.
Big Falls 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 | Big Falls | Red Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $33k | $53k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $45k |
| Home Value | $48k | $138k |
| Monthly Rent | $513 | $483 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $76 | $248 |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.11% | — |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.17% | 12.55% |
| Unemployment | 13.6% | 19.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 5°F | 6°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 65°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 27.3 in | 22.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 54.5 in | 48.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 206 days | 233 days |
| Summer Humidity | 57°F | 58°F |
| Comfortable Days | 57 days | 69 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 76.2 | 57.8 |
| Air Quality | 38 AQI | 59 AQI |
| School Quality | 68.1 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 885/100k | 1852/100k |
| Property Crime | 986/100k | 3159/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 153 | 1,435 |
| Median Age | 63.4 | 31.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.11 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 1.06 |
| Political Leaning | R+22 | Even |
| White (%) | 94.1% | 3.9% |
| Black (%) | 0.0% | 0.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 0.0% | 3.6% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.9% | 91.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 4.9/20 | 4.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 229 mi | 223 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 70.6% | 82.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 196.08 | 90.59 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | 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 Big Falls or Red Lake more affordable?
- Big Falls has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Big Falls's $43k and Red Lake's $45k. Median rent is $513 in Big Falls versus $483 in Red Lake.
- Is Big Falls or Red Lake safer?
- Big Falls has the lower violent crime rate. Big Falls reports 885/100k and Red Lake reports 1852/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Big Falls or Red Lake?
- The median home value is $48k in Big Falls and $138k in Red Lake, so homes are more affordable in Big Falls.