Chaska vs Prior Lake
Chaska, Minnesota versus Prior Lake, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Chaska edges out Prior Lake on overall objective livability (47 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Chaska | Prior Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $100k | $130k |
| Cost of Living | $57k | $57k |
| Home Value | $360k | $401k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.02% | 1.08% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.22% | 15.88% |
| Unemployment | 2.3% | 1.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 16°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.6 in | 33.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 51.6 in | 54.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 182 days | 182 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 42.7 | 56.8 |
| Air Quality | 55 AQI | 55 AQI |
| School Quality | 62.3 | 45.3 |
| Violent Crime | 312/100k | 641/100k |
| Property Crime | 794/100k | 1677/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 27,764 | 27,608 |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 39.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.26 | 0.24 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 82.2% | 85.2% |
| Black (%) | 2.0% | 1.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.4% | 3.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.2% | 4.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.3% | 5.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 25 min |
| Walkability | 9.1/20 | 7.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 20 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.0% | 94.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 53.67 | 51.07 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Chaska or Prior Lake more affordable?
- Prior Lake has the lower cost of living: its index is $57k, compared with Chaska's $57k and Prior Lake's $57k. Median rent is $1k in Chaska versus $1k in Prior Lake.
- Is Chaska or Prior Lake safer?
- Chaska has the lower violent crime rate. Chaska reports 312/100k and Prior Lake reports 641/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Chaska or Prior Lake?
- The median home value is $360k in Chaska and $401k in Prior Lake, so homes are more affordable in Chaska.