Crookston vs Thief River Falls
Crookston, Minnesota versus Thief River Falls, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Crookston and Thief River Falls score about the same overall (43 vs 44 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Crookston | Thief River Falls |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $53k | $65k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $44k |
| Home Value | $161k | $160k |
| Monthly Rent | $825 | $921 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $3k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.08% | 1.28% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.88% | 15.71% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | 1.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 7°F | 5°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 68°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 22.4 in | 24.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 49.9 in | 49.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 229 days | 229 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 58°F |
| Comfortable Days | 77 days | 71 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 86.1 | 82.2 |
| School Quality | 54.5 | 54.5 |
| Violent Crime | 2038/100k | 614/100k |
| Property Crime | 1580/100k | 2203/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 7,472 | 8,871 |
| Median Age | 39.4 | 37.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.27 | 0.16 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.97 |
| Political Leaning | R+29 | R+28 |
| White (%) | 80.7% | 87.4% |
| Black (%) | 1.7% | 1.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 11.1% | 6.4% |
| Asian (%) | 3.0% | 0.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.5% | 3.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 15 min | 12 min |
| Walkability | 7.5/20 | 7.5/20 |
| Airport Distance | 257 mi | 263 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.0% | 88.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 54.87 | 27.05 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | 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 Crookston or Thief River Falls more affordable?
- Crookston has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Crookston's $43k and Thief River Falls's $44k. Median rent is $825 in Crookston versus $921 in Thief River Falls.
- Is Crookston or Thief River Falls safer?
- Thief River Falls has the lower violent crime rate. Crookston reports 2038/100k and Thief River Falls reports 614/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Crookston or Thief River Falls?
- The median home value is $161k in Crookston and $160k in Thief River Falls, so homes are more affordable in Thief River Falls.