Duluth vs Elk River
Duluth, Minnesota versus Elk River, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Duluth and Elk River score about the same overall (47 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Duluth | Elk River |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $96k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $52k |
| Home Value | $210k | $306k |
| Monthly Rent | $990 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.21% | 1.19% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.54% | 16.36% |
| Unemployment | 4.9% | 2.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 11°F | 15°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 72°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.4 in | 32.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.0 in | 35.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 214 days | 234 days |
| Summer Humidity | 56°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 68 days | 94 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 34.5 | 50.1 |
| Air Quality | 35 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.3 | 66.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1022/100k | 641/100k |
| Property Crime | 3029/100k | 1712/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 86,772 | 25,936 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 35.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.22 | 0.25 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+33 |
| White (%) | 87.1% | 85.3% |
| Black (%) | 2.5% | 3.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.7% | 3.7% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 1.1% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.1% | 6.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 29 min |
| Walkability | 13.9/20 | 6.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 141 mi | 34 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.8% | 91.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.39 | 24.29 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | 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 Duluth or Elk River more affordable?
- Duluth has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Duluth's $44k and Elk River's $52k. Median rent is $990 in Duluth versus $1k in Elk River.
- Is Duluth or Elk River safer?
- Elk River has the lower violent crime rate. Duluth reports 1022/100k and Elk River reports 641/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Duluth or Elk River?
- The median home value is $210k in Duluth and $306k in Elk River, so homes are more affordable in Duluth.