Elk River vs Moorhead
Elk River, Minnesota versus Moorhead, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Elk River and Moorhead score about the same overall (46 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Elk River | Moorhead |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $96k | $69k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $44k |
| Home Value | $306k | $234k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $997 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.19% | 1.21% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.36% | 16.67% |
| Unemployment | 2.0% | 4.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 15°F | 9°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 72°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 32.9 in | 26.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 35.7 in | 52.7 in |
| Sunny Days | 234 days | 229 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 60°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 86 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.1 | 42.4 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 57 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.1 | 84.3 |
| Violent Crime | 641/100k | 927/100k |
| Property Crime | 1712/100k | 2245/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 25,936 | 44,443 |
| Median Age | 35.7 | 31.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.25 | 0.27 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.04 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | R+33 | Even |
| White (%) | 85.3% | 82.1% |
| Black (%) | 3.8% | 5.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.7% | 5.1% |
| Asian (%) | 1.1% | 1.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.0% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 29 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 6.0/20 | 14.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 34 mi | 218 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 91.4% | 86.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 24.29 | 51.98 |
| 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 Elk River or Moorhead more affordable?
- Moorhead has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Elk River's $52k and Moorhead's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Elk River versus $997 in Moorhead.
- Is Elk River or Moorhead safer?
- Elk River has the lower violent crime rate. Elk River reports 641/100k and Moorhead reports 927/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Elk River or Moorhead?
- The median home value is $306k in Elk River and $234k in Moorhead, so homes are more affordable in Moorhead.