Ely vs Grand Marais
Ely, Minnesota versus Grand Marais, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Grand Marais edges out Ely on overall objective livability (51 vs 47 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Ely | Grand Marais |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $47k | $69k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $44k |
| Home Value | $157k | $260k |
| Monthly Rent | $563 | $901 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $515 |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.75% | 0.90% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.06% | 15.98% |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 1.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 11°F | 15°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 64°F | 61°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.3 in | 25.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 64.6 in | 50.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 211 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 56°F | 56°F |
| Comfortable Days | 57 days | 53 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 81.4 | 51.8 |
| Air Quality | 39 AQI | 45 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 82.2 |
| Violent Crime | 841/100k | 0/100k |
| Property Crime | 903/100k | 0/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 3,265 | 1,768 |
| Median Age | 46.3 | 45.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.13 | 0.17 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.10 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+35 |
| White (%) | 93.4% | 90.6% |
| Black (%) | 1.4% | 0.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.2% | 2.6% |
| Asian (%) | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 6.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Walkability | 10.1/20 | 8.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 219 mi | 242 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.0% | 87.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 64.32 | 124.43 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Ely or Grand Marais more affordable?
- Grand Marais has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Ely's $47k and Grand Marais's $44k. Median rent is $563 in Ely versus $901 in Grand Marais.
- Is Ely or Grand Marais safer?
- Grand Marais has the lower violent crime rate. Ely reports 841/100k and Grand Marais reports 0/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Ely or Grand Marais?
- The median home value is $157k in Ely and $260k in Grand Marais, so homes are more affordable in Ely.