City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Apple Valley | Rochester | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,607/mo | $1,218/mo | 31.9% higher in A |
| Median home value | $333,300 | $268,800 | 24.0% higher in A |
| Median household income | $97,588 | $83,973 | 16.2% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 101.0 | 95.7 | 5.6% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 93.0 | 88.7 | 4.8% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 102.2 | 93.6 | 9.1% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.8 | 94.3 | 9.1% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Apple Valley, you'd need $83,442 in Rochester to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Rochester, MN is about 16.6% cheaper overall than Apple Valley, MN, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 28% lower in Rochester than in Apple Valley. If you earn $80,000 in Apple Valley, you'd need about $66,754 in Rochester to keep the same standard of living.