CostBy County

Cost of Living in Carlton County, Minnesota

$1,009/mo
Median Monthly Rent
$245,100
Median Home Value

At a Glance

Median Monthly Rent
$1,009/mo
8% above state average
Median Home Value
$245,100
26% below national
Census GRAPI
28.5%
Median gross rent as % of renter income

Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)

Affordability Rating
Affordable
Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income

These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.

How Carlton County Compares

Median monthly rent comparison

Carlton County$1,009/mo
Minnesota Average$938/mo
National Median$1,413/mo

Detailed Housing Stats

$1,009/mo
Median Gross Rent
$245,100
Median Home Value
$1,320/mo
Monthly Owner Cost
28.5%
Census GRAPI

National Ranking

Affordability Rank

Carlton County ranks #2,467 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 21%)

Most AffordableLeast Affordable

Sourced county brief

Official Rent Burden in Carlton County Reaches 28.5 Percent

Official rent burden (GRAPI) in Carlton County is 28.5%, which is 1.2 percentage points above the Minnesota unweighted county mean of 27.3%. Median gross rent was estimated at $1,009 per month, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $938. For owner-occupied units, median monthly costs are $1,320, which is $204 higher than the state unweighted county mean of $1,116. The median home value is $245,100, compared to the Minnesota unweighted county mean of $238,336. Household income for renters was estimated at a median of $41,519. The canonical rent-to-income percentage of 28.5% matches the official ACS B25071 GRAPI estimate. These figures describe the housing cost landscape during the 2020-2024 period without predicting future market changes. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.

Cost of Living Advisory: Carlton County

Affordability Verdict

ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 28.5% of renter household income in Carlton County, which is below the 30% affordability benchmark. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.

Rent vs. Own

Median gross rent is $1,009 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,320. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.

Income Needed

Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $40,360 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.

Regional Context

The Minnesota unweighted mean of county median rents is $938 per month. Carlton County's $1,009 median is 7.6% above that comparison value.

Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2

Affordability Calculator

See how your income compares to housing costs in Carlton County

$

Rent Burden

15.0%

of gross income

Max Housing (28% Rule)

$1,880

per month

Owner Cost Burden

19.7%

of gross income

The median home in Carlton County may be a stretch

Median home value is $245,100. Estimated monthly cost: $1,957 vs. your max of $1,880.

Rent Affordability Guide

Your entered rent as a share of entered income15.0%
Recommended max30.0%

Income Needed Calculator

See how much you need to earn to comfortably afford housing

$
Rent Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $80,573Needed: $40,360
Owner Cost Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $80,573Needed: $56,571
Mortgage Affordability

$0/yr

Needed to stay within recommended threshold

Median income:$0/yr
Can you afford it? Yes
Your income: $80,573Needed: $57,041

Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Carlton County, Minnesota?
Carlton County, Minnesota has a median monthly rent of $1,009/mo and a median home value of $245,100. The affordability rating is Affordable, with median gross rent equal to approximately 28.5% of renter household income.
What is the median rent in Carlton County?
The median gross rent in Carlton County is $1,009/mo. This is 8% above state average for Minnesota.
Is Carlton County affordable?
Carlton County is rated Affordable using the Census median gross-rent-as-a-percentage-of-income measure of 28.5%. Median gross rent is under 30% of renter household income.
How does Carlton County's rent compare to the state average?
Carlton County's median rent of $1,009/mo is 8% above state average of $938/mo for Minnesota.
What is the median home value in Carlton County?
The median home value in Carlton County, Minnesota is $245,100. This is 26% below the national median home value of $332,700.

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Published by the CostByCounty Editorial Team. See our methodology and corrections policy.Data build reviewed 2026-07-09; first published 2026-03-10.

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.

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