Circle Pines, MN vs Grand Marais, MN

Grand Marais is moderately more affordable than Circle Pines, with a 13.9% lower cost of living index. Circle Pines scores 100 compared to 88 for Grand Marais, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Circle Pines can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Circle Pines is $1,337/month compared to $1,013/month in Grand Marais — a 32% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Grand Marais has cheaper rent, Circle Pines actually has lower median home values ($277,300 vs $283,700).

Median household income in Circle Pines is $96,477 compared to $73,846 in Grand Marais (+30.6%). While Circle Pines is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Circle Pines spend roughly 16.6% of their income on rent, more than the 16.5% in Grand Marais.