Clear Lake, MN vs Lester Prairie, MN

Lester Prairie is moderately more affordable than Clear Lake, with a 13.6% lower cost of living index. Clear Lake scores 84 compared to 74 for Lester Prairie, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Clear Lake can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Clear Lake is $864/month compared to $735/month in Lester Prairie — a 18% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Lester Prairie is more affordable at $217,000 median vs $255,800.

Median household income in Clear Lake is $105,000 compared to $87,188 in Lester Prairie (+20.4%). While Clear Lake is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Clear Lake spend roughly 9.9% of their income on rent, less than the 10.1% in Lester Prairie.