Cottage Grove, MN vs Forest Lake, MN

Forest Lake is moderately more affordable than Cottage Grove, with a 6.1% lower cost of living index. Cottage Grove scores 116 compared to 109 for Forest Lake, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Cottage Grove can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Cottage Grove is $1,644/month compared to $1,379/month in Forest Lake — a 19% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Forest Lake has cheaper rent, Cottage Grove actually has lower median home values ($359,600 vs $375,900).

Median household income in Cottage Grove is $121,452 compared to $89,879 in Forest Lake (+35.1%). While Cottage Grove is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Cottage Grove spend roughly 16.2% of their income on rent, less than the 18.4% in Forest Lake.