Owatonna, MN vs St. Cloud, MN

St. Cloud is moderately more affordable than Owatonna, with a 5.4% lower cost of living index. Owatonna scores 83 compared to 79 for St. Cloud, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Owatonna can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Owatonna is $1,010/month compared to $1,005/month in St. Cloud — a 1% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: St. Cloud is more affordable at $212,800 median vs $234,600.

Median household income in Owatonna is $81,276 compared to $61,112 in St. Cloud (+33%). While Owatonna is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Owatonna spend roughly 14.9% of their income on rent, less than the 19.7% in St. Cloud.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (44.8°F vs 42.9°F). Owatonna receives more rainfall at 34.7" per year compared to 28.5" in St. Cloud.