Sleepy Eye, MN vs Waseca, MN

Sleepy Eye is moderately more affordable than Waseca, with a 6.9% lower cost of living index. Sleepy Eye scores 68 compared to 73 for Waseca, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Waseca can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Sleepy Eye is $757/month compared to $796/month in Waseca — a 5% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Sleepy Eye is more affordable at $138,500 median vs $185,600.

Median household income in Sleepy Eye is $64,811 compared to $61,546 in Waseca (+5.3%). Sleepy Eye offers a double advantage: higher earnings combined with a lower cost of living, giving residents significantly more purchasing power. Looking at affordability, residents of Sleepy Eye spend roughly 14% of their income on rent, less than the 15.5% in Waseca.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (45.4°F vs 44.8°F). Waseca receives more rainfall at 34.7" per year compared to 28" in Sleepy Eye.