CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

45.10° N · 93.10° W · GEOID 2747104

North Oaks

Ramsey County, Minnesota · part of the Minneapolis, MN metro

MinnesotaNorth Oaks, MNNorth OaksNorth Oaks

The short answer

North Oaks is home to 5,179 people. Median household income is $231,742 a year and median rent is $3,501 a month, 18.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $821,200, about 3.5x annual median household income.

What sets North Oaks apart is how far household money goes. After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $183,500 a year, more than in 97% of places its size. It is the 2nd-highest of 121 Minnesota places we track. Also notable: Rent run 58% above what its fundamentals predict in the same metro area.

82OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Strong

North Oaks scores better than 82% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 71st of 151 in Minnesota.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%63
Economy 20%75
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%41
Education 10%97
Commute 10%42
Growth 5%47

Not rated: safety, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$3,501
156% above the median place
Median household income
$231,742
189% above the median place
Median home value
$821,200
157% above the median place
Unemployment
4.9%
0% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to North Oaks

Ramsey County loses about 10.2 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in29,989
Moved out34,500
Net−4,511

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Hennepin County, MN8,9108,655+255
Washington County, MN3,0655,568−2,503
Dakota County, MN2,6954,071−1,376
Anoka County, MN2,7213,880−1,159
Cook County, IL273307−34
Scott County, MN258312−54

Within Minnesota, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MinnesotaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$57K
Leavers$69K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Ramsey County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
8.0% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.3% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Ramsey County report $57,200 a year in income on average; those leaving, $68,900, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$140,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $3,501 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $3,913 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $821,200.
Getting to work
26 minutes each way on average; 39.5% work from home; 3.7% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Hinsdale, IL matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-10.2
below the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8
$57,179
19% below the median place
Moved here in the past year1
8.0%
39% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureNorth OaksAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure8.0%39% above
Moved from another state1County figure2.3%15% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-10.2below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$57,17919% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$68,8862% below
02

What it costs to live here

High pay has not made renting easy. Household income is higher than in 98% of places we track, yet 76% of renters still spend 30% or more of income on rent.

North Oaks18.1%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$140,040
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
18.1%
11% below the median place
Home price to income
3.5x
7% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
18%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$183,800
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in North Oaks, $3,501 a month, and local prices for everything else (103.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like North Oaks, but easier on the budget

Places that match North Oaks on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Hinsdale, IL869.2% vs 18.1%$39,200Compare
Cherry Hills Village, CO8510.5% vs 18.1%$46,300Compare
Medfield, MA8211.0% vs 18.1%$11,200Compare
Lake Forest, IL829.3% vs 18.1%$25,900Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in North Oaks.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to North Oaks? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
75.6%
49% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$3,913
109% above the median place
Median home value1
$821,200
157% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureNorth OaksAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$3,501156% above
Rent to income118.1%11% below
Property tax rate11.0%7% above
Home price to income13.5x7% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure104.84% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,7347% above
HUD area median income4County figure$131,50023% above
Property tax paid (median)1$7,964144% above
Median home value1$821,200157% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure2.9%8% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure30.7%40% below
Homeownership188.2%33% above
Renters paying 30%+175.6%49% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$3,913109% above
Vacant homes1County figure5.4%24% below
Median year built119830% above
03

Work and pay

39% of workers mostly work from home, more than in 98% of the 2,104 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-highest of 149 Minnesota places we track.

Works from home1
39.5%
217% above the median place
Median household income1
$231,742
189% above the median place
Income per person1
$93,573
134% above the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureNorth OaksAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$231,742189% above
Income per person1$93,573134% above
Unemployment1County figure4.9%0% below
Average annual pay6County figure$81,31123% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.4%19% above
Jobs6County figure330,908120% above
Poverty rate15.1%53% below
Mean commute126 min6% above
Works from home139.5%217% above
Commutes by transit1County figure3.7%331% above
04

Who lives here

75% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, a larger share than in 96% of the 2,473 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the highest of 151 Minnesota places we track.

Bachelor's or higher1
74.7%
133% above the median place
High school or higher1
97.8%
6% above the median place
Household size1
2.9
15% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Median age43.1 +11%
Homes with broadband89.1% −3%
Born abroad8.2% −7%
All 9 people measures
MeasureNorth OaksAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population15,1796499th largest
Population change since 202070.1%87% below
Median age143.111% above
Bachelor's or higher174.7%133% above
High school or higher197.8%6% above
Household size12.915% above
Born abroad18.2%7% below
No health insurance1County figure5.5%14% below
Homes with broadband189.1%3% below
05

Life in North Oaks

The nearest National Park Service site is Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, about 16 miles away.

2 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Hill's James, J., North Oaks Farm, Dairy Building listed 1997
  • Hill's, James J., North Oaks Farm, Dairy Building, Granary Root Cellar and Auxiliary Buildings, Boundary Increase listed 1999

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents34.8 3.4×
Playgrounds per 10k27.0 2.9×
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k7.7 −31%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails1 km −45%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.3 +38%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Mississippi National River and Recreation Area 16 miles
  • Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway 29 miles
  • Effigy Mounds National Monument 168 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.2 +7%
Shops26.4 −13%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.4 +32%
Doctors' offices and clinics21.9 +8%
Child care centers2.4 +4%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools13
1
89% below the median place
Public school students13
1,093
78% below the median place
Students per teacher13
19.9
29% above the median place
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureNorth OaksAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools13189% below
Public school students131,09378% below
Students per teacher1319.929% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure22.27% above
Shops per 10k9County figure26.413% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure5.432% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure21.98% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.44% above
Parks per 10k1034.8242% above
Playgrounds per 10k1027.0187% above
Grocery stores per 10k100.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k107.731% below
Libraries per 10k100.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails101.145% below
Transit stops per sq mi100.338% above
Nearest National Park Service site1116.048% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1120% above
National Register listings12285% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

January average low is 7°F, 74% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached North Oaks. Larger places are fetched first.

January average low14
7°F
74% below the median place
Average temperature14
45°F
17% below the median place
Median air quality index16
34
21% below the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureNorth OaksAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high14County figure82°F5% below
January average low14County figure7°F74% below
Average temperature14County figure45°F17% below
Annual precipitation14County figure32.5 in26% below
Natural hazard risk15County figure94.62% above
Tornado risk15County figure98.721% above
Wildfire risk15County figure52.614% below
Heat wave risk15County figure98.29% above
Median air quality index16County figure3421% below
Good air days16County figure70.1%2% above
08

North Oaks in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 18% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 18% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, North Oaks does better than 65% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 7%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$3,501/mo (2024)$4,480/mo$3,670 to $5,460/mo+4.2%
Median household income$231,742 (2024)$293,500$248,000 to $347,500+4.0%
Median home value$821,200 (2024)$1,135,000$824,000 to $1,564,000+5.5%
Population5,283 (2025)5,3405,120 to 5,570+0.2%

The median home would be worth 3.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.5 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like North Oaks

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Wakefield, VA$3,501$237,975Compare
Bull Run, VA$3,293$241,933Compare
Floris, VA$3,258$246,058Compare
Dunn Loring, VA$3,501$244,265Compare
Dunn Loring, VAFloris, VABull Run, VAWakefield, VANorth Oaks, MNNorth OaksWakefieldBull RunFlorisDunn LoringNorth OaksWakefieldBull RunFlorisDunn Loring

Places built like North Oaks

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how North Oaks performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
North Oaks, MN18.1%5.3%/yr0.1%
Medina, MN7.4%9.3%/yr8.8%Compare
Orono, MN12.6%1.8%/yr0.0%Compare
Minnetrista, MN25.8%-1.0%/yr14.5%Compare
Shady Hollow, TX15.4%5.5%/yrn/aCompare
Mahtomedi, MN16.5%3.1%/yr0.6%Compare
Poolesville, MD10.7%2.7%/yr2.7%Compare

Common questions

Is North Oaks a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 82 out of 100, better than 82% of the places we rate and 71st of 151 in Minnesota. On cost, space and class size it scores 83 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is North Oaks expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 18.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $821,200.

What salary do you need to live in North Oaks?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $140,040 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to North Oaks?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Wakefield, VA, Bull Run, VA, Floris, VA and Dunn Loring, VA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  14. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  15. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  16. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares North Oaks with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for North Oaks itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/north-oaks-minnesota

Citytistics. “North Oaks, Minnesota.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/north-oaks-minnesota/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.