CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

44.96° N · 93.59° W · GEOID 2748580

Orono

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

MinnesotaOrono, MNOronoOrono

The short answer

Orono is home to 8,195 people. Median household income is $173,527 a year and median rent is $1,818 a month, 12.6% 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 $1,004,500, about 5.8x annual median household income.

Orono stands out on value for money. Home values run 43% above what its fundamentals predict in the same metro area. Also notable: Owning with a mortgage costs about $2,183 a month more than the median rent, a wider gap than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 151 Minnesota places we track.

95OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Exceptional

Orono scores better than 95% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 15th of 151 in Minnesota.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%56
Economy 20%94
Safety 20%84
Amenities 15%56
Education 10%96
Commute 10%50
Growth 5%12
Median gross rent
$1,818
33% above the median place
Median household income
$173,527
116% above the median place
Median home value
$1,004,500
214% above the median place
Unemployment
2.8%
44% 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.

What stands out about Orono

  • Value for moneyRent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 98 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.
  • AffordabilityThe median rent takes 12.6% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 94% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Orono

Hennepin County loses about 7.3 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in55,870
Moved out63,590
Net−7,720

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Ramsey County, MN8,6558,910−255
Anoka County, MN5,3946,868−1,474
Dakota County, MN4,7456,338−1,593
Wright County, MN1,6013,026−1,425
Carver County, MN1,7152,806−1,091
Scott County, MN1,5732,255−682
Washington County, MN1,5451,770−225
Cook County, IL8941,048−154

Within Minnesota, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MinnesotaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$71K
Leavers$95K

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

Who moves here
6.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.5% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Hennepin County report $71,500 a year in income on average; those leaving, $94,800, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$72,700 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,818 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $4,001 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $1,004,500.
Getting to work
25 minutes each way on average; 31.5% work from home; 3.5% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Lake Forest, IL matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Income of households moving out8
$94,796
35% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-7.3
below the median place (median -0.6)
Moved from another state1
2.5%
24% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureOronoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure6.4%11% above
Moved from another state1County figure2.5%24% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-7.3below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$71,4571% above
Income of households moving out8County figure$94,79635% above
02

What it costs to live here

After the median rent, with other prices set to the US average, the median household keeps about $146,700 a year, more than in 93% of the 1,875 places under 10,000 people we track.

Orono12.6%
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
$72,720
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
12.6%
38% below the median place
Home price to income
5.8x
52% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
13%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$147,200
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Orono, $1,818 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 Orono, but easier on the budget

Places that match Orono 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
Lake Forest, IL939.3% vs 12.6%$62,600Compare
Cherry Hills Village, CO9010.5% vs 12.6%$83,000Compare
Hinsdale, IL869.2% vs 12.6%$76,000Compare
Woodcliff Lake, NJ8510.6% vs 12.6%$35,200Compare

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

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Orono? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median home value1
$1,004,500
214% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$4,001
114% above the median place
Homeownership1
90.9%
37% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureOronoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,81833% above
Rent to income112.6%38% below
Property tax rate10.9%4% below
Home price to income15.8x52% above
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$8,722167% above
Median home value1$1,004,500214% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure3.0%5% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure29.8%42% below
Homeownership190.9%37% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure47.5%6% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$4,001114% above
Vacant homes110.7%51% above
Median year built119820% above
03

Work and pay

Income per person is $124,728, 211% above the median place.

Income per person1
$124,728
211% above the median place
Works from home1
31.5%
153% above the median place
Median household income1
$173,527
116% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Unemployment2.8% −44%
Poverty rate6.2% −42%
Mean commute25 min +0%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureOronoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$173,527116% above
Income per person1$124,728211% above
Unemployment12.8%44% below
Average annual pay6County figure$92,29440% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure2.4%35% below
Jobs6County figure919,062above (median 150,665)
Poverty rate16.2%42% below
Mean commute125 min0% above
Works from home131.5%153% above
Commutes by transit1County figure3.5%312% above
04

Who lives here

High school or higher is 99.8%, 8% above the median place.

High school or higher1
99.8%
8% above the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
72.0%
124% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
97.4%
6% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Median age46.6 +19%
Household size2.7 +7%
Born abroad6.3% −29%
All 9 people measures
MeasureOronoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population18,1954860th largest
Population change since 202070.0%98% below
Median age146.619% above
Bachelor's or higher172.0%124% above
High school or higher199.8%8% above
Household size12.77% above
Born abroad16.3%29% below
No health insurance1County figure4.5%30% below
Homes with broadband197.4%6% above
05

Life in Orono

About 22 km of named paths and bike trails are mapped in and around the city, more than in 97% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track.

Founded or incorporated in 1889. 1 site is on the National Register of Historic Places, 4 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

  • Noerenberg Estate Barn listed 2015

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents34.2 3.4×
Playgrounds per 10k18.3 +94%
Grocery stores per 10k2.4 +15%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k2.4 −78%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails23 km 11.3×
Bus and rail stops per sq mi2.8 13.1×

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 29 miles
  • Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway 54 miles
  • Pipestone National Monument 150 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.3 +7%
Shops29.3 −3%
Arts, recreation and fitness6.5 +59%
Doctors' offices and clinics23.5 +16%
Child care centers3.5 +52%

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

Nearest National Park Service site11
28.7
7% below the median place
Public schools14
472
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students14
176,913
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureOronoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14County figure472above (median 9)
Public school students14County figure176,913above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher14County figure15.21% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure22.37% above
Shops per 10k9County figure29.33% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure6.559% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure23.516% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure3.552% above
Parks per 10k1034.2236% above
Playgrounds per 10k1018.394% above
Grocery stores per 10k102.415% above
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k102.478% below
Libraries per 10k100.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails1022.5above (median 2.0)
Transit stops per sq mi102.8above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site1128.77% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1120% above
National Register listings12192% below
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 104, 46% below the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
104
46% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
280
77% below the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

January average low15
6°F
76% below the median place
Average temperature15
45°F
18% below the median place
Tornado risk16
99.6
22% above the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureOronoAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure82°F5% below
January average low15County figure6°F76% below
Average temperature15County figure45°F18% below
Annual precipitation15County figure31.9 in27% below
Natural hazard risk16County figure98.36% above
Tornado risk16County figure99.622% above
Wildfire risk16County figure74.922% above
Heat wave risk16County figure99.110% above
Median air quality index17County figure455% above
Good air days17County figure57.8%16% below
08

Orono in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 13% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 13% 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, Orono does better than 55% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 40%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,818/mo (2024)$2,300/mo$1,890 to $2,810/mo+4.0%
Median household income$173,527 (2024)$217,000$183,000 to $256,500+3.8%
Median home value$1,004,500 (2024)$1,431,000$1,039,000 to $1,972,000+6.1%
Population8,301 (2025)8,3708,030 to 8,730+0.2%

The median home would be worth 6.6 years of the median income in 2030, against 5.8 now.

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

09

Places like Orono

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

PlaceRentIncome
Marblehead, MA$1,764$182,132Compare
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY$1,877$193,621Compare
Cochituate, MA$1,582$192,361Compare
Normandy Park, WA$1,893$162,476Compare
Normandy Park, WACochituate, MAHastings-on-Hudson, NYMarblehead, MAOrono, MNOronoMarbleheadHastings-on-HudsonNormandy ParkOronoMarbleheadHastings-on-HudsonNormandy Park

Places built like Orono

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 Orono performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Orono, MN12.6%1.8%/yr0.0%
Shorewood, MN11.3%4.1%/yr-2.0%Compare
Mahtomedi, MN16.5%3.1%/yr0.6%Compare
Mendota Heights, MN14.7%1.8%/yr-1.7%Compare
North Oaks, MN18.1%5.3%/yr0.1%Compare
Evergreen, CO15.6%5.2%/yrn/aCompare
Fairmount, CO19.7%8.0%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is Orono a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 95 out of 100, better than 95% of the places we rate and 15th of 151 in Minnesota. Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 98 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings. The median rent takes 12.6% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 94% of the 2,480 places under 10,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 88 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Orono expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 12.6% 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 $1,004,500.

What salary do you need to live in Orono?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $72,720 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Orono safe?

There were 104 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Orono?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Marblehead, MA, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, Cochituate, MA and Normandy Park, WA.

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. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 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
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. 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 Orono with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Orono itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/orono-minnesota

Citytistics. “Orono, Minnesota.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/orono-minnesota/

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