What are the schools like in Carlos, MN?

Carlos is served primarily by Alexandria Public School District. The district operates 6 elementary schools, 1 middle schools, and 2 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 14.5:1.

What is the median household income in Carlos?

The median household income in Carlos, MN is $70,417 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 4.6%.

What is the weather like in Carlos, MN?

Carlos has an average high temperature of 19.0°F in January and 80.2°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 30.7 inches and annual snowfall averages 54.0 inches.

Carlos, MN Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Carlos, MN affordable or expensive?

Carlos's cost of living index is 96, where 100 represents the national average. This means Carlos is 4% less expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $167,600 and the median rent is $1,000 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Carlos, MN?

Carlos has a violent crime rate of 131.1 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 694.8 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Carlos, MN a Good Place to Live?

Carlos is a small town of 426 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $70,417 and a 4.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 96 (US average = 100), which is 4% below the national average.

Strengths: Carlos stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Carlos is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Carlos city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 96.0

Carlos's overall cost of living index is 96.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Carlos costs roughly 4% less than the average American city.

Metric	Carlos, MN	National Avg
Median Home Value	$167,600	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$1,000	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	86.5%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$70,417	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Carlos's violent crime rate is 131.1 per 100,000 residents — 66% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

131.1 /100k

Property Crime

694.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Carlos is served primarily by Alexandria Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Carlos, MN	National Avg
School District	Alexandria Public School District	—
Elementary Schools	6	—
Middle Schools	1	—
High Schools	2	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	14.5:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	6.7%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	92.6%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Carlos sees average highs of 19.0°F in January and 80.2°F in July, with 30.7 inches of annual precipitation and 54.0 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Carlos, MN
Average High — January	19.0°F
Average High — July	80.2°F
Annual Precipitation	30.7"
Annual Snowfall	54.0"

Demographics

Metric	Carlos, MN	National Avg
Population	426	—
Median Age	33.1	38.9
Unemployment Rate	4.6%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	21.2 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	94.4%	59.3%
Black or African American	2.3%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	2.6%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	26.8%	22.2%
65 and over	8.7%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Miltona, MN 5 mi Nelson, MN 6 mi Alexandria, MN 8 mi Osakis, MN 10 mi Garfield, MN 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Carlos

Carlos, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code:

56319

Carlos vs Other Cities

Carlos, MN vs Miltona, MN Carlos, MN vs Nelson, MN Carlos, MN vs Alexandria, MN Carlos, MN vs Osakis, MN Carlos, MN vs Garfield, MN

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Carlos, MN affordable or expensive?

Carlos's cost of living index is 96, where 100 is the national average. That makes Carlos roughly 4% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $167,600 and median rent is $1,000/month.

What is the crime rate in Carlos, MN?

Carlos's violent crime rate is 131.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 694.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Carlos?

Public schools in Carlos are operated by Alexandria Public School District. The district has 6 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.5:1. 6.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Carlos, MN a good place to live?

Carlos, MN has a population of 426, a median household income of $70,417, and an unemployment rate of 4.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Carlos?

Carlos averages 19.0°F in January and 80.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 30.7 inches with about 54.0 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Carlos?

Carlos, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 56319.

What is the population of Carlos?

The population of Carlos, Minnesota is 426 with a median age of 33.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Carlos?

Key numbers for living in Carlos: cost of living index 96 (100 = US average), median home $167,600, median household income $70,417, crime index 34 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Carlos side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.