Janesville is a small town of 2,455 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $71,053
and a 3.4% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is
5% below the national average.
Strengths:
Janesville stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Janesville is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Janesville 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: 94.7
Janesville's overall cost of living index is 94.7,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Janesville costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.
Metric
Janesville, MN
National Avg
Median Home Value
$173,900
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$825
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
85.5%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$71,053
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Janesville's violent crime rate is 120.8 per 100,000 residents
— 68% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
120.8 /100k
Property Crime
402.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Janesville is served primarily by JANESVILLE-WALDORF-PEMBERTON.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.6:1
(better than the national average of ~16:1).
Metric
Janesville, MN
National Avg
School District
JANESVILLE-WALDORF-PEMBERTON
—
Elementary Schools
1
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
1
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.6:1
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
27.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
92.5%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Janesville sees average highs of 21.7°F in January
and 81.3°F in July,
with 37.9 inches of annual precipitation
and 52.3 inches of snow per year.
Janesville's cost of living index is 95, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Janesville roughly 5% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $173,900 and median rent is $825/month.
Janesville's violent crime rate is 120.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 402.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Janesville are operated by JANESVILLE-WALDORF-PEMBERTON.
The district has 1 elementary, several middle, and 1 high schools.
The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.6:1. 27.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Janesville, MN has a population of 2,455, a median household income of $71,053, and an unemployment rate of 3.4%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Janesville averages 21.7°F in January and 81.3°F in July. Annual rainfall is 37.9 inches
with about 52.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Janesville, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 56048.
The population of Janesville, Minnesota is 2,455 with a median age of 34.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Janesville: cost of living index 95 (100 = US average), median home $173,900, median household income $71,053, crime index 27 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Janesville side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
