Knife River is a small town of 114 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $73,583
.
Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is
13% below the national average.
Strengths:
Knife River stands out for an affordable cost of living, a well-educated population.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Knife River is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Knife River 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: 87.0
Knife River's overall cost of living index is 87.0,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Knife River costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.
Metric
Knife River, MN
National Avg
Median Home Value
$650,000
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
N/A
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
100.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$73,583
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Very Safe
Knife River's violent crime rate is 103.4 per 100,000 residents
— 73% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
103.4 /100k
Property Crime
441.7 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Knife River, MN
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
49.1%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
100.0%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Knife River sees average highs of 23.7°F in January
and 75.1°F in July,
with 33.1 inches of annual precipitation
and 61.0 inches of snow per year.
Knife River's cost of living index is 87, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Knife River roughly 13% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $650,000 and median rent is N/A/month.
Knife River's violent crime rate is 103.4 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 441.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Knife River, MN has a population of 114, a median household income of $73,583, and an unemployment rate of N/A.
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.
Knife River averages 23.7°F in January and 75.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 33.1 inches
with about 61.0 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Knife River, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 55609.
The population of Knife River, Minnesota is 114 with a median age of 87.8. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Knife River: cost of living index 87 (100 = US average), median home $650,000, median household income $73,583, crime index 25 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Knife River side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
