Median Income
$173,209
household / year
Median Home Value
$874,500
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,638
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Orono, MN a Good Place to Live?

Orono is a small town of 8,223 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $173,209 and a 3.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Orono stands out for lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A-), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Orono is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Orono 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: 104.5

Orono's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Orono costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric Orono, MN National Avg
Median Home Value $874,500 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,638 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 92.2% 65.9%
Median Household Income $173,209 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Orono's violent crime rate is 52.8 per 100,000 residents — 86% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
52.8 /100k
Property Crime
490.9 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Orono is served primarily by ORONO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.3:1 (slightly above the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Orono, MN National Avg
School District ORONO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT —
Elementary Schools 2 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 17.3:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 69.3% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 99.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Orono sees average highs of 22.4°F in January and 81.4°F in July, with 30.8 inches of annual precipitation and 54.7 inches of snow per year.

MetricOrono, MN
Average High — January22.4°F
Average High — July81.4°F
Annual Precipitation30.8"
Annual Snowfall54.7"

Demographics

MetricOrono, MNNational Avg
Population8,223—
Median Age46.038.9
Unemployment Rate3.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time24.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)88.1%59.3%
Black or African American0.1%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.5%18.9%
Asian6.2%6.3%
Under 1826.7%22.2%
65 and over15.7%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Minnetonka Beach, MN 1 mi Long Lake, MN 2 mi Spring Park, MN 3 mi Tonka Bay, MN 3 mi Woodland, MN 3 mi

ZIP Codes in Orono

Orono, MN is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

55356 55391

Orono vs Other Cities

Orono, MN vs Minnetonka Beach, MN Orono, MN vs Long Lake, MN Orono, MN vs Spring Park, MN Orono, MN vs Tonka Bay, MN Orono, MN vs Woodland, MN

Frequently Asked Questions

Orono's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Orono roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $874,500 and median rent is $1,638/month.
Orono's violent crime rate is 52.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 490.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Orono are operated by ORONO PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 2 elementary, 1 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17.3:1. 69.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Orono, MN has a population of 8,223, a median household income of $173,209, and an unemployment rate of 3.2%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Orono averages 22.4°F in January and 81.4°F in July. Annual rainfall is 30.8 inches with about 54.7 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Orono, MN is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 55356, 55391.
The population of Orono, Minnesota is 8,223 with a median age of 46.0. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Orono: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $874,500, median household income $173,209, crime index 18 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Orono side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.