Median Income
$65,086
household / year
Median Home Value
$160,300
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$921
gross / month
Cost of Living
95
national avg = 100

Is Thief River Falls, MN a Good Place to Live?

Thief River Falls is a small town of 8,871 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $65,086 and a 1.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 95 (US average = 100), which is 5% below the national average.

Strengths: Thief River Falls stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

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

All Thief River Falls 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: 95.1

Thief River Falls's overall cost of living index is 95.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Thief River Falls costs roughly 5% less than the average American city.

Metric Thief River Falls, MN National Avg
Median Home Value $160,300 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $921 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 62.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $65,086 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Thief River Falls's violent crime rate is 90.7 per 100,000 residents — 76% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
90.7 /100k
Property Crime
1395.2 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Thief River Falls is served primarily by THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Thief River Falls, MN National Avg
School District THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT —
Elementary Schools 1 —
Middle Schools 1 —
High Schools 3 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 15.0:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 95.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Thief River Falls sees average highs of 13.5°F in January and 79.8°F in July, with 24.6 inches of annual precipitation and 49.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricThief River Falls, MN
Average High — January13.5°F
Average High — July79.8°F
Annual Precipitation24.6"
Annual Snowfall49.9"

Demographics

MetricThief River Falls, MNNational Avg
Population8,871—
Median Age37.638.9
Unemployment Rate1.3%3.7%
Avg Commute Time11.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)91.3%59.3%
Black or African American1.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.1%18.9%
Asian0.6%6.3%
Under 1821.5%22.2%
65 and over18.8%16.8%

Nearby Cities

St. Hilaire, MN 7 mi Holt, MN 13 mi Viking, MN 13 mi Plummer, MN 15 mi Red Lake Falls, MN 16 mi

ZIP Codes in Thief River Falls

Thief River Falls, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code:

56701

Thief River Falls vs Other Cities

Thief River Falls, MN vs St. Hilaire, MN Thief River Falls, MN vs Holt, MN Thief River Falls, MN vs Viking, MN Thief River Falls, MN vs Plummer, MN Thief River Falls, MN vs Red Lake Falls, MN

Frequently Asked Questions

Thief River Falls's cost of living index is 95, where 100 is the national average. That makes Thief River Falls roughly 5% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $160,300 and median rent is $921/month.
Thief River Falls's violent crime rate is 90.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1395.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Thief River Falls are operated by THIEF RIVER FALLS SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 1 elementary, 1 middle, and 3 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15.0:1. 20.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Thief River Falls, MN has a population of 8,871, a median household income of $65,086, and an unemployment rate of 1.3%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Thief River Falls averages 13.5°F in January and 79.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 24.6 inches with about 49.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Thief River Falls, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 56701.
The population of Thief River Falls, Minnesota is 8,871 with a median age of 37.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Thief River Falls: cost of living index 95 (100 = US average), median home $160,300, median household income $65,086, crime index 41 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Thief River Falls side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.