Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Minneapolis, MN
VS
Phoenix, AZ
🏆 Phoenix leads 14 of 23 categories
Minneapolis
Minnesota
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,332 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
305⚠ High
Population
426,877
Phoenix
Arizona
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,092
Violent Crime Index
210⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,609,456 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Minneapolis, MN
Pros
More college-educated — 53.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 104°F
Households earn $4,240 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1160.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5142.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 6% higher than Phoenix
Snowy winters — about 40" of snow per year
Phoenix, AZ
Pros
31% less violent crime than Minneapolis
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 22°F
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.2%)
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Minneapolis
Cons
Violent crime (799.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Hot summers — July highs average 104°F
Median income trails Minneapolis by $4,240/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Minneapolis
Median Income
$4,240
$76,332 vs $72,092/yr
Minneapolis
Median Home Value
$12k less
$328,700 vs $340,200
Phoenix
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 98.4 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Phoenix
Violent Crime
31% lower
799.6 vs 1160.2 per 100k
Phoenix
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.2% vs 5.8% unemployment
Phoenix
Summer Heat
20.9°F warmer
July avg high 104.0°F vs 83.1°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Minneapolis, MN | Phoenix, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.5⚠ High | 98.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $328,700⚠ High ✓ Lower | $340,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,267 ✓ Lower | $1,322 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,332 ✓ Higher | $72,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.9 min ✓ Shorter | 25.7 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.6% ✓ Higher | 14.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 281⚠ High | 171⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 305⚠ High | 210⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 245⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.5% ✓ Higher | 31.2% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 83.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Minneapolis Public School District | Paradise Valley Unified District (4241) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 21.7°F | 65.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.1°F | 104.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" | 8.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 40.4" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 426,877 | 1,609,456 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.8 | 34.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.1% | 56.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 11.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Minneapolis's cost of living index is 104.5 vs Phoenix's 98.4 (US average = 100).
Phoenix is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Phoenix leads 14 of 23 categories. Minneapolis wins 9 and Phoenix wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Minneapolis to Phoenix or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($328,700 vs $340,200 median home), income ($76,332 vs $72,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Minneapolis, MN and Phoenix, AZ are about 1,273 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.