Cost of Living in Thief River Falls, Minnesota
More home. More opportunity. More room in your budget.
Your Money Goes Further Here
$175,400
Median Home Value
47% below Minnesota
$838
Median Monthly Rent
35% below Minnesota
10.2 Minutes
Average Commute
Rent
Renting in Thief River Falls is affordable and flexible, with median rents well below the Minnesota average. Whether you’re just getting established or not ready to buy, you’ll find options that make it easier to settle in and feel at home.
Buy a House
Homeownership is within reach in Thief River Falls. With home values well below the Minnesota average, you can often get more space—and more for your money—while enjoying the convenience of a regional community.
Build a Career
Thief River Falls offers more than jobs—it offers room to grow. Build your career with leading regional employers, opportunities across diverse industries, and the chance to advance professionally while enjoying an affordable, connected community.
Get More for Your Dollar
Living in Thief River Falls offers something increasingly hard to find: an affordable place to live without giving up the services, jobs and amenities of a regional center.
Housing is one of the biggest advantages. The median value of an owner-occupied home in Thief River Falls is $175,400, compared with $329,300 statewide. Median gross rent is $838 per month, compared with $1,280 across Minnesota.
Affordable Housing Makes a Difference
For homeowners with a mortgage, median monthly housing costs in Thief River Falls are $1,383, compared with $1,947 statewide.
That difference can mean hundreds of dollars each month available for savings, recreation, travel or other family priorities.
Thief River Falls
- Median home value: $175,400
- Median gross rent: $838/month
- Median homeowner cost with mortgage: $1,383/month
Minnesota
- Median home value: $329,300
- Median gross rent: $1,280/month
- Median homeowner cost with mortgage: $1,947/month
Source: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, 2020–2024 American Community Survey estimates.
See What Living Here Could Look Like for You
Every household is different. Minnesota DEED’s Cost of Living Calculator lets you compare estimated expenses based on your family size, employment situation and location.
A Lower Cost of Living in Northwest Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development tracks the actual cost of meeting basic household needs, including housing, food, transportation, health care, child care, taxes and other necessities.
In 2025, DEED estimated that a single adult living in Northwest Minnesota needed approximately $31,140 per year, equivalent to $14.97 per hour for full-time employment, to meet basic living expenses.
Monthly costs for that household included approximately:
- Housing: $791
- Transportation: $606
- Food: $427
- Health care: $184
- Other necessities: $269
- Net taxes: $318
Actual costs vary considerably depending on household size, child care needs, housing choices and other factors.
Spend Less Time Getting to Work, Too
Affordability isn’t just about your mortgage or rent. It can also mean spending less time and money getting where you need to go.
The average commute for Thief River Falls workers is just 10.2 minutes.
That means less time sitting in traffic and more time for family, recreation and everything else that makes a place feel like home.
“It has been very easy for me to find employment…to find housing. In my whole life, this is the first place I’ve ever been where the opportunities came so quick. The process was so fast. The people were great. There’s a lot of help out here. I am amazed.”
Contact Advance Thief River
Contact Michelle Landsverk, Executive Director of Advance Thief River with specific questions or to set up a meeting to discuss your needs.
Advance Thief River
Mailing Address
PO Box 773
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
Office
By Appointment Only
Spark Hub
(Inside Garden Valley Building)
1412 3rd Street West
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
(c) 2026 Advance Thief River. All rights reserved.