Minnesota rent guide
The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Minnesota (June 2026)
Data as of Jun 9, 2026 · 660 rentals across 68 Minnesota cities
Minnesota is an affordable Midwest market, and most of it orbits the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul). The range is narrow: the affluent western and southern suburbs (Woodbury, Edina, Minnetonka, Maple Grove) are the pricier end, while the outer-ring suburbs and the outstate cities (Moorhead, Faribault, Owatonna) are the value. Minneapolis itself sits in the middle. We track every apartment we can find and rank the cities below by their typical rent, straight from live listings.
The lowest typical rent right now is in Moorhead (about $1,125/mo), while Woodbury sits at the top ($1,764/mo), a narrow gap by national standards. The bedroom count you need takes it from there.
Minnesota cities by typical rent, cheapest first
| # | City | Typical | From | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moorhead | $1,125 | $810 | 9 |
| 2 | Brooklyn Park | $1,128 | $990 | 12 |
| 3 | Anoka | $1,145 | $1,024 | 7 |
| 4 | Oakdale | $1,150 | $950 | 7 |
| 5 | Faribault | $1,150 | $1,000 | 5 |
| 6 | Owatonna | $1,190 | $1,025 | 8 |
| 7 | Roseville | $1,195 | $950 | 7 |
| 8 | Elk River | $1,195 | $1,000 | 5 |
| 9 | Fridley | $1,200 | $1,025 | 13 |
| 10 | Richfield | $1,225 | $935 | 13 |
| 11 | Mankato | $1,250 | $900 | 20 |
| 12 | Burnsville | $1,253 | $1,072 | 20 |
| 13 | Bloomington | $1,300 | $810 | 29 |
| 14 | Rochester | $1,321 | $890 | 44 |
| 15 | Minneapolis | $1,355 | $800 | 157 |
| 16 | Eagan | $1,375 | $1,065 | 21 |
| 17 | Coon Rapids | $1,375 | $1,150 | 14 |
| 18 | Hopkins | $1,395 | $1,265 | 7 |
| 19 | Blaine | $1,400 | $1,000 | 9 |
| 20 | New Brighton | $1,408 | $1,055 | 6 |
| 21 | White Bear Lake | $1,422 | $1,000 | 10 |
| 22 | Cottage Grove | $1,435 | $1,029 | 5 |
| 23 | Rosemount | $1,436 | $1,385 | 6 |
| 24 | Chaska | $1,468 | $976 | 11 |
| 25 | Eden Prairie | $1,495 | $1,241 | 17 |
| 26 | Shakopee | $1,500 | $1,286 | 13 |
| 27 | Apple Valley | $1,500 | $1,374 | 5 |
| 28 | Lakeville | $1,560 | $1,418 | 9 |
| 29 | Plymouth | $1,576 | $1,269 | 26 |
| 30 | Edina | $1,583 | $1,184 | 12 |
| 31 | Duluth | $1,595 | $810 | 13 |
| 32 | Minnetonka | $1,641 | $1,099 | 24 |
| 33 | Maple Grove | $1,643 | $1,365 | 11 |
| 34 | Golden Valley | $1,695 | $1,452 | 6 |
| 35 | Woodbury | $1,764 | $1,362 | 17 |
How we rank them
“Typical” is the median rent across everything we track in a city, so half the listings are cheaper and half pricier. “From” is the single cheapest unit listed right now. We include cities with at least five live listings and exclude single rooms and senior housing. Small-city medians can swing on a few listings, so the bigger markets are the most stable. Refreshes when our data does (last updated Jun 9, 2026).
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest city to rent in Minnesota?
By typical (median) rent it's Moorhead, around $1,125/mo, then Brooklyn Park and Anoka. The value is in the outer-ring Twin Cities suburbs and the outstate cities, while the affluent west-metro suburbs sit at the top. The ranking rebuilds from live listings, so it moves with the market.
Where is rent most expensive in Minnesota?
Woodbury tops the list at about $1,764/mo. The priciest rents are in the affluent western and southern Twin Cities suburbs (think Woodbury, Edina, Minnetonka, Maple Grove). Even so, Minnesota stays affordable next to the big coastal metros.
Is it cheaper to rent in Minneapolis or the suburbs?
Minneapolis proper sits in the middle of the pack, and it is often cheaper than the affluent western suburbs. The lowest rents are in the outer-ring suburbs (Brooklyn Park, Anoka, Elk River) and outstate cities (Moorhead, Faribault, Owatonna). So in the Twin Cities the cheap move is usually outward, not into the priciest suburbs.
How do I find the cheapest rent in Minnesota?
Start in the value markets at the top of the table below, filter to the bedroom count you actually need, and sort by price. The single cheapest unit in a city (the "from" price) is often hundreds below the median, so the specific building matters as much as the city.
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