| Index | Houston | Minnesota | National |
| Cost of living | 90 | 99 | 100 |
| Goods & Services | 103 | 100 | 100 |
| Groceries | 97 | 98 | 100 |
| Health care | 110 | 109 | 100 |
| Housing | 64 | 100 | 100 |
| Transportation | 99 | 97 | 100 |
| Utilities | 101 | 93 | 100 |
Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Cost of living index | |
| Goods & Services index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $47,625 | $3,969 | $1,111 | $1,429 |
| Renters | $24,028 | $2,002 | $561 | $721 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Minnesota | 6.875% | 7.875% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Minnesota | 5.35% | 9.85% |
| Item | Houston | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $20.83 | $24.26 | 14.1% |
| Beauty Salon | $39.17 | $45.56 | 14.0% |
| Toothpaste | $3.67 | $3.70 | 1.0% |
| Shampoo | $1.23 | $1.28 | 3.7% |
| Movie | $10.00 | $12.13 | 17.6% |
| Bowling | $15.67 | $18.00 | 13.0% |
| Item | Houston | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $5.94 | $5.84 | 1.8% |
| Fried Chicken | $1.61 | $1.57 | 2.6% |
| Milk | $4.58 | $4.67 | 2.0% |
| Potatoes | $4.49 | $4.93 | 9.0% |
| Pizza | $12.29 | $12.09 | 1.7% |
| Beer | $8.47 | $10.41 | 18.6% |
| Item | Houston | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $125.00 | $125.68 | 0.5% |
| Doctor | $179.67 | $135.78 | 32.3% |
| Dentist | $107.33 | $113.29 | 5.3% |
| Ibuprofen | $10.27 | $10.65 | 3.6% |
| Lipitor | $538.52 | $468.60 | 14.9% |
| Item | Houston | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $112,900.00 | $184,700.00 | 38.9% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $1,958.05 | $2,346.69 | 16.6% |
| Apartment Rent | $658.00 | $949.00 | 30.7% |
| Item | Houston | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $3.36 | $3.46 | 2.8% |
| Tire Balancing | $62.89 | $59.92 | 5.0% |
| Item | Houston | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $193.62 | $193.99 | 0.2% |
| Phone | $197.22 | $192.25 | 2.6% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Peterson, MN | 260 | 88 | 12.1% |
| Spring Grove, MN | 1,446 | 80 | 20.1% |
| Caledonia, MN | 2,759 | 90 | 10.1% |
| Brownsville, MN | 689 | 90 | 9.7% |
| Hokah, MN | 592 | 93 | 7.5% |
| Houston, MN | 984 | 90 | 10.0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Centerville, TX | 984 | 87 | 12.9% |
| Nipawin No. 487, SK | 984 | n/a | |
| Hayneville, AL | 985 | 86 | 13.8% |
| Pickensville, AL | 985 | 83 | 17.1% |
| Luxora, AR | 985 | 73 | 26.8% |
| Houston, MN | 984 | 90 | 10.0% |
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