Sleepy Eye 79 Exceptional
Sleepy Eye Livability #94 ranked city in Minnesota#2,132 ranked city in the USARanks better than 92% of areas
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Pros and Cons of Living in Sleepy Eye

PROS
  • Cost Of Living Cost Of Living

    Everyday cost of living expenses like goods and services, housing, groceries, transportation, health care and utilities are far below the national average.

  • Crime Crime

    This area boasts a crime rate that is far below the national average, making it a very safe place to live. These crime statistics encompass both property and violent offenses.

  • Housing Housing

    Impressive scores in the housing category characterize this area, potentially attributed to the availability of affordable housing, strong appreciation rates and high home values.

  • Health & Safety Health & Safety

    Accessible health facilities like hospitals, doctors offices, clinics and nursing homes as well as good air quality are all factors that have led to a high score in this category.

CONS
  • Amenities Amenities

    The majority of amenities will be difficult to reach within a short walk, often requiring residents to use a vehicle or public transportation for access.

  • Commute Commute

    Low commute scores could be due to limited access to public transit in this area, as well as longer-than-average work commute times for residents.

What's it like Living in Sleepy Eye?

Sleepy Eye, Minnesota is a smaller city with a population of 3,502 residents. If we look at the most recent Census, Sleepy Eye is known to have a predominantly White population. The next two most common races are Black and Asian. If you are not a fan of long commutes, you will enjoy living in Sleepy Eye. With an average one way commute time of only 21 minutes, getting to and from work is a breeze compared to the national average of 26 minutes.

Whether you’re moving to a new town to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Sleepy Eye could be a positive experience compared to other cities in Minnesota if you know where to look. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Finding the best places to live in Sleepy Eye and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes amenities, commute, employment and other important metrics.

Using data and statistics Sleepy Eye has received a livability score of 78/100. This score is ranked in the 92nd percentile when compared to all other cities. Compared to the national average, Sleepy Eye ranks among some of the best places to live in the country! Sleepy Eye is also ranked in the top 10 percentile of all cities across the USA. Based on the grades for each individual category, Sleepy Eye has been rewarded with high marks for crime (A), cost of living (A+), education (B-) and housing (A+). The bad news for Sleepy Eye, there are some categories for which it does not score well, this includes: amenities (D-).

Feeling a sense of safety in the area that you live in is a must for most people. Low crime rates can have a positive impact on things like home prices, home appreciation rates and can help foster positive community dynamics and social cohesion. Sleepy Eye has a violent crime rate of 114 crimes per 100,000 residents which is far lower than the national average.

Unemployment rates can range pretty dramatically from one city to another. Knowing that Sleepy Eye has an unemployment rate of 2.1% could mean increased job opportunities with a higher demand for workers. It could also lead to higher wages, as the demand for workers exceeds the availability of jobs. Most importantly, it could be a sign of a healthy and thriving local economy.

A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Sleepy Eye has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.

Being close to public transit, grocery stores, parks and other conveniences are all important when weighing your options for a new home in Sleepy Eye. Before you determine if any of these amenities are available in the area, you will also want to know if the real estate prices in Sleepy Eye are affordable. Median real estate prices in Sleepy Eye come in at $229,329, which is 32.4% lower than the Minnesota average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Sleepy Eye, the home price to income ratio is 2.9, which is 21.6% lower than the Minnesota average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Sleepy Eye

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      Sleepy Eye transportation information

      Statistic Sleepy Eye Minnesota National
      Average one way commute21min23min26min
      Workers who drive to work84.9%78.0%76.4%
      Workers who carpool3.3%8.7%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.5%3.5%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.8%0.8%0.6%
      Workers who walk4.5%2.8%2.8%
      Working from home5.3%5.3%4.6%
      Source: The Sleepy Eye, MN data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) and include 2026 modeled data developed using proprietary methodologies.