| Index | White Bear Lake | Minnesota | National |
| Cost of living | 110 | 100 | 100 |
| Groceries | 102 | 100 | 100 |
| Health care | 101 | 100 | 100 |
| Housing | 132 | 100 | 100 |
| Transportation | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | 102 | 104 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Household Items | 99 | 100 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 102 | 99 | 100 |

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in White Bear Lake? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in White Bear Lake stands at 110, making it 10% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.
Housing costs are a very significant part of the White Bear Lake cost of living index and generally encompass a large percentage of take-home income. Unfortunately, in this area, the housing costs for both homes and rentals were 31.7% more than the average city. This includes things like home and rent prices, mortgage rates and insurance.
Is White Bear Lake an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in White Bear Lake is 34.2% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 25.9% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. White Bear Lake has a median household income of $103,888, which is 27.7% higher than the national average.
Urbanization: Larger, urban centers, known for their wealth of amenities and strong employment prospects, often exhibit an elevated cost of living, primarily attributable to the heightened demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this scenario leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural areas or regions characterized by diminished demand typically provide a more limited array of amenities and experience slower job market growth, resulting in a more affordable cost of living.
Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.
Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In White Bear Lake, healthcare costs are 1% higher than the national average.
The White Bear Lake cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $134,314 | $11,193 | $3,134 | $4,030 |
| Renters | $68,961 | $5,747 | $1,609 | $2,069 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| Minnesota | 6.875% | 7.875% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| Minnesota | 5.35% | 9.85% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Houlton, WI | 109 | 100 | 0.0% |
| Landfall, MN | 819 | 72 | 27.9% |
| South End, MN | 66 | 78 | 22.1% |
| Hilltop, MN | 1,045 | 80 | 20.0% |
| St. Anthony city (Stearns County), MN | 108 | 84 | 16.4% |
| White Bear Lake, MN | 26,260 | 110 | 10.0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Ruskin, FL | 26,287 | 104 | 3.8% |
| McDonough, GA | 26,228 | 101 | 1.0% |
| Franklin, IN | 26,224 | 94 | 6.5% |
| Bay Point, CA | 26,221 | 134 | 34.4% |
| Lochearn, MD | 26,216 | 111 | 11.2% |
| White Bear Lake, MN | 26,260 | 110 | 10.0% |