What it's like to live in Champlin
Champlin is a small city in Minnesota with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Champlin deals with rent well above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, a population that has been shrinking, and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 44" per year
How Champlin compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Champlin
Based on Champlin's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,378
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $67,560 a year
- 56% of Champlin renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$71,740
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $35,870
- Homes cost 3.1× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 20% above US
$1,689/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,689 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $358,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $358,700 · 56% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 16% below US
3.6% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 75% below US
83 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 919/100k · Champlin Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.7 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 7°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
37% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 37% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (21 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Champlin's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,689/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Champlin
All Minnesota guides →Moving to Coon Rapids →
4 mi away · pop. 63,468
Rent $1,494/mo · Income $88,251
Compare with Champlin →Moving to Brooklyn Park →
5 mi away · pop. 83,876
Rent $1,325/mo · Income $89,891
Compare with Champlin →Not sure Champlin is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.