What it's like to live in Duluth
Duluth is a smaller city in Minnesota with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, unemployment below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Duluth deals with a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold, harsh winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Several well-rated hospitals
The not so good
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 56" per year
How Duluth compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Duluth
Based on Duluth's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,174
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $43,480 a year
- 51% of Duluth renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$48,540
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $24,270
- Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 23% below US
$1,087/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,087 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $242,700. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $242,700 · 51% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 19% below US
3.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.5%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 30% below US
231 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 3060/100k · Duluth Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 33% below US
17 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.3 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 73°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 9°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 22% above US
44% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 44% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
29 public schools inside the boundary
There are 29 public schools inside the boundary and 7 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below 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 North Country National Scenic Trail (70 miles away). There are 3 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Duluth's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,087/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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