What it's like to live in Northfield
Northfield is a small city in Minnesota with rent below the national average, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Northfield deals with cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 43" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Northfield compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Northfield
Based on Northfield's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,206
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,120 a year
- 32% of Northfield renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$65,880
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,940
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 22% below US
$1,103/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,103 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $329,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $329,400 · 32% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.9% county unemployment
Unemployment in Rice County is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Rice County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 48% below US
173 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 914/100k · Northfield Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 32% below US
18 min average commute
Commutes run short here, averaging 17.7 minutes. That's an underrated perk of living in a smaller or well-planned city, where time isn't lost sitting in traffic. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 16% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 8°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 48% above US
53% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
12 public schools inside the boundary
There are 12 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. 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 (34 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Northfield's strongest points are rent below the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,103/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (16% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Northfield
All Minnesota guides →Moving to Faribault →
12 mi away · pop. 24,631
Rent $1,074/mo · Income $61,449
Compare with Northfield →Moving to Farmington →
14 mi away · pop. 23,902
Rent $1,241/mo · Income $123,673
Compare with Northfield →Moving to Lakeville →
16 mi away · pop. 74,354
Rent $1,806/mo · Income $139,041
Compare with Northfield →Moving to Apple Valley →
20 mi away · pop. 55,679
Rent $1,738/mo · Income $97,673
Compare with Northfield →Not sure Northfield is the one?
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