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City Housing Verdict

Ham Lake, MN

High Pressure

Living in Ham Lake, MN costs about 22% more than the national average (Cost Index: 122). Housing is the main driver — the typical home value of $491,079 is well above the $303,400 US median. The local median household income is $116,845, which helps frame the place-side housing burden.

Ham Lake already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 14% rent burden, 4.2x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 162. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Safe

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Ham Lake.

Monthly Housing
$1,319/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
14%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$7,918/mo
After housing and debt · $2,639/person
Rent vs Buy
Renting is the lower-pressure baseline
Main pressure: home prices
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: MediumHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ACSBEA proxy: msaHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 19%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
122
Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$491,079
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $430,100
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$1,319/mo
Source: Census ACS
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$116,845
National: $78,538
Population
16,575
Purchasing Power
122
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
162 / 100
62% above average
Rent Index
98 / 100
Close to average
Goods & Groceries
103 / 100
About the same as most US cities
Utilities
93 / 100
Typical utility costs
Healthcare & Services
104 / 100
In line with national average
Overall Index
122
Expensive · 22% above average

Ham Lake Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $491,079 and Minnesota's property tax rate of 1.11%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$116,845
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
14%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
4.2x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Ham Lake looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Ham Lake, MN

Est. Annual Property Tax
$5,451
Monthly Impact
$454
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
1.11%
National avg: ~1.00%

Minnesota Place Tax Context

Tax TypeMinnesotaNational Avg
Property Tax Rate1.11%1.00%
Top Income Tax Rate9.85%~5.0%
State Sales Tax7.54%~5.0%

Compare Ham Lake to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Ham Lake, MN
122
98
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Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Ham Lake, MN: 162
Rent Prices
98

FAQ: Living in Ham Lake

Is Ham Lake, MN an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Ham Lake is about 22% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 122. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $491,079, and monthly rents average roughly $1,319. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Ham Lake fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,319, while local median household income is $116,845. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 14% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Ham Lake, MN?+

Minnesota has a progressive state income tax with a top rate of 9.85%. The effective property tax rate is 1.11%. On a home worth $491,079, that translates to roughly $5,451 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 7.54% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Ham Lake, MN?+

The typical monthly rent in Ham Lake is around $1,319. That's close to the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $491,079, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Ham Lake, MN?+

The median home in Ham Lake is valued at $491,079. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $2,483/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 95% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Ham Lake?+

Grocery prices in Ham Lake are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 103, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are about typical (index: 93). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Ham Lake, MN like to live in?+

Ham Lake is a small town with a population of about 16,575. The median age of residents is 42.8, skewing somewhat older — common in established suburban communities. The local poverty rate is 4.07%, well below the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in Minnesota

If Ham Lake feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in Minnesota

Use these city pages when you want to compare Ham Lake against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly