PlainRelocate

Relocation profile · Federal data

Minot, ND

LiveAbility 73.6/100 places Minot #2 of 387 (top third of scored metros).

87.0
Cost index (US=100)
$1,000
2BR rent / mo
$61,219
Median salary
73.6
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Minot ranks #2 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (73.6/100), with its strongest marks in schools and housing.

#2
of 387 US metros · Exceptional
796,568
metro-area population
257
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
499
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: climate (1/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Minot ranks #2 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 87.0 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,000/mo, median salary $61,219; LiveAbility Score 73.6/100, strongest in schools and housing.

Signature: LiveAbility 73.6/100 places Minot #2 of 387 (top third of scored metros).

Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 87.0 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $1,000/mo.

LiveAbility 73.6/100 puts Minot in the top third (#2 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Minot area is 28,000.

Minot vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

74 Top 1% higher than 99% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Minot housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Minot MSA; housing RPP 63.2 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,000/mo.

Studio
$725
/month
1 Bedroom
$839
/month
2 Bedroom
$1,000
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,387
/month
4 Bedroom
$1,678
/month

Minot wages and employment

Minot posts 28,000 total employment with median salary $61,219 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.

Median Salary
$61,219
Mean Salary
$64,410
Total Employment
28,000

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Retail Salespersons $35,290
Fast Food and Counter Workers $30,080
General and Operations Managers $93,120
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $61,030
Home Health and Personal Care Aides $36,860

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Minot area from NCES.

Schools
499
Enrollment
118,286
Student:Teacher
11.8:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Minot area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$10,925
per year
Toddler (Center)
$9,978
per year
Preschool (Center)
$9,249
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Minot's composite Life Score is 59.5/100 (C-), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
91/100
Elite
Wages
52/100
Average
Rent
92/100
Elite
Crime
66/100
Strong
Schools
4/100
Bottom decile
Childcare
44/100
Below average
Environment
23/100
Weak

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Minot ranks #2 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 73.6/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Schools (96/100)

Minot - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Minot's strongest dimensions are schools and housing; its weakest among scored dims is climate at 1/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Minot to

Niles North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota Norwich-New London-Willimantic Ocala Odessa Ogden

Metros near Minot on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Minot on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Minot cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Minot wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Minot?

Minot runs a $61,219 median salary at a 87.0 cost index, ranking #2 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Minot's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Minot head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Minot
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.