Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 100.1 → 104.8
Rent Delta: -$111/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $111/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + $8K higher median salary
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - 5% higher cost of living
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More expensive childcare

Moving from Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell to Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 100.1 to 104.8 (100 = US average), so a Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell salary needs to be multiplied by 1.05 to hold the same purchasing power in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,820/month in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell to $1,709/month in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington - a lower monthly bill of $111, or $1,332/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $72,107 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell versus $80,598 in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington - a raw gap of $8,491 higher. The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington labor market has 1,928,660 tracked jobs against 2,837,930 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington are 300 and 259 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.4:1 at origin versus 15.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $6,591/year in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell versus $11,722/year in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 100.1
RPP 104.8
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,820/mo
$1,709/mo
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
💼 Wages
$72,107
$80,598
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
🔒 Crime
300 per 100K
259 per 100K
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
🎓 Schools
14.4:1
15.8:1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
👶 Childcare
$6,591/yr
$11,722/yr
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell
🌿 Environment
2663 violations
845 violations
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell to see what you'd need to earn in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington more expensive than Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington has an RPP of 104.8 compared to Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell's 100.1 (100 = national average). Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington is $1,709/mo vs $1,820/mo in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell.
What are salaries like in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington compared to Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The median salary in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington is $80,598 compared to $72,107 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell. That's a +$8,491 difference.
Is Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington safer than Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell?
The violent crime rate near Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington is 259 per 100K vs 300 per 100K near Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell (state-level data). Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington to match my Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell salary by 1.05. For example, a $75,000 salary in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell would need to be $78,571 in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)