Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
Rochester

Minnesota

$1,280/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,280 in Rochester, MN. Overall, Rochester, MN is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $87,767 in Rochester, MN — about 16% higher in Rochester, MN. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Rochester, MN

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$1,080
+1% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$1,106
+7% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,243
+12% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,646
+10% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$287,500
+4% in Rochester, MN

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$87,767
+19% in Rochester, MN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$60,620
+18% in Rochester, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
36.4 yr
+2.8 yr in Rochester, MN
Homeownership
54.8%
65.4%
+10.6 pp in Rochester, MN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
50.1%
+17.0 pp in Rochester, MN
Avg Commute
26.7 min
17.2 min
+9.5 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
158.9
+68% in Arlington, TX
Property Crime
2,434.5
1,379
+43% in Arlington, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
45.4°F
+20.0°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
33.0 in
+6.6 in in Arlington, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.95/gal
+9% in Rochester, MN

Area: Texas vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
16.9
+3% in Rochester, MN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$14.95
+51% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Rochester, MN
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Arlington, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Rochester, MN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Rochester, MN
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Rochester, MN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MN)
6.25%
6.875%
+0.6 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
9.85%
+9.8 pp in MN

Arlington vs Rochester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Rochester?
Rochester, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,280 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Rochester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $44,000 in Rochester.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Rochester?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Rochester under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).