Cost of Living in the Midwest
Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, North Dakota & South Dakota
Photo: Heyzeus Escribo / UnsplashThe Midwest — Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, North Dakota & South Dakota — covers 26 cities we track across 12 states. Median one-bedroom rent across those cities is $875 — 23% lower than the $1,130 median across the 6 regions we track.
The cheapest city we track in the Midwest is Green Bay, WI, at $730/mo for a one-bedroom; the priciest is Naperville, IL, at $1,594/mo. Median household income across the region's tracked cities is $65,678, about the same as the $65,767 median across all regions.
Region Medians
Medians across the 26 cities we track in the Midwest — not a population-weighted regional figure.
States in the Midwest
Cities in the Midwest
- Chicago, IL1BR $1,258
- Columbus, OH1BR $1,059
- Indianapolis, IN1BR $963
- Detroit, MI1BR $752
- Milwaukee, WI1BR $849
- Kansas City, MO1BR $1,031
- Omaha, NE1BR $984
- Minneapolis, MN1BR $1,192
- Wichita, KS1BR $761
- Cleveland, OH1BR $732
- Cincinnati, OH1BR $817
- St. Paul, MN1BR $1,126
- St. Louis, MO1BR $866
- Lincoln, NE1BR $879
- Madison, WI1BR $1,219
- Fort Wayne, IN1BR $782
- Des Moines, IA1BR $870
- Sioux Falls, SD1BR $870
- Aurora, IL1BR $1,183
- Springfield, MO1BR $772
- Naperville, IL1BR $1,594
- Fargo, ND1BR $804
- Rochester, MN1BR $1,106
- Evansville, IN1BR $768
- Green Bay, WI1BR $730
- Bellevue, NE1BR $1,008
Midwest cost of living — FAQ
- Is the Midwest expensive to live in?
- The Midwest is among the more affordable of the 6 US regions we track. Its median one-bedroom rent of $875 ranks #6 of 6 and is 23% lower than the $1,130 median.
- What is the cheapest city to live in in the Midwest?
- Green Bay, WI is the cheapest of the cities we track in the Midwest, with a one-bedroom rent of $730 a month.
- What is the most expensive city in the Midwest?
- Naperville, IL is the priciest of the cities we track in the Midwest, with a one-bedroom rent of $1,594 a month.
- Which states are in the Midwest?
- We track cities in 12 states in the Midwest: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, North Dakota & South Dakota.
Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year; NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010; Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).