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 36 cities we track across 12 states. Median one-bedroom rent across those cities is $868 — 20% lower than the $1,082 median across the 6 regions we track.
The cheapest city we track in the Midwest is Aberdeen, SD, at $576/mo for a one-bedroom; the priciest is Naperville, IL, at $1,594/mo. Median household income across the region's tracked cities is $65,619, about the same as the $66,196 median across all regions.
Region Medians
Medians across the 36 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
- Grand Rapids, MI1BR $964
- Sioux Falls, SD1BR $870
- Overland Park, KS1BR $1,224
- Aurora, IL1BR $1,183
- Springfield, MO1BR $772
- Naperville, IL1BR $1,594
- Cedar Rapids, IA1BR $716
- Fargo, ND1BR $804
- Topeka, KS1BR $758
- Rochester, MN1BR $1,106
- Ann Arbor, MI1BR $1,389
- Evansville, IN1BR $768
- Green Bay, WI1BR $730
- Davenport, IA1BR $777
- Rapid City, SD1BR $807
- Bismarck, ND1BR $803
- Bellevue, NE1BR $1,008
- Grand Forks, ND1BR $761
- Aberdeen, SD1BR $576
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 $868 ranks #6 of 6 and is 20% lower than the $1,082 median.
- What is the cheapest city to live in in the Midwest?
- Aberdeen, SD is the cheapest of the cities we track in the Midwest, with a one-bedroom rent of $576 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).