Albertville, MN vs Harwood Heights, IL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Harwood Heights, IL has a modeled overall cost index 4.2% lower than Albertville, MN.

Albertville, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,870 / month
Harwood Heights, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,750 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Albertville, MN and Harwood Heights, IL using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Albertville, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $41.20/month in Harwood Heights, IL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,494 in Harwood Heights, IL

Regional cost estimates: Albertville, MN uses Minneapolis, MN. Harwood Heights, IL uses Chicago, IL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 4.2%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$41.20

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$494

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Albertville, MN

Population:9K

Cost Index:

98.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$369K

Harwood Heights, IL

Population:9K

Cost Index:

94.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$359K

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Albertville, MN

The North Star State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 9K residents.

Harwood Heights, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 9K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Albertville, MN vs Harwood Heights, IL

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Albertville, MN	Harwood Heights, IL	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,281/mo	$1,493/mo	↑ $212more	16.5%
Healthcare	$734/mo	$565/mo	↓ $169less	23.0%
Housing	$2,345/mo	$2,452/mo	↑ $107more	4.5%
Other	$1,647/mo	$1,561/mo	↓ $85.94less	5.2%
Groceries	$999/mo	$978/mo	↓ $21.79less	2.2%
All Utilities	$493/mo	$493/mo	↓ $0.38less	0.1%

Transportation

↑ 16.5%

Albertville, MN

$1,281

Harwood Heights, IL

$1,493

Difference

$212

Healthcare

↓ 23.0%

Albertville, MN

$734

Harwood Heights, IL

$565

Difference

$169

less

Housing

↑ 4.5%

Albertville, MN

$2,345

Harwood Heights, IL

$2,452

Difference

$107

Other

↓ 5.2%

Albertville, MN

$1,647

Harwood Heights, IL

$1,561

Difference

$85.94

less

Groceries

↓ 2.2%

Albertville, MN

$999

Harwood Heights, IL

$978

Difference

$21.79

less

All Utilities

↓ 0.1%

Albertville, MN

$493

Harwood Heights, IL

$493

Difference

$0.38

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,360

To$1,450

↑ $90.00

1 Bed

From$1,540

To$1,550

↑ $10.00

2 Bed

From$1,870

To$1,750

↓ $120

3 Bed

From$2,470

To$2,250

↓ $220

Albertville, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,540–$1,540/mo

Harwood Heights, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,550–$1,550/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Albertville, MN

$7,541

Monthly in Harwood Heights, IL

$41.20

Difference

Home Values

Albertville

Harwood Heights

$369K

Median Value

$359K

↑ +0.4%

YoY Change

↑ +8.5%

↑ +22.3%

5-Year Change

↑ +34.1%

Homes in Harwood Heights are 3% less expensive than Albertville

Calculate payment - Albertville Calculate payment - Harwood Heights

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $3.0K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$251

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.0%

Rate difference

Albertville, MN

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Minnesota State Tax

Effective: 7.0%

$10.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.6%

$47.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,546/month

$102.6K

Harwood Heights, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Additional Tax Information

Albertville, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Harwood Heights, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Albertville

Harwood Heights

42 Good

Air Quality

54 Moderate

66.4%

Good Air Days

35.8%

98 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+3.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

▲+3.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.2°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

18 days

Before moving from Albertville, MN to Harwood Heights, IL

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Harwood Heights, IL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Albertville, MN. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Albertville to Harwood Heights moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Harwood Heights, IL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Albertville, MN vs Harwood Heights, IL

How do the cost estimates for Albertville, MN and Harwood Heights, IL compare?

Harwood Heights, IL has a modeled overall cost index 4.2% lower than Albertville, MN. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Albertville, MN, the model estimates $150,494 in Harwood Heights, IL. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Albertville, MN and Harwood Heights, IL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,870/month in Albertville, MN and $1,750/month in Harwood Heights, IL. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Minnesota and Illinois on TaxTakeHome.com