Howard Lake, MN vs Fall River, WI: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Fall River, WI has a modeled overall cost index 1.0% lower than Howard Lake, MN.

Howard Lake, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $1,520 / month
Fall River, WI · modeled 2BR rent: $1,530 / 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 Howard Lake, MN and Fall River, WI 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 Howard Lake, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $9.80/month in Fall River, WI

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,118 in Fall River, WI

Regional cost estimates: Howard Lake, MN uses Minneapolis, MN. Fall River, WI uses Madison, WI. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 1.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$9.80

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$118

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.

Howard Lake, MN

Population:2K

Cost Index:

94.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$330K

Fall River, WI

Population:2K

Cost Index:

93.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$342K

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Howard Lake, MN

The North Star State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Minnesota, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Fall River, WI

The Badger State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Wisconsin, this city has a population of 2K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Howard Lake, MN vs Fall River, WI

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	Howard Lake, MN	Fall River, WI	Difference	Change
Groceries	$1,016/mo	$955/mo	↓ $60.20less	5.9%
Transportation	$1,272/mo	$1,322/mo	↑ $49.46more	3.9%
Other	$1,636/mo	$1,682/mo	↑ $46.33more	2.8%
Healthcare	$746/mo	$716/mo	↓ $30.08less	4.0%
All Utilities	$501/mo	$506/mo	↑ $4.67more	0.9%
Housing	$2,329/mo	$2,329/mo	↓ $0.37less	0.0%

Groceries

↓ 5.9%

Howard Lake, MN

$1,016

Fall River, WI

$955

Difference

$60.20

less

Transportation

↑ 3.9%

Howard Lake, MN

$1,272

Fall River, WI

$1,322

Difference

$49.46

Other

↑ 2.8%

Howard Lake, MN

$1,636

Fall River, WI

$1,682

Difference

$46.33

Healthcare

↓ 4.0%

Howard Lake, MN

$746

Fall River, WI

$716

Difference

$30.08

less

All Utilities

↑ 0.9%

Howard Lake, MN

$501

Fall River, WI

$506

Difference

$4.67

Housing

↓ 0.0%

Howard Lake, MN

$2,329

Fall River, WI

$2,329

Difference

$0.37

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,100

To$1,050

↓ $50.00

1 Bed

From$1,250

To$1,160

↓ $90.00

2 Bed

From$1,520

To$1,530

↑ $10.00

3 Bed

From$2,020

To$2,100

↑ $80.00

Howard Lake, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,250–$1,250/mo

Fall River, WIZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,160–$1,160/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 Howard Lake, MN

$7,510

Monthly in Fall River, WI

$9.80

Difference

Home Values

Howard Lake

Fall River

$330K

Median Value

$342K

↑ +4.2%

YoY Change

↑ +7.3%

↑ +31.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +42.7%

Homes in Fall River are 4% more expensive than Howard Lake

Calculate payment - Howard Lake Calculate payment - Fall River

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $1.6K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$132

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

1.1%

Rate difference

Howard Lake, 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

Fall River, WI

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Wisconsin State Tax

Effective: 5.9%

$8.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.6%

$45.9K

Take-Home Pay

$8,678/month

$104.1K

Additional Tax Information

Howard Lake, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Fall River, WI Tax Rates

Sales Tax:5.6%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 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

Howard Lake

Fall River

42 Good

Air Quality

42 Good

66.4%

Good Air Days

72.1%

98 High

Climate Risk

94 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+3.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

▲+3.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.4°F

14 days

Heat Days >95°F

10 days

Before moving from Howard Lake, MN to Fall River, WI

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Fall River, WI for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Howard Lake, 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 Howard Lake to Fall River moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Fall River, WI by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Howard Lake, MN vs Fall River, WI

How do the cost estimates for Howard Lake, MN and Fall River, WI compare?

Fall River, WI has a modeled overall cost index 1.0% lower than Howard Lake, 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 Howard Lake, MN, the model estimates $150,118 in Fall River, WI. 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 Howard Lake, MN and Fall River, WI?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,520/month in Howard Lake, MN and $1,530/month in Fall River, WI. 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 Wisconsin on TaxTakeHome.com