Long Lake, MN vs Wayne, IL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Wayne, IL has a modeled overall cost index 4.1% lower than Long Lake, MN.

Long Lake, MN · modeled 2BR rent: $2,190 / month
Wayne, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $2,080 / 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 Long Lake, MN and Wayne, 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 Long Lake, MN

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $46.27/month in Wayne, IL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $150,555 in Wayne, IL

Regional cost estimates: Long Lake, MN uses Minneapolis, MN. Wayne, IL uses Chicago, IL. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 4.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$46.27

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$555

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.

Long Lake, MN

Population:2K

Cost Index:

95.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$768K

Wayne, IL

Population:2K

Cost Index:

91.4

100 = national average

Typical Home:$743K

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Long Lake, MN

The North Star State

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Wayne, IL

The Prairie State

Population

State Tax

Yes

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

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Long Lake, MN vs Wayne, 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	Long Lake, MN	Wayne, IL	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,274/mo	$1,487/mo	↑ $213more	16.7%
Healthcare	$743/mo	$572/mo	↓ $171less	23.0%
Housing	$2,333/mo	$2,442/mo	↑ $109more	4.7%
Other	$1,639/mo	$1,555/mo	↓ $83.41less	5.1%
Groceries	$1,012/mo	$990/mo	↓ $21.40less	2.1%
All Utilities	$500/mo	$500/mo	↓ $0.05less	0.0%

Transportation

↑ 16.7%

Long Lake, MN

$1,274

Wayne, IL

$1,487

Difference

$213

Healthcare

↓ 23.0%

Long Lake, MN

$743

Wayne, IL

$572

Difference

$171

less

Housing

↑ 4.7%

Long Lake, MN

$2,333

Wayne, IL

$2,442

Difference

$109

Other

↓ 5.1%

Long Lake, MN

$1,639

Wayne, IL

$1,555

Difference

$83.41

less

Groceries

↓ 2.1%

Long Lake, MN

$1,012

Wayne, IL

$990

Difference

$21.40

less

All Utilities

↓ 0.0%

Long Lake, MN

$500

Wayne, IL

$500

Difference

$0.05

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,590

To$1,730

↑ $140

1 Bed

From$1,800

To$1,850

↑ $50.00

2 Bed

From$2,190

To$2,080

↓ $110

3 Bed

From$2,900

To$2,680

↓ $220

Long Lake, MNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,800–$1,800/mo

Wayne, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,850–$1,850/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 Long Lake, MN

$7,546

Monthly in Wayne, IL

$46.27

Difference

Home Values

Long Lake

Wayne

$768K

Median Value

$743K

↑ +3.4%

YoY Change

↑ +7%

↑ +35.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +44.6%

Homes in Wayne are 3% less expensive than Long Lake

Calculate payment - Long Lake Calculate payment - Wayne

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

Long 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

Wayne, 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

Long Lake, MN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.0%

Property Tax:1.1%

Wayne, 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

Long Lake

Wayne

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 Long Lake, MN to Wayne, IL

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Wayne, IL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Long 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 Long Lake to Wayne moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Long Lake, MN vs Wayne, IL

How do the cost estimates for Long Lake, MN and Wayne, IL compare?

Wayne, IL has a modeled overall cost index 4.1% lower than Long 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 Long Lake, MN, the model estimates $150,555 in Wayne, 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 Long Lake, MN and Wayne, IL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,190/month in Long Lake, MN and $2,080/month in Wayne, 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