Report: St. Cloud Cost of Living Higher Than National Average

ST. CLOUD -- The cost to live in St. Cloud is slightly higher than the national average. The "Cost of Living" index for the third quarter of this year has been released by The Council for Community and Economic Research.

St. Cloud is at 101.3 percent, or just slightly one percent above the national average.

The report says we are paying more for healthcare (124.2%), groceries (120.4%), miscellaneous goods (112.2%), and utilities (102.2%). However, we are below the national average for transportation (98.5%) and housing (75.5%).

The report is based on more than 90,000 prices covering almost 60 different items for which prices are collected three times a year by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce.

There were 268 cities that participated in the third quarter report.

As for other Minnesota cities in the report, both Minneapolis and St. Paul are seven percent above the national average, and Mankato is three percent below the national average.