Cost of living in Albert Lea, Minnesota

Albert Lea, Minnesota has about 18,330 people. That count is a 2020–2024 Census average, not a headcount from one day.

A typical home is worth about $157,500.

HUD's fair-market rent for a 2-bedroom in Freeborn County is $1,033 a month. That is the county number, not an apartment listing in Albert Lea. It runs from October 2026 through September 2027.

Minnesota's prices sit at 98.6 when the U.S. average is 100. This place is not in a metro area with its own index, so this is the state number from BEA for 2024.

Minnesota taxes wages. A typical combined sales tax is 8.1% as of January 1, 2026. That mix is statewide, not Albert Lea's exact store tax.

In July 2026, a typical Minnesota home paid 17.45¢ per kilowatt-hour. That is a state average from EIA, not Albert Lea's bill.

In 2025, all-grades gas in Minnesota averaged $3.02 a gallon. EIA prints this yearly price for only some states.

Among 338 places we list in Minnesota with a rent figure, 241 have higher typical rent than Albert Lea.