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Minneapolis
#30 of 124
North America

Minneapolis

MN, United States

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Minneapolis compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Minneapolis is 25% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Minneapolis compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$130,000
-$142K (-52%) vs San Francisco
Based on 418 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$82,810
-$90K (-52%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 36%

Community Insights

New

Minneapolis presents a pragmatic value proposition for software engineers: it trades the hyper-growth and prestige of coastal tech hubs for exceptional affordability (Housing Affordability Rank #20) and stability. While the tech scene is anchored by "boring" Fortune 500s rather than sexy startups, the net income allows for a high quality of life. The city is culturally vibrant and incredibly green, but the harsh winters and moderate safety rankings (#97) are significant filters. It is a city that rewards those who prioritize homeownership and outdoor access over maximum career velocity.

Resident Sentiment

Transplants generally feel they stumbled upon a "hidden gem" regarding financial freedom and summer lifestyle, often expressing relief at escaping the "rat race." However, sentiment is mixed regarding social integration, with many noting it takes years to break into local circles. There is a collective resilience regarding winter—it is viewed as a rite of passage that filters out the uncommitted. Long-term residents are defensive but honest about the recent uptick in safety concerns, advising newcomers to research neighborhoods carefully.

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Home Affordability

Top 6%

#8

of 124 cities

≈2.6 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Pollution Score

Top 16%

#20

of 124 cities

28.5/100

Current value (lower is better)

Purchasing Power

Top 24%

#30

of 124 cities

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Minneapolis compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$2,721 / m²
73% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Minneapolis to maintain the same standard of living.

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Cost of Living
36% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Minneapolis

Amazon logo
Amazon
Best Buy logo
Best Buy
Optum logo
Optum

The Good

  • High Purchasing Power: With a #20 rank in housing affordability and #29 in purchasing power, engineers report living like "royalty" compared to coastal peers, often buying homes within 3 years.
  • Nature & Recreation: Known as the "City of Lakes," residents love the massive park systems, lakes, and extensive bike trails (some of the best in the US) available directly within city limits.
  • Stable Corporate Tech Scene: The market is dominated by large, stable non-tech Fortune 500s (Target, Best Buy, U.S. Bank, UnitedHealth, Medtronic), offering relaxed work-life balance and job security.
  • Summer vibrancy: Residents describe the summers as "magical," with outdoor concerts, patios, and lake life making up for the harsh winters.
  • Traffic & Commute: Significantly less congestion than other major metros; getting around is predictable and relatively stress-free.

The Bad

  • Brutal Winters: The defining drawback. Winters are long, gray, and reach -12°C or lower. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a frequent complaint among transplants.
  • Limited Startup Ecosystem: The tech scene is described as "corporate" and "enterprise-heavy." It lacks the fast-paced, high-equity startup culture or cutting-edge AI scene of SF or NYC.
  • Safety Concerns: With a safety index rank of #97, residents acknowledge localized crime issues (particularly property crime and carjackings) in specific neighborhoods like Uptown or North Minneapolis.
  • Social "Freeze": Transplants often cite the "Minnesota Nice" culture as difficult to penetrate socially; locals are polite but stick to established childhood friend groups.
  • Lower Salary Ceiling: While comfortable locally, senior staff and principal engineer salaries generally cap out lower than in major coastal tech hubs.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Mid-career professionals looking to start a family or buy a home without sacrificing a city lifestyle. Engineers who value work-life balance (40-hour weeks) over grinding for equity will thrive here. It is also ideal for outdoor enthusiasts who can embrace winter sports (cross-country skiing, hockey) or those specifically targeting the health-tech or retail-tech sectors.

Skip it if...

Junior engineers seeking a rapid-fire startup environment or maximum compensation growth early in their career. Individuals with Seasonal Affective Disorder or a strong aversion to cold weather will struggle significantly. Those expecting a 24/7 bustling metropolis or who rely solely on public transit (while decent, it struggles in winter) may find the pace too slow and the sprawl frustrating.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather4.6/10-47% vs San Francisco
Safety44+13%
Pollution29-42%
Events0-100%
4.6/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
13°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
Average Low
4°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
Sunshine Hours
2,711h/yr-351h/yr(-11%)
Hottest Month High
28°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
Coldest Month Low
-12°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
Rainy Days
74/yr+26/yr(+53%)

Community & Quality

Minneapolis community pulse

Minneapolis has 0 Luma events listed.

100% fewer events than San Francisco.

Net Income

Top 28%

#35

of 124 cities

$82,810/yr

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Middle of the pack

#52

of 124 cities

46/100 weather score

Current value

Cost of Living

Middle of the pack

#81

of 124 cities

57/100

Current value (lower is better)

Tax Rate

Bottom 25%

#94

of 124 cities

36%

Current value (lower is better)

Safety Index

Bottom 23%

#97

of 124 cities

44.4/100

Current value

Community Events

Bottom 22%

#98

of 124 cities

0 events on luma

Current value

SWE Affordability
2.6 years
2.0 years quicker than San Francisco
Muggy Days
23/yr+23/yr(+11550%)
Cloud Cover
47%(vs 34% in San Francisco)