Carlton County, MN Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Carlton County, Minnesota is about $290,500 (the 2026 median across 10 ZIP codes, at ~$304/sq ft) — 2% more affordable than the Minnesota median and 1% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Carlton County compares
Carlton County is about average for housing nationally: its typical home costs $290,500 against $297,000 for Minnesota and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $229,000 to $1,178,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Carlton County | $290,500 | $304 |
| Minnesota | $297,000 | $188 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Carlton County home prices by ZIP code
The 10 most valuable ZIP codes in Carlton County (of 10 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55780 Sawyer | $1,178,000 | $620 | +306% |
| 55733 Esko | $397,000 | $354 | +37% |
| 55718 Carlton | $338,000 | $343 | +16% |
| 55797 Wrenshall | $330,000 | $257 | +14% |
| 55707 Barnum | $292,000 | $264 | +1% |
| 55767 Moose Lake | $289,000 | $255 | -1% |
| 55720 Cloquet | $279,000 | $203 | -4% |
| 55726 Cromwell | $252,000 | $389 | -13% |
| 55798 Wright | $236,000 | $346 | -19% |
| 55757 Kettle River | $229,000 | $122 | -21% |
Home value appreciation in Carlton County
Home prices in Carlton County have risen about 95% over the last 10 years (≈6.9% a year) and +93.1% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +12.7% — still rising. A home worth $290,500 today was worth roughly $148,822 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, Minnesota is +71.4% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Carlton County
Run the numbers for Carlton County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Carlton County
To buy the typical $290,500 home in Carlton County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $79,000 a year (about $1,840 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $94,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $14,500 | $2,290/mo | $98,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $29,100 | $2,190/mo | $94,000/yr |
| 20% | $58,100 | $1,840/mo | $79,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Carlton County
At about $304 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Carlton County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $150k | 490 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $200k | 660 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $250k | 820 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $300k | 990 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $400k | 1320 sq ft | above the median — larger homes or the pricier ZIPs |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to Minnesota.
Estimate a specific home in Carlton County
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Carlton County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all Minnesota cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.