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City · 13,852 residents · Benton County, Minnesota

Sauk Rapids , Minnesota

In Sauk Rapids, a typical home is worth $256,100 and typical rent is $964 a month. Compared with all of Benton County, the typical home value is 5% lower and the share of households that own their home is 6 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $256,100

    5% below the county

    22% below Minnesota

    • Sauk Rapids
    • Benton
    • Minnesota

  • Typical rent

    $964a month

    About the same as the county

    25% below Minnesota

    • Sauk Rapids
    • Benton
    • Minnesota

  • Typical household income

    $71,841a year

    3% below the county

    19% below Minnesota

    • Sauk Rapids
    • Benton
    • Minnesota

  • Households that own their home

    61%

    6 points below the county

    11 points below Minnesota

    • Sauk Rapids
    • Benton
    • Minnesota

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$304,372
1.7% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Sauk Rapids is in Benton County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Benton County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Sauk Rapids apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Sauk Rapids has the 7th smallest share of rent-burdened renters of the 139 cities in Minnesota with more than 5,000 people (36%).

  2. 61% of households in Sauk Rapids own their home, against 67% in Benton County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Sauk Rapids

What homes there are in Sauk Rapids, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

The detached house is still the most common home in Sauk Rapids, but it weighs less than in Benton County: 63% against 66%.

Year built

The typical year built in Sauk Rapids is 1988, about the same as in Benton County (1986).

There are fewer big homes in Sauk Rapids than in Benton County: 55% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 61%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,756 a month

Benton County: $1,770 a month

Without a mortgage

$605 a month

Benton County: $629 a month

Owners with a mortgage

72%

Benton County: 62%

In Sauk Rapids, 72% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,756 a month, about the same as in Benton County.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Homes in Sauk Rapids gained value more slowly than in Benton County: 51% since 2015–2019, against 55%.

The typical rent in Sauk Rapids rose 29% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Benton County (29%).

The typical household income in Sauk Rapids rose 38% over that time; home values changed +51% and rent +29%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureSauk RapidsBenton CountyMinnesotaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate5.3%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate3.1%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.362.432.432.53
Drive alone 81%79%69%69%
Carpool 6%7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate4%3%3%
Work from home 10%10%18%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in Sauk Rapids has 2.36 people on average, about the same as in Benton County (2.43).

To get to work, 81% of workers in Sauk Rapids drive alone; in Benton County, 79%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Sauk Rapids?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Sauk Rapids, worth $256,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 36% of the typical household income in Sauk Rapids, which is $71,841 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $92,312 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Benton County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Sauk Rapids. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $8,964 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,154

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$251,461
Total interest
$361,793
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,325 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,676 a month

  • Tight

    $1,676 to $2,155 a month

    Your payment · 36%

  • Hard

    more than $2,155 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Sauk Rapids ($71,841 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,154
Principal & interest$1,703
Property tax$231
Home insurance$107
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$113

You need at least $8,964 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Sauk Rapids and Benton County

Sauk Rapids is in Benton County, Minnesota. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Sauk Rapids's own numbers

Typical home value
$256,100
Typical monthly rent
$964
Typical yearly household income
$71,841
Households that own their home
61%
Effective property tax rate
1.08%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Benton County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,233
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+42%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
3%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Benton County.

Everything about Benton County

Buying

Buying a home in Sauk Rapids

A typical home in Sauk Rapids is worth $256,100: 5% below the county and 22% below Minnesota. With the typical household income in Sauk Rapids ($71,841 a year), a typical home costs 3.6 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Sauk Rapids 3.6 years
  • Benton 3.6 years
  • Minnesota 3.7 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Benton County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Benton County rose 78% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Benton County.

Period County Minnesota U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.2% +2.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +42% +37% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +78% +71% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Sauk Rapids next to Benton County, Minnesota and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Sauk Rapids $256,100
  • Benton $271,000
  • Minnesota $329,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Sauk Rapids $964
  • Benton $982
  • Minnesota $1,280
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Sauk Rapids $71,841
  • Benton $74,410
  • Minnesota $89,062
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Sauk Rapids next to Benton County and Minnesota
Measure Sauk Rapids Benton County Minnesota U.S.
Typical home value $256,100 $271,000 $329,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $964 $982 $1,280 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $71,841 $74,410 $89,062 $80,734
Households that own their home 61% 67% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $2,778 $2,651 $3,357 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.08% 0.98% 1.02% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 36% 40% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Benton County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Sauk Rapids

For a typical $256,100 home in Sauk Rapids, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Sauk Rapids's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,154a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $8,964
    Cash to close
    $16,647
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $113

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,107a month

    Down payment
    $12,805
    Cash to close
    $20,488
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $122

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,725a month

    Down payment
    $51,220
    Cash to close
    $58,903
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,962a month

    Down payment
    $38,415
    Cash to close
    $46,098
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Sauk Rapids and for Benton County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Sauk Rapids

1.08%of the home’s value each year

$2,778 a year for the typical owner in Sauk Rapids.

  • Sauk Rapids 1.08%
  • Benton 0.98%
  • Minnesota 1.02%

What Minnesota publishes Homestead market value exclusion (Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes (Minnesota Statutes))

Exemptions and deadlines in Minnesota

Flood risk in Benton County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Benton County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
3%
477
Of those, with NFIP insurance
15%
County Minnesota U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 3% 0.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 15% 17% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Sauk Rapids

Typical rent in Sauk Rapids is $964 a month: about the same as the county. In Sauk Rapids, 36% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Benton County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,233 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $23.71 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Benton County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $884 $17.00 $35,360
1 bedroom $961 $18.48 $38,440
2 bedrooms $1,233 $23.71 $49,320
3 bedrooms $1,656 $31.85 $66,240
4 bedrooms $1,961 $37.71 $78,440

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Sauk Rapids

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Sauk Rapids is in ZIP code 56379.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,540: $307 more than the fair market rent for Benton County ($1,233).

  • 56379 $1,540$2,040

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Sauk Rapids when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Sauk Rapids

HUD lists 7 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Sauk Rapids. These are the largest.

  • Russell Arms/Benton Heights Multiple Building Addresses, Sauk Rapids 56379 91 homes, 79 low-income · In service since 2006
  • Russell Arms/ Benton Heights 1217 1st Ave N, Sauk Rapids 56379 91 homes, 71 low-income · For families (320) 230-2187
  • Good Shepherd Homes 1211 4th Ave N, Sauk Rapids 56379 58 low-income homes · For older adults (320) 259-3494
  • SHEPHERD OAK WEST /Good Shepherd Luth Hm 220 13th St N, Sauk Rapids 56379 46 homes, 45 low-income · For older adults (320) 259-3494
  • Shepherd Oak Apartments 310 13th St N, Sauk Rapids 56379 42 low-income homes · For older adults (320) 259-3494

See all 12 buildings in Benton County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Sauk Rapids

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Benton County. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A young man and a young woman look something up together on a laptop.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Sauk Rapids

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Sauk Rapids or Benton County. The ones below are statewide in Minnesota: they work in Sauk Rapids the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Minnesota

  • Deferred Payment Loan (Start Up)

    Statewide in Minnesota

    Minnesota state agency loan for the down payment and closing costs alongside the Start Up mortgage for first-time buyers: up to $14,000 (or $18,000 in the Plus version), with no interest or monthly payments, repaid at the end of the mortgage. Offered by Minnesota Housing (Minnesota Housing Finance Agency).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Monthly Payment Loan

    Statewide in Minnesota

    Minnesota Housing loan of up to $14,000 for the down payment and closing costs, which you repay over 15 years at the same rate as your Minnesota Housing mortgage; it works with Start Up (first-time buyers) or Step Up. Offered by Minnesota Housing (Minnesota Housing Finance Agency).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Sauk Rapids

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Sauk Rapids, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County

    7101 Northland Cir N, Brooklyn Park · 51 miles away

    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • Homebuyer education workshops
    (952) 697-1303

  • Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

    716 E Street, Brainerd · 53 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 1 more
    (888) 577-2227

  • Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

    1601 Hwy 12 E, Willmar · 53 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 1 more
    (888) 577-2227

All counseling agencies in Minnesota

Help in Spanish near Sauk Rapids

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Sauk Rapids

HUD lists no housing authority with an office in Benton County. One in a neighboring county or the state’s may serve the area.

All housing agencies in Minnesota Source: HUD

Cities

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Sauk Rapids, with the typical home value.

Everything about Benton County Housing in Minnesota

Neighboring counties

If Benton County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Sauk Rapids.

All guides
A family walks a boardwalk trail in the forest; one of them uses a wheelchair.

Questions

Housing questions about Sauk Rapids

Short answers with the numbers for Sauk Rapids and all of Benton County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Sauk Rapids?

The typical home value in Sauk Rapids is $256,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Benton County it is $271,000.

How much does it cost to rent in Sauk Rapids?

Typical rent in Sauk Rapids is $964 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Benton County is $1,233.

What is the FHA loan limit in Sauk Rapids?

Sauk Rapids uses the FHA limit for all of Benton County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Sauk Rapids?

The typical homeowner in Sauk Rapids pays $2,778 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.08% of the home’s value; in Benton County, the rate is 0.98%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Sauk Rapids?

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Benton County; the nearest ones are on this page. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).