St. Paul, MN Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for St. Paul, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in St. Paul →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Roughly 308,806 people call St. Paul, Minnesota home. Household income runs $69,919 at the median, roughly in line with what we see across the broader set of cities (-3%).
Housing costs are a defining factor for anyone relocating to St. Paul. The median home value sits at $264,900 (below the multi-city median at -19%), while renters pay a median of $1,174 per month. Buyers should weigh current mortgage rates and local property taxes against these figures before committing.
St. Paul's home-price-to-income ratio of about 3.8× is fairly typical — housing costs track reasonably in line with local pay. Home values near St. Paul rose 2.92% in the past year, a pace most would call steady rather than hot. St. Paul carries a Relatively High hazard rating from FEMA — elevated risk that's typically reflected in higher insurance premiums.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,174/mo in St. Paul would take 20.1% of your income.
$574/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($264,900) would take 24.3% of your income toward principal & interest.
$217/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in St. Paul
Median home value is $264,900 and median gross rent is $1,174/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
FHFA's county-level home price index for Ramsey rose 2.92% over the past year (as of 2025).
HUD's FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom unit in the surrounding county is $1,709/month.
Climate & home insurance
FEMA rates St. Paul's overall natural-hazard risk as Relatively High. Risk level is a major driver of home insurance premiums.
Safety
St. Paul reported a violent crime rate of 491.1 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to St. Paul
Planning a move to St. Paul? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in St. Paul, MN?
- St. Paul's key cost-of-living figures: $264,900 median home value, $1,174 median monthly rent, and $69,919 median household income, per the US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in St. Paul?
- Comfortably affording rent in St. Paul — where the median runs $1,174/month — typically means earning about $46,960 a year, per the standard 30%-of-income benchmark. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for St. Paul.
- Is it better to rent or buy in St. Paul?
- Renting in St. Paul at the median $1,174/month calls for about $46,960 a year under the standard 30% guideline; buying the median home at $264,900 takes roughly $60,608 a year in principal and interest (20% down, 30-year fixed, current rates). Timeline and down payment usually decide which makes more sense.
- Is St. Paul safe?
- Per FBI Crime Data Explorer figures, St. Paul's violent crime rate was 491.1 per 100,000 residents in 2025.
See the full salary breakdown for St. Paul →
Cities with a similar cost of living
Matched on median rent and household income within 15% of St. Paul's.