Is St. James, MN a Good Place to Live?
St. James is a small town of 4,757 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $50,938 and a 10.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.
Strengths: St. James stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether St. James is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All St. James city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 90.8St. James's overall cost of living index is 90.8, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in St. James costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
| Metric | St. James, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $94,900 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $740 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 74.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $50,938 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeSt. James's violent crime rate is 149.9 per 100,000 residents — 61% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
St. James is served primarily by ST. JAMES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | St. James, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | ST. JAMES PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 84.9% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
St. James sees average highs of 23.5°F in January and 82.8°F in July, with 33.1 inches of annual precipitation and 50.3 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | St. James, MN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 23.5°F |
| Average High — July | 82.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 50.3" |
Demographics
| Metric | St. James, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,757 | — |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 10.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 17.8 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 77.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.1% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.8% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 28.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 16.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in St. James
St. James, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: