Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Costa Mesa, CA
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 St. Paul leads 14 of 22 categories
Costa Mesa
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,981 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
194⚠ High
Population
111,490
St. Paul
Minnesota
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,919
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
308,806 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Costa Mesa, CA
Pros
Households earn $35,062 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 24°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $959,800
Higher rents — median is $2,268/mo
Violent crime (737.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Homes cost $695k less ($264,900 vs $959,800)
Rent averages $1094/mo less ($1,174 vs $2,268)
16% less violent crime than Costa Mesa
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Costa Mesa
Smaller class sizes — 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Costa Mesa by $35,062/yr
Violent crime (617.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2834.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 40" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Costa Mesa
Median Income
$35,062
$104,981 vs $69,919/yr
St. Paul
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Paul
Violent Crime
16% lower
617.7 vs 737.6 per 100k
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$695k less
$264,900 vs $959,800
St. Paul
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 82.6°F vs 78.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Costa Mesa, CA | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $959,800⚠ High | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,268⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,981 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.9 min ✓ Shorter | 23.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.9% ✓ Higher | 15.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 170⚠ High | 152⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 194⚠ High | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 135⚠ High | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (102) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 18.9:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.5% | 42.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 87.9% | 88.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Newport-Mesa Unified | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.0°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 78.9°F | 82.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 29.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 111,490 | 308,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.4 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.7% | 53.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.0% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Costa Mesa's cost of living index is 115.5 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
St. Paul is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, St. Paul leads 14 of 22 categories. Costa Mesa wins 8 and St. Paul wins 14. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Costa Mesa to St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($959,800 vs $264,900 median home), income ($104,981 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Costa Mesa, CA and St. Paul, MN are about 1,529 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.