Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Kirkland, WA
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 Kirkland leads 13 of 22 categories
Kirkland
Washington
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$135,608 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
92,015
St. Paul
Minnesota
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,919
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
308,806 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Kirkland, WA
Pros
Households earn $65,689 more per year on average
90% less violent crime than St. Paul
Violent crime is well below the national average (60.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 62.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 24°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 83°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $937,700
Higher rents — median is $2,250/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Cost of living runs 9% higher than St. Paul
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Homes cost $673k less ($264,900 vs $937,700)
Rent averages $1076/mo less ($1,174 vs $2,250)
9% cheaper overall cost of living than Kirkland
Cons
Median income trails Kirkland by $65,689/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
Kirkland
Median Income
$65,689
$135,608 vs $69,919/yr
Kirkland
Violent Crime
90% lower
60.6 vs 617.7 per 100k
St. Paul
Cost of Living
9% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$673k less
$264,900 vs $937,700
St. Paul
Summer Heat
6.1°F warmer
July avg high 82.6°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Kirkland, WA | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $937,700⚠ High | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,250⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $135,608 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.5 min | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 15.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 16 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 96 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | — | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.9% ✓ Higher | 42.8% |
| High School or Higher | 96.6% ✓ Higher | 88.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 82.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.8" | 29.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 92,015 | 308,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.0 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.1% ✓ Higher | 53.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.1% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Kirkland's cost of living index is 113.0 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
St. Paul is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Kirkland leads 13 of 22 categories. Kirkland wins 13 and St. Paul wins 9. 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 Kirkland to St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($937,700 vs $264,900 median home), income ($135,608 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Kirkland, WA and St. Paul, MN are about 1,393 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.