Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Minneapolis, MN
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 St. Paul leads 12 of 21 categories
Minneapolis
Minnesota
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,332 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
305⚠ High
Population
426,877 ✓ Larger
St. Paul
Minnesota
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$69,919
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
308,806
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Minneapolis, MN
Pros
More college-educated — 53.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $6,413 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1160.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Pricier housing — median home is $328,700
Property crime (5142.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 5.0%)
St. Paul, MN
Pros
47% less violent crime than Minneapolis
Homes cost $64k less ($264,900 vs $328,700)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.0%)
Rent averages $93/mo less ($1,174 vs $1,267)
Cons
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
Median income trails Minneapolis by $6,413/yr
Snowy winters — about 40" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Minneapolis
Median Income
$6,413
$76,332 vs $69,919/yr
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 104.5 on the COL index
St. Paul
Violent Crime
47% lower
617.7 vs 1160.2 per 100k
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$64k less
$264,900 vs $328,700
St. Paul
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Minneapolis, MN | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.5⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $328,700⚠ High | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,267 | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,332 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.9 min ✓ Shorter | 23.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.6% ✓ Higher | 15.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 281⚠ High | 152⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 305⚠ High | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 245⚠ High | 135⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 53.5% ✓ Higher | 42.8% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 88.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Minneapolis Public School District | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 21.7°F | 23.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 83.1°F ✓ Warmer | 82.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.3" | 29.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 40.4" | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 426,877 ✓ Larger | 308,806 |
| Median Age | 32.8 | 33.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.1% | 53.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.1% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 11.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Minneapolis's cost of living index is 104.5 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, St. Paul leads 12 of 21 categories. Minneapolis wins 9 and St. Paul wins 12. 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 Minneapolis to St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($328,700 vs $264,900 median home), income ($76,332 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Minneapolis, MN and St. Paul, MN are about 8 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.