Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Ontario, CA
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 St. Paul leads 13 of 23 categories
Ontario
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$78,070 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
72 ✓ Safer
Population
176,326
St. Paul
Minnesota
13
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.
Ontario, CA
Pros
56% less violent crime than St. Paul
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 24°F
Households earn $8,151 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $513,000
Higher rents — median is $1,826/mo
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 5.0%)
Longer commutes — 31.3 min average each way
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Homes cost $248k less ($264,900 vs $513,000)
Rent averages $652/mo less ($1,174 vs $1,826)
More college-educated — 42.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.0%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 94°F
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 Ontario by $8,151/yr
Snowy winters — about 40" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Ontario
Median Income
$8,151
$78,070 vs $69,919/yr
Ontario
Violent Crime
56% lower
272.2 vs 617.7 per 100k
Ontario
Summer Heat
11.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 82.6°F
St. Paul
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 107.9 (100 = US avg)
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$248k less
$264,900 vs $513,000
St. Paul
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Ontario, CA | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.9⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $513,000⚠ High | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,826⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $78,070 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.3 min⚠ High | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 6.2% | 15.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 78 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 72 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 87 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (65) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.4:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 19.2% | 42.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 76.2% | 88.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Ontario-Montclair | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 67.7°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer | 82.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.6" ✓ Drier | 29.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 176,326 | 308,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 32.6 | 33.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 53.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.9% ✓ More | 24.0% |
| Over 65 | 10.0% | 11.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Ontario's cost of living index is 107.9 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
St. Paul is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Paul leads 13 of 23 categories. Ontario wins 10 and St. Paul wins 13. 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 Ontario to St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($513,000 vs $264,900 median home), income ($78,070 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Ontario, CA and St. Paul, MN are about 1,500 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.