Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Overland Park, KS
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 Overland Park leads 18 of 23 categories
Overland Park
Kansas
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$100,876 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
196,676
St. Paul
Minnesota
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
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.
Overland Park, KS
Pros
70% less violent crime than St. Paul
Households earn $30,957 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (184.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (3.2%)
More college-educated — 62.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
11% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Paul
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $361,800
Higher rents — median is $1,378/mo
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Homes cost $97k less ($264,900 vs $361,800)
Rent averages $204/mo less ($1,174 vs $1,378)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 88°F
Cons
Median income trails Overland Park by $30,957/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
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Overland Park
Key Differences at a Glance
Overland Park
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Overland Park
Median Income
$30,957
$100,876 vs $69,919/yr
Overland Park
Violent Crime
70% lower
184.4 vs 617.7 per 100k
Overland Park
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.0% unemployment
Overland Park
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 88.2°F vs 82.6°F
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$97k less
$264,900 vs $361,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Overland Park, KS | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 104.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $361,800⚠ High | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,378⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $100,876 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.9 min ✓ Shorter | 23.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 19.5% ✓ Higher | 15.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 84 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 62.5% ✓ Higher | 42.8% |
| High School or Higher | 97.2% ✓ Higher | 88.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Blue Valley | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer | 82.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6" | 29.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 196,676 | 308,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.4 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.4% ✓ Higher | 53.0% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.1% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Overland Park's cost of living index is 93.3 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
Overland Park is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Overland Park leads 18 of 23 categories. Overland Park wins 18 and St. Paul wins 5. 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 Overland Park to St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($361,800 vs $264,900 median home), income ($100,876 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Overland Park, KS and St. Paul, MN are about 427 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.