Head-to-Head · City Comparison
San Francisco, CA
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 St. Paul leads 12 of 23 categories
San Francisco
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
117.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$136,689 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
157⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
851,036 ✓ Larger
St. Paul
Minnesota
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$69,919
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
308,806
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
San Francisco, CA
Pros
Households earn $66,770 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 59°F vs 24°F
More college-educated — 59.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 62°F vs 83°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,348,700
Higher rents — median is $2,316/mo
Violent crime (596.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 117.1)
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Homes cost $1084k less ($264,900 vs $1,348,700)
Rent averages $1142/mo less ($1,174 vs $2,316)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
13% cheaper overall cost of living than San Francisco
Smaller class sizes — 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Francisco by $66,770/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
San Francisco
Median Income
$66,770
$136,689 vs $69,919/yr
San Francisco
Violent Crime
3% lower
596.5 vs 617.7 per 100k
St. Paul
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 117.1 (100 = US avg)
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$1084k less
$264,900 vs $1,348,700
St. Paul
Summer Heat
20.8°F warmer
July avg high 82.6°F vs 61.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | San Francisco, CA | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 117.1⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,348,700⚠ High | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,316⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $136,689 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 31.8 min⚠ High | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 23.4% ✓ Higher | 15.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 169⚠ High | 152⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 157⚠ High ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 187⚠ High | 135⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 21.0:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 59.8% ✓ Higher | 42.8% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% ✓ Higher | 88.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | San Francisco Unified | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.0°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 61.8°F | 82.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 30.0" | 29.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 851,036 ✓ Larger | 308,806 |
| Median Age | 39.3 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 38.6% | 53.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 13.6% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.7% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
San Francisco's cost of living index is 117.1 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
St. Paul is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Paul leads 12 of 23 categories. San Francisco wins 11 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 San Francisco to St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,348,700 vs $264,900 median home), income ($136,689 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
San Francisco, CA and St. Paul, MN are about 1,620 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.