Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Ana, CA
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 St. Paul leads 13 of 23 categories
Santa Ana
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$84,210 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
130⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
311,379 ✓ Larger
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
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Santa Ana, CA
Pros
20% less violent crime than St. Paul
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 24°F
Households earn $14,291 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $624,000
Higher rents — median is $1,885/mo
Violent crime (493.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Homes cost $359k less ($264,900 vs $624,000)
Rent averages $711/mo less ($1,174 vs $1,885)
More college-educated — 42.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.0%)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Ana
Smaller class sizes — 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (617.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Santa Ana by $14,291/yr
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
Santa Ana
Median Income
$14,291
$84,210 vs $69,919/yr
Santa Ana
Violent Crime
20% lower
493.1 vs 617.7 per 100k
St. Paul
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$359k less
$264,900 vs $624,000
St. Paul
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Ana, CA | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $624,000⚠ High | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,885⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $84,210 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 25.0 min | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.0% | 15.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 81 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.0:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.9% | 42.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 65.2% | 88.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Santa Ana Unified | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 69.3°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.5°F | 82.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 12.5" ✓ Drier | 29.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 311,379 ✓ Larger | 308,806 |
| Median Age | 33.4 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 44.8% | 53.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.1% ✓ More | 24.0% |
| Over 65 | 10.6% | 11.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Ana's cost of living index is 115.5 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
St. Paul is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Paul leads 13 of 23 categories. Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana to St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($624,000 vs $264,900 median home), income ($84,210 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Ana, CA and St. Paul, MN are about 1,525 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.