Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Clarita, CA
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 Santa Clarita leads 13 of 23 categories
Santa Clarita
California
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$116,186 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
225,850
St. Paul
Minnesota
10
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.
Santa Clarita, CA
Pros
Households earn $46,267 more per year on average
73% less violent crime than St. Paul
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 24°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $669,200
Higher rents — median is $2,315/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than St. Paul
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Homes cost $404k less ($264,900 vs $669,200)
Rent averages $1141/mo less ($1,174 vs $2,315)
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (5.0%)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Clarita
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 94°F
Cons
Median income trails Santa Clarita by $46,267/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
Santa Clarita
Median Income
$46,267
$116,186 vs $69,919/yr
Santa Clarita
Violent Crime
73% lower
165.4 vs 617.7 per 100k
Santa Clarita
Summer Heat
11.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.2°F vs 82.6°F
St. Paul
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$404k less
$264,900 vs $669,200
St. Paul
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Clarita, 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 | $669,200⚠ High | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,315⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $116,186 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 35.2 min⚠ High | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.7% | 15.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 56 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (84) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 26.5:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.7% | 42.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 91.0% ✓ Higher | 88.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Saugus Union | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.2°F ✓ Warmer | 82.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.5" ✓ Drier | 29.2" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 225,850 | 308,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.3 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 71.1% ✓ Higher | 53.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.4% ✓ More | 24.0% |
| Over 65 | 12.4% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Clarita'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, Santa Clarita leads 13 of 23 categories. Santa Clarita wins 13 and St. Paul wins 10. 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 Clarita to St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($669,200 vs $264,900 median home), income ($116,186 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Clarita, CA and St. Paul, MN are about 1,525 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.