Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Santa Rosa, CA
VS
St. Paul, MN
🏆 St. Paul leads 13 of 23 categories
Santa Rosa
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
110.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,604 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
90 ✓ Safer
Population
178,221
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.
Santa Rosa, CA
Pros
45% less violent crime than St. Paul
Households earn $22,685 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 24°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $661,700
Higher rents — median is $2,024/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 110.1)
Cost of living runs 6% higher than St. Paul
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Homes cost $397k less ($264,900 vs $661,700)
Rent averages $850/mo less ($1,174 vs $2,024)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 42.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
6% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Rosa
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 Rosa by $22,685/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 Rosa
Median Income
$22,685
$92,604 vs $69,919/yr
Santa Rosa
Violent Crime
45% lower
342.6 vs 617.7 per 100k
St. Paul
Cost of Living
6% cheaper
COL index 104.5 vs 110.1 (100 = US avg)
St. Paul
Median Home Value
$397k less
$264,900 vs $661,700
St. Paul
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.0% vs 5.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Santa Rosa, CA | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 110.1⚠ High | 104.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $661,700⚠ High | $264,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,024⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $92,604 ✓ Higher | $69,919 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6%⚠ High | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.7 min ✓ Shorter | 23.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.9% | 15.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 79 ✓ Safer | 152⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 90 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 135⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (90) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.5:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.7% | 42.8% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 85.4% | 88.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Rincon Valley Union Elementary | Saint Paul Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 59.7°F ✓ Warmer | 23.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 81.6°F | 82.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.5" | 29.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 40.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 178,221 | 308,806 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.4 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.7% ✓ Higher | 53.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.5% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 18.3% ✓ More | 11.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Santa Rosa's cost of living index is 110.1 vs St. Paul's 104.5 (US average = 100).
St. Paul is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Paul leads 13 of 23 categories. Santa Rosa 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 Rosa to St. Paul or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($661,700 vs $264,900 median home), income ($92,604 vs $69,919), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Santa Rosa, CA and St. Paul, MN are about 1,582 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.