Head-to-Head · City Comparison
St. Paul, MN
VS
Warren, MI
🏆 Warren leads 12 of 23 categories
St. Paul
Minnesota
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$69,919 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
308,806 ✓ Larger
Warren
Michigan
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$61,633
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
138,588
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
St. Paul, MN
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (5.0%)
More college-educated — 42.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $8,286 more per year on average
Smaller class sizes — 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
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 7% higher than Warren
Snowy winters — about 40" of snow per year
Warren, MI
Pros
Homes cost $96k less ($169,300 vs $264,900)
12% less violent crime than St. Paul
Milder winters — January highs near 32°F vs 24°F
7% cheaper overall cost of living than St. Paul
Cons
Violent crime (541.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails St. Paul by $8,286/yr
Higher unemployment (7.4% vs 5.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
St. Paul
Median Income
$8,286
$69,919 vs $61,633/yr
St. Paul
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
5.0% vs 7.4% unemployment
Warren
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 104.5 (100 = US avg)
Warren
Violent Crime
12% lower
541.8 vs 617.7 per 100k
Warren
Median Home Value
$96k less
$169,300 vs $264,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | St. Paul, MN | Warren, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.5⚠ High | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $264,900 | $169,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,174 | $1,139 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $69,919 ✓ Higher | $61,633 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.1 min ✓ Shorter | 25.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 15.4% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 152⚠ High | 115⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 163⚠ High | 143⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 135⚠ High | 74 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 42.8% ✓ Higher | 19.9% |
| High School or Higher | 88.2% ✓ Higher | 86.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Saint Paul Public Schools | Warren Consolidated Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 23.9°F | 32.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 82.6°F | 83.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 29.2" ✓ Drier | 29.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 40.4" | 27.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 308,806 ✓ Larger | 138,588 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 38.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 53.0% | 71.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.0% ✓ More | 21.1% |
| Over 65 | 11.8% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
St. Paul's cost of living index is 104.5 vs Warren's 98.0 (US average = 100).
Warren is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Warren leads 12 of 23 categories. St. Paul wins 11 and Warren 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 St. Paul to Warren or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($264,900 vs $169,300 median home), income ($69,919 vs $61,633), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
St. Paul, MN and Warren, MI are about 531 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.