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Cost of living, pay and housing

45.01° N · 93.00° W · GEOID 2747221

North St. Paul

Ramsey County, Minnesota · part of the Minneapolis, MN metro

MinnesotaNorth St. Paul, MNNorth St. PaulNorth St. Paul

The short answer

North St. Paul is home to 12,570 people. Median household income is $84,797 a year and median rent is $1,352 a month, 19.1% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $298,500, about 3.5x annual median household income.

North St. Paul stands out for what is close at hand. OpenStreetMap shows 0 grocery stores per 10,000 residents, fewer than in 93% of places its size. It is the lowest of 151 Minnesota places we track. Also notable: OpenStreetMap shows 19.9 bus and rail stops per square mile, more than in 94% of places its size.

67OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Above average

North St. Paul scores better than 67% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 107th of 151 in Minnesota.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%60
Economy 20%74
Safety 20%29
Amenities 15%55
Education 10%48
Commute 10%71
Growth 5%72
Median gross rent
$1,352
1% below the median place
Median household income
$84,797
6% above the median place
Median home value
$298,500
7% below the median place
Unemployment
2.7%
45% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

01

Moving to North St. Paul

Ramsey County loses about 10.2 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in29,989
Moved out34,500
Net−4,511

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Hennepin County, MN8,9108,655+255
Washington County, MN3,0655,568−2,503
Dakota County, MN2,6954,071−1,376
Anoka County, MN2,7213,880−1,159
Cook County, IL273307−34
Scott County, MN258312−54

Within Minnesota, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MinnesotaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$57K
Leavers$69K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Ramsey County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
5.7% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 1.2% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Ramsey County report $57,200 a year in income on average; those leaving, $68,900, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$54,100 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,352 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $1,966 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $298,500.
Getting to work
22 minutes each way on average; 12.7% work from home; 3.7% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Rothschild, WI matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved from another state1
1.2%
41% below the median place
Moved here in the past year1
5.7%
1% below the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-10.2
below the median place (median -0.6)
All 5 moving measures
MeasureNorth St. PaulAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year15.7%1% below
Moved from another state11.2%41% below
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-10.2below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$57,17919% below
Income of households moving out8County figure$68,8862% below
02

What it costs to live here

Vacant homes is 3.2%, 55% below the median place.

North St. Paul19.1%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$54,080
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
19.1%
6% below the median place
Home price to income
3.5x
7% below the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
19%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$66,500
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in North St. Paul, $1,352 a month, and local prices for everything else (103.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like North St. Paul, but easier on the budget

Places that match North St. Paul on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Rothschild, WI9313.2% vs 19.1%$12,700Compare
Marshall, MN9213.6% vs 19.1%n/aCompare
Cumberland, IN9015.9% vs 19.1%$9,400Compare
Sioux Center, IA9011.4% vs 19.1%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in North St. Paul.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to North St. Paul? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
3.2%
55% below the median place
Renters paying 30%+1
56.3%
11% above the median place
Property tax rate1
1.2%
35% above the median place
All 16 cost and housing measures
MeasureNorth St. PaulAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,3521% below
Rent to income119.1%6% below
Property tax rate11.2%35% above
Home price to income13.5x7% below
Prices vs US average2Metro figure104.84% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,7347% above
HUD area median income4County figure$131,50023% above
Property tax paid (median)1$3,66912% above
Median home value1$298,5007% below
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure2.9%8% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure30.7%40% below
Homeownership168.2%3% above
Renters paying 30%+156.3%11% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$1,9665% above
Vacant homes13.2%55% below
Median year built119730% below
03

Work and pay

Compared with the 20 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Spring Lake Park, MN, Bonner Springs, KS and Fridley, MN), unemployment here is lower: 2.7% against a typical 4.7%.

Unemployment1
2.7%
45% below the median place
Mean commute1
22 min
13% below the median place
Income per person1
$37,387
7% below the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Median household income$84,797 +6%
Poverty rate11.2% +4%
Works from home12.7% +2%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureNorth St. PaulAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$84,7976% above
Income per person1$37,3877% below
Unemployment12.7%45% below
Average annual pay6County figure$81,31123% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure4.4%19% above
Jobs6County figure330,908120% above
Poverty rate111.2%4% above
Mean commute122 min13% below
Works from home112.7%2% above
Commutes by transit1County figure3.7%331% above
04

Who lives here

The median resident is 35.2 years old, younger than in 78% of the 2,300 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

No health insurance1
3.6%
44% below the median place
Median age1
35.2
10% below the median place
Born abroad1
15.9%
80% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

High school or higher88.1% −5%
Homes with broadband94.7% +3%
Household size2.6 +5%
Bachelor's or higher31.3% −2%
All 9 people measures
MeasureNorth St. PaulAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population112,5703465th largest
Population change since 202073.3%190% above
Median age135.210% below
Bachelor's or higher131.3%2% below
High school or higher188.1%5% below
Household size12.65% above
Born abroad115.9%80% above
No health insurance13.6%44% below
Homes with broadband194.7%3% above
05

Life in North St. Paul

OpenStreetMap shows 20.7 parks per 10,000 residents, more than in 84% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Founded or incorporated in 1887. 132 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 3 of them National Historic Landmarks. Its history on Wikipedia

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents20.7 2.0×
Playgrounds per 10k23.9 2.5×
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k4.8 −57%
Libraries per 10k1.6 +83%
Named paths and bike trails3 km +30%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi19.9 95.0×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Mississippi National River and Recreation Area 10 miles
  • Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway 31 miles
  • Effigy Mounds National Monument 161 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.2 +7%
Shops26.4 −13%
Arts, recreation and fitness5.4 +32%
Doctors' offices and clinics21.9 +8%
Child care centers2.4 +4%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site11
9.7
69% below the median place
Public schools14
265
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students14
90,695
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureNorth St. PaulAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools14County figure265above (median 9)
Public school students14County figure90,695above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher14County figure15.93% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure22.27% above
Shops per 10k9County figure26.413% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure5.432% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure21.98% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure2.44% above
Parks per 10k1020.7103% above
Playgrounds per 10k1023.9154% above
Grocery stores per 10k100.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k104.857% below
Libraries per 10k101.683% above
Named paths and bike trails102.630% above
Transit stops per sq mi1019.9above (median 0.2)
Nearest National Park Service site119.769% below
National Park Service sites within 60 miles1120% above
National Register listings12County figure132above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 227, 18% above the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
227
18% above the median place
Property crime per 100k
2,491
105% above the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

January average low15
7°F
74% below the median place
Average temperature15
45°F
17% below the median place
Median air quality index17
34
21% below the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureNorth St. PaulAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high15County figure82°F5% below
January average low15County figure7°F74% below
Average temperature15County figure45°F17% below
Annual precipitation15County figure32.5 in26% below
Natural hazard risk16County figure94.62% above
Tornado risk16County figure98.721% above
Wildfire risk16County figure52.614% below
Heat wave risk16County figure98.29% above
Median air quality index17County figure3421% below
Good air days17County figure70.1%2% above
08

North St. Paul in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 19% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 19% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, North St. Paul does better than 59% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 43%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,352/mo (2024)$1,740/mo$1,430 to $2,130/mo+4.3%
Median household income$84,797 (2024)$108,000$91,000 to $127,500+4.1%
Median home value$298,500 (2024)$426,000$309,000 to $587,000+6.1%
Population12,780 (2025)13,03012,500 to 13,580+0.4%

The median home would be worth 4.0 years of the median income in 2030, against 3.5 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like North St. Paul

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
District Heights, MD$1,379$86,955Compare
Brooklyn Park, MN$1,325$89,891Compare
Fridley, MN$1,326$77,680Compare
Moncks Corner, SC$1,307$91,500Compare
Moncks Corner, SCFridley, MNBrooklyn Park, MNDistrict Heights, MDNorth St. Paul, MNNorth St. PaulDistrict HeightsBrooklyn ParkFridleyMoncks CornerNorth St. PaulDistrict HeightsBrooklyn ParkFridleyMoncks Corner

Places built like North St. Paul

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how North St. Paul performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
North St. Paul, MN19.1%5.6%/yr3.3%
Spring Lake Park, MN18.7%7.8%/yr-0.9%Compare
Bonner Springs, KS16.8%6.0%/yr1.8%Compare
Fridley, MN20.5%4.0%/yr4.2%Compare
Marshall, MN13.6%7.0%/yr2.0%Compare
Festus, MO15.0%5.9%/yr10.2%Compare
Willmar, MN17.5%5.4%/yr4.6%Compare

Common questions

Is North St. Paul a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 67 out of 100, better than 67% of the places we rate and 107th of 151 in Minnesota. On cost, space and class size it scores 66 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is North St. Paul expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 19.1% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $298,500.

What salary do you need to live in North St. Paul?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $54,080 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is North St. Paul safe?

There were 227 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to North St. Paul?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are District Heights, MD, Brooklyn Park, MN, Fridley, MN and Moncks Corner, SC.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  11. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  12. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  13. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  14. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  15. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  16. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  17. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares North St. Paul with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for North St. Paul itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/north-saint-paul-minnesota

Citytistics. “North St. Paul, Minnesota.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/north-saint-paul-minnesota/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.