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Living in
St. Cloud.
About
Life in St. Cloud
St. Cloud is a solid mid-size city that offers reasonable affordability and economic stability without the intensity of the Twin Cities just an hour away. Healthcare dominates the job market through CentraCare Health and St.
St. Cloud at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.2%
Foreign-Born
13.5%
Broadband Internet
91.6%
of households
Population Growth
+4.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics13.5% foreign-born, most often from Somalia
Who lives in St. Cloud: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In St. Cloud, the largest foreign-born group is from Somalia (24.2%), and 10.8% of residents speak Other at home.
Under 18
21.9%
of residents
65 and Older
13.3%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.9%
of households
Married Couples
33.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.36
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 22% below MN average
Rent, home values, and income in St. Cloud
In St. Cloud, rent runs 22% below the MN average, and home values are 32% below the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.1%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
87.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,320
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
48.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1981
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.6%
of housing units
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts above MN average
Unemployment in St. Cloud
Unemployment in St. Cloud is 0.5 percentage points higher than the MN average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What St. Cloud Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.8 min avg
How St. Cloud residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In St. Cloud, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 82% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 mi
Saint Cloud Regional Airport (STC)
Regional airport · few flights29k passengers boarded in 2025
- 65 mi
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)
Major hub17.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 10% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in St. Cloud runs 10% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
361.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,519.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
St. Cloud Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 24 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
87.6 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Stearns County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Stearns County, which includes St. Cloud, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 24 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 24 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.0M |
| 2023 | 16 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2022 | 24 | Hail | None reported |
| 2021 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | $59,000 |
| 2020 | 10 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2019 | 14 | Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | None reported |
| 2018 | 13 | Winter Storm | $1,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Stearns County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Stearns County, which includes St. Cloud, is typically good — 270 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
270
per year
Moderate Days
76
per year
Unhealthy Days
3
per year
Stearns County, county-wide
Climate79°F summers, 6°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
St. Cloud has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and very cold winters (avg low 6°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/32°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/57°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
55°/35°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
24°/6°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
30.3"
Annual Snowfall
47.9"
Hot Days/Year
9
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
172
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
111
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°F | 3°F | 0.67" |
| Feb | 26°F | 7°F | 0.76" |
| Mar | 39°F | 20°F | 1.57" |
| Apr | 54°F | 32°F | 2.61" |
| May | 68°F | 45°F | 3.66" |
| Jun | 77°F | 55°F | 3.75" |
| Jul | 82°F | 59°F | 3.60" |
| Aug | 79°F | 56°F | 4.00" |
| Sep | 71°F | 48°F | 3.01" |
| Oct | 56°F | 36°F | 2.61" |
| Nov | 39°F | 23°F | 1.37" |
| Dec | 26°F | 10°F | 0.88" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in St. Cloud
St. Cloud has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
6.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.0 / 5
Centracare - St. Cloud Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
St Cloud VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in St. Cloud
St. Cloud's student/teacher ratio is 13.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 30.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
21
within city limits
Private Schools
8
within city limits
College Degree Rate
30.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in St. Cloud
Public · 4-year · 5,088 students · in-state tuition $10,858 · 52% graduate · median earnings $59,509 (10 yrs after entry)
St Cloud Technical and Community College
Public · 2-year · 3,113 students · in-state tuition $6,362 · 36% graduate · median earnings $53,305 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, 66 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for St. Cloud
St. Cloud has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (66 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
66 mi awaySaint Croix National Scenic Riverway
National Scenic Riverway
88 mi awayPublic Libraries in St. Cloud
St. Cloud Public Library
1300 W. St. Germain St., St. Cloud
Cities Near St. Cloud
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to St. Cloud?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
St. Cloud FAQ
Is St. Cloud, Minnesota affordable?⌄
St. Cloud's median rent is $1,003/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $61,374/year. Median home value is $225,000.
Is St. Cloud, Minnesota safe?⌄
St. Cloud's violent crime rate was 361 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2520 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in St. Cloud, Minnesota?⌄
St. Cloud has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in St. Cloud, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in St. Cloud is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,003/month and median household income is $61,374/year. The median home value is $225,000. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in St. Cloud, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in St. Cloud is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from