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Living in
St. Peter.
About
Life in St. Peter
St. Peter is a community of 12,085 people in Minnesota. The median household income is $65,042, median rent runs about $961 per month, and median home values are around $250,700.
St. Peter at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.8%
Foreign-Born
6.2%
Broadband Internet
84.2%
of households
Population Growth
+1.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.2% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in St. Peter: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In St. Peter, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (27.9%), and 5.8% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.2%
of residents
65 and Older
16.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
41.4%
of households
Married Couples
42.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.25
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 25% below MN average
Rent, home values, and income in St. Peter
In St. Peter, rent runs 25% below the MN average, and home values are 24% below the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.6%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
27.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.0
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$2,942
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
64.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1978
median year built
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below MN average
Unemployment in St. Peter
Unemployment in Nicollet County, which includes St. Peter, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the MN average.
Unemployment rate
St. Peter: Nicollet County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Nicollet County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What St. Peter Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.4 min avg
How St. Peter residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In St. Peter, most residents drive alone to work (56%), and 87% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 53 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 78% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in St. Peter runs 78% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
71.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
589.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
St. Peter Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Storm most common — 16 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
45.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Nicollet County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Nicollet County, which includes St. Peter, the most common type is winter storm, with 16 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 16 | Winter Weather | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 9 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2023 | 12 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2022 | 9 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2021 | 8 | Winter Storm | $5,000 |
| 2020 | 14 | Winter Storm | $35,000 |
| 2019 | 11 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2018 | 9 | Winter Storm | None reported |
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
Nicollet County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Blue Earth County, MN (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 21 miles from St. Peter) is typically good — 233 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
233
per year
Moderate Days
110
per year
Unhealthy Days
5
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Blue Earth County, MN (21 mi away)
Climate80°F summers, 7°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
St. Peter has mild summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 7°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/33°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/59°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
57°/36°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
25°/7°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
32.4"
Annual Snowfall
37.9"
Hot Days/Year
10
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
163
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
85
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 3°F | 0.96" |
| Feb | 27°F | 7°F | 0.96" |
| Mar | 40°F | 21°F | 1.79" |
| Apr | 55°F | 33°F | 3.06" |
| May | 68°F | 46°F | 4.04" |
| Jun | 78°F | 57°F | 5.13" |
| Jul | 82°F | 61°F | 4.41" |
| Aug | 79°F | 59°F | 3.56" |
| Sep | 72°F | 49°F | 3.16" |
| Oct | 58°F | 35°F | 2.50" |
| Nov | 42°F | 23°F | 1.68" |
| Dec | 28°F | 11°F | 1.17" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in St. Peter
St. Peter has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
4.3%
of residents
River's Edge Hospital & Clinic
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Minnesota Valley Health Center Inc.
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 8.9 mi away · Le Sueur
Mayo Clinic Health System - Mankato
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11.5 mi away · Mankato
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.
Education14.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in St. Peter
St. Peter's student/teacher ratio is 14.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 34.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
13
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
34.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in St. Peter
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,878 students · in-state tuition $58,024 · 76% graduate · median earnings $67,649 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Minnesota State University-Mankato
12.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 11,703 students · in-state tuition $10,280 · 58% graduate · median earnings $61,916 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 1,946 students · in-state tuition $6,434 · 39% graduate · median earnings $49,271 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 669 students · in-state tuition $32,660 · 55% graduate · median earnings $50,975 (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, 60 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for St. Peter
St. Peter has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (60 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
60 mi awayPublic Libraries in St. Peter
St. Peter Public Library
601 South Washington Avenue, Saint Peter
Cities Near St. Peter
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to St. Peter?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
St. Peter FAQ
Is St. Peter, Minnesota affordable?⌄
St. Peter's median rent is $961/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $65,122/year. Median home value is $250,700.
Is St. Peter, Minnesota safe?⌄
St. Peter's violent crime rate was 72 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 590 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in St. Peter, Minnesota?⌄
Nicollet County, which includes St. Peter, has an unemployment rate of 3.2%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in St. Peter, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in St. Peter is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $961/month and median household income is $65,122/year. The median home value is $250,700. About 54% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in St. Peter, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in St. Peter is 15 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