Moving to
North St. Paul.

All North St. Paul data Compare North St. Paul

12,570people live here $84,797median household incomeNear US average $1,352median rent per monthNear US average $298,500median home value▼ 10% below US

What it's like to live in North St. Paul

North St. Paul is a small city in Minnesota with home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average.

Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next. The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly.

The good

Affordable home prices
Low crime rates
Short commutes
Low student-teacher ratio

The not so good

High rent burden for renters
Cold, harsh winters
Snowy winters — 40" per year

How North St. Paul compares

Median household income

North St. Paul$84,797

Minnesota avg$89,062

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

North St. Paul$1,352

Minnesota avg$1,280

US$1,413

Median home value

North St. Paul$298,500

Minnesota avg$329,300

US$332,700

What it takes to move to North St. Paul

Based on North St. Paul's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,704

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,080 a year
54% of North St. Paul renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$59,700

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $29,850
Homes cost 3.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,352/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,352 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $298,500. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.

Median home value $298,500 · 54% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

3.8% county unemployment

Unemployment in Ramsey County is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Ramsey County (county-wide)

Safety▼ 31% below US

227 violent crimes per 100k

Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.

Property crime 2491/100k · North St. Paul Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 17% below US

22 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21.7 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

71%

Work from home

13%

Carpool

12%

Public transit

2.1%

Other

1.9%

Walk

0.4%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 12°F.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▼ 13% below US

31% bachelor's degree or higher

Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.

Schools

11 public schools inside the boundary

There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (7 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

North St. Paul's strongest points are home prices that remain within reach and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,352/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.

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