What it's like to live in St. Louis Park
St. Louis Park is a small city in Minnesota with unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities.
Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next. The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly.
The good
- Low unemployment
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- Air quality concerns
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 54" per year
How St. Louis Park compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to St. Louis Park
Based on St. Louis Park's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,288
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $65,760 a year
- 38% of St. Louis Park renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$77,360
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $38,680
- Homes cost 3.8× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 16% above US
$1,644/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,644 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $386,800. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $386,800 · 38% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 26% below US
3.2% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.2%, a little below the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 63% below US
122 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 3052/100k · St. Louis Park Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.2 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 28% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 10°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 78% above US
64% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
16 public schools inside the boundary
There are 16 public schools inside the boundary and 9 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (13 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
St. Louis Park's strongest points are unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,644/mo) equals 19% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit job seekers, anyone prioritizing low crime, and remote workers (28% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
See all the data for St. Louis Park →·All Minnesota cities →
Other places near St. Louis Park
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