Moving to
West St. Paul.

All West St. Paul data Compare West St. Paul

21,382people live here $68,464median household income▼ 15% below US $1,282median rent per monthNear US average $301,300median home valueNear US average

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

West St. Paul is a small city in Minnesota with rent below the national average, county unemployment below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a growing population.

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

The good

Rent below the national average
Low unemployment in the county
Short commutes
Growing population

The not so good

Below-average household incomes
High student-teacher ratio
High rent burden for renters
Cold, harsh winters
Snowy winters — 51" per year

How West St. Paul compares

Median household income

West St. Paul$68,464

Minnesota avg$89,062

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

West St. Paul$1,282

Minnesota avg$1,280

US$1,413

Median home value

West St. Paul$301,300

Minnesota avg$329,300

US$332,700

What it takes to move to West St. Paul

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

To rent

$2,564

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

Income to keep rent under 30%: $51,280 a year
56% of West St. Paul renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$60,260

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $30,130
Homes cost 4.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,282/mo median rent

Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,282 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $301,300. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.

Median home value $301,300 · 56% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

3.6% county unemployment

Unemployment in Dakota County is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Dakota County (county-wide)

Safety▼ 21% below US

260 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 3807/100k · West St. Paul Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 14% below US

22 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 20% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

68%

Work from home

20%

Carpool

7.5%

Walk

2.1%

Other

1.5%

Public transit

1.3%

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 & workforceNear US average

36% bachelor's degree or higher

Education levels run about average, with 36% 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

9 public schools inside the boundary

There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 6 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 22:1, above the national average of 16:1.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (3 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

West St. Paul's strongest points are rent below the national average and county unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. A year of median rent ($1,282/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit remote workers (20% of workers here already work from home). It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.

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