St. Paul receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Coon Rapids
St. Paul
Opportunity
42 · Bottom 20%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 48%
vs93 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 33%
vs82 · Top 48%
Schools
46 · Bottom 43%
vs19 · Bottom 10%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
74 · Top 18%
vs59 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Coon Rapids | St. Paul | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 63,468 | 307,284 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,251 | $73,394 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,400 | $42,815 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,808/sq mi | 5,912/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $305,800 | $294,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,494 | $1,281 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.8% | 52.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.7% | 43.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 27 | 437 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | 46.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 21 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.0 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 141 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.90 | 14.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.6% | 24.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.8% | 34.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 53.1% | 66.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Coon Rapids
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, inland flooding.
St. Paul
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Coon Rapids
60
Your Score
55
Area Score
St. Paul
61
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Coon Rapids, MN · St. Paul, MN · How this is calculated: methodology