Minneapolis and St. Paul receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Minneapolis
St. Paul
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 44%
vs48 · Bottom 31%
Growth
26 · Bottom 11%
vs28 · Bottom 16%
Climate
55 · Bottom 7%
vs55 · Bottom 6%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 5%
vs93 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
78 · Top 32%
vs82 · Top 23%
Access
97 · Bottom 49%
vs97 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
59 · Top 34%
vs59 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Minneapolis | St. Paul | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 427,246 | 307,284 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,846 | $73,394 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,692 | $42,815 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,912/sq mi | 5,912/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $362,200 | $294,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,371 | $1,281 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.7% | 52.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55.5% | 43.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 415 | 437 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 40.7% | 46.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Minneapolis
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
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.
Minneapolis
66
Your Score
65
Area Score
St. Paul
66
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Minneapolis, MN · St. Paul, MN · How this is calculated: methodology