Shoreview receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Shoreview
St. Paul
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Growth
74 · Top 11%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 9%
vs93 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs82 · Top 48%
Schools
93 · Top 2%
vs19 · Bottom 10%
Access
94 · Top 42%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs59 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Shoreview | St. Paul | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,714 | 307,284 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,370 | $73,394 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $61,360 | $42,815 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,481/sq mi | 5,912/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $383,700 | $294,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,661 | $1,281 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.2% | 52.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.2% | 43.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 330 | 437 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.4 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2257.1% | 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 | 14 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.6 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 141 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.23 | 14.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 68.5% | 24.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 70.7% | 34.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 18.9% | 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
Shoreview
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
St. Paul
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Shoreview, MN · St. Paul, MN · How this is calculated: methodology