South St. Paul and Burnsville 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
South St. Paul
Burnsville
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs47 · Bottom 30%
Growth
17 · Bottom 5%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs81 · Top 49%
Schools
22 · Bottom 13%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
77 · Top 14%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | South St. Paul | Burnsville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,611 | 64,463 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,994 | $87,024 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,011 | $43,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,664/sq mi | 2,585/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $281,600 | $355,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,199 | $1,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 64.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 39.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 122 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 1.9 | 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 | 29.2" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.47 | 12.65 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.1% | 34.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.0% | 39.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.1% | 55.8% | 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
South St. Paul
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Burnsville
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
South St. Paul
62
Your Score
58
Area Score
Burnsville
63
Your Score
59
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South St. Paul, MN · Burnsville, MN · How this is calculated: methodology