Savage receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
St. Paul
Savage
Opportunity: Savage is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 27%
vs57 · Top 49%
Growth: Savage is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
36 · Bottom 25%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Climate: St. Paul is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience: St. Paul is the more favorable of the two.
Physical resilience
93 · Top 8%
vs67 · Top 40%
Housing affordability: Savage is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
82 · Top 49%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools: Savage is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
18 · Bottom 9%
vs64 · Top 34%
Access: St. Paul is the more favorable of the two.
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs96 · Top 31%
Economic stability: Savage is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 47%
vs84 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | St. Paul | Savage | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 307,284 | 32,889 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,394 | $125,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,815 | $55,451 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,912/sq mi | 2,108/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $294,500 | $432,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,281 | $1,766 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.9% | 85.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.8% | 53.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.6% | 5.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 437 | 95 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 46.6% | -28.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 8°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.2" | 30.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.7 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 141 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.12 | 17.21 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 24.4% | 56.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.7% | 57.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 66.4% | 26.7% | 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
St. Paul
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Savage
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
Full profiles: St. Paul, MN · Savage, MN · How this is calculated: methodology