West 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
West St. Paul
St. Paul
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 24%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Growth
45 · Bottom 41%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs93 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
74 · Bottom 39%
vs82 · Top 48%
Schools
46 · Bottom 43%
vs19 · Bottom 10%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
66 · Top 39%
vs59 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | West St. Paul | St. Paul | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,382 | 307,284 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,464 | $73,394 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,887 | $42,815 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,357/sq mi | 5,912/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $301,300 | $294,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,282 | $1,281 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.2% | 52.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.5% | 43.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 17 | 437 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 88.9% | 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 | 29.2" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.4 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.8 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 141 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.19 | 14.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.5% | 24.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 52.8% | 34.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 46.8% | 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
West St. Paul
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
St. Paul
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
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West St. Paul
64
Your Score
61
Area Score
St. Paul
61
Your Score
58
Area Score
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Full profiles: West St. Paul, MN · St. Paul, MN · How this is calculated: methodology