The Town FilesNorth St. Paul, Minnesota
City in Ramsey County · population 12,364 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $298,500
- Household income
- $84,797
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 35.2
North St. Paul is a city of 12,364 people in Ramsey County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $298,500, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 98% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 96% of Minnesota towns.
How North St. Paul ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in North St. Paul is worth $298,500, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $84,797, which is more affordable than 45% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,352 a month. 68.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | North St. Paul | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $298,500 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,352 | $991 |
| Median household income | $84,797 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 68.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in North St. Paul
| People | North St. Paul | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.2% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.9% | — |
| Work from home | 12.7% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.6% | 90.2% |
Weather in North St. Paul
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 8.3°F. About 33.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of North St. Paul since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 14, 1981 about 1.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 81 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 27, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 239 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on August 24, 2006.
Severe weather in Ramsey County since 1996
Ramsey County has been included in 19 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Ramsey County
Ramsey County had 325,226 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $77,908 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in North St. Paul itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Public schools in North St. Paul
13 public schools with 3,716 students, about 13.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| NORTH SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 1,639 | 17.3 |
| RICHARDSON ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 658 | 16.0 |
| HAZEL PARK PREPARATORY ACADEMY | PK-8 | 400 | 12.1 |
| COWERN ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 397 | 11.3 |
| THE HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 290 | 10.0 |
| North Metro Flex Academy (charter) | K-6 | 150 | 13.6 |
| The Next Step | 11-12 | 77 | 7.0 |
| Lionsgate Academy AIM (charter) | 12-12 | 47 | 5.2 |
| North Metro Flex Middle School (charter) | 7-8 | 40 | 10.0 |
| Early Education Heights Comm | PK-PK | 17 | 8.5 |
| 622 ALTERNATIVE MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 1 | — |
| 622 Online Middle School | 6-8 | — | — |
Towns near North St. Paul
- Maplewood, MN1.5 mi · 42,088 people · home $323,200
- Oakdale, MN2.6 mi · 28,303 people · home $318,100
- Mahtomedi, MN3.5 mi · 8,138 people · home $476,000
- White Bear Lake, MN3.6 mi · 24,883 people · home $331,800
- Little Canada, MN4.1 mi · 10,819 people · home $319,800
- Vadnais Heights, MN4.4 mi · 12,912 people · home $363,100
- Lake Elmo, MN4.8 mi · 11,335 people · home $597,000
- White Bear, MN6.2 mi · 11,049 people · home $386,300
North St. Paul questions
Is North St. Paul, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, North St. Paul scores better for retirees than 4% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 0%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 35.2).
How much does a house cost in North St. Paul?
The median owner-occupied home in North St. Paul is valued at $298,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $84,797, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $1,352 a month.
What is the weather like in North St. Paul?
July highs average 82.7°F and January lows 8.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.1 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does North St. Paul get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of North St. Paul since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 14, 1981. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)