The Town FilesSt. Paul, Minnesota
City in Ramsey County · population 311,527 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $294,500
- Household income
- $73,394
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 33.7
St. Paul is a city of 311,527 people in Ramsey County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $294,500, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 100% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 100% of Minnesota towns.
How 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 St. Paul is worth $294,500, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $73,394, which is more affordable than 23% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,281 a month. 52.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | St. Paul | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $294,500 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,281 | $991 |
| Median household income | $73,394 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 52.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1952 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.4% | — |
Who lives in St. Paul
| People | St. Paul | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.7 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 15.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 18.2% | — |
| Work from home | 20.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in St. Paul
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 8.6°F. About 29.2 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 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Paul since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 26, 1984 about 7.9 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 7 deaths and 181 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 27, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 339 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 8, 1966.
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 St. Paul itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in St. Paul
77 public schools with 18,598 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| CENTRAL SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 1,574 | 21.6 |
| JOHNSON SENIOR HIGH | 9-12 | 1,097 | 18.0 |
| CAPITOL HILL MAGNET/RONDO | 1-8 | 1,065 | 20.1 |
| Washington Technology Senior High | 9-12 | 1,033 | 18.1 |
| Washington Technology Middle School | 6-8 | 732 | 17.0 |
| Txuj Ci HMong Language & Culture Lo | PK-6 | 695 | 12.2 |
| HGA Elementary (charter) | K-5 | 527 | 18.2 |
| AMERICAN INDIAN MAGNET SCHOOL | PK-8 | 517 | 12.0 |
| PAUL & SHEILA WELLSTONE ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 497 | 11.0 |
| HOPE Community Academy Elementary (charter) | PK-5 | 478 | 8.2 |
| BRUCE F VENTO ELEMENTARY | PK-5 | 478 | 11.4 |
| SAINT PAUL MUSIC ACADEMY | PK-6 | 472 | 10.5 |
Towns near St. Paul
- West St. Paul, MN3.3 mi · 20,615 people · home $301,300
- Falcon Heights, MN4.4 mi · 5,369 people · home $384,500
- Mendota Heights, MN5.1 mi · 11,744 people · home $520,300
- Roseville, MN5.2 mi · 36,254 people · home $352,100
- South St. Paul, MN5.2 mi · 20,759 people · home $281,600
- Little Canada, MN5.2 mi · 10,819 people · home $319,800
- Maplewood, MN6.0 mi · 42,088 people · home $323,200
- North St. Paul, MN6.7 mi · 12,364 people · home $298,500
St. Paul questions
Is St. Paul, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, St. Paul scores better for retirees than 3% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 0%. 12.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.7).
How much does a house cost in St. Paul?
The median owner-occupied home in St. Paul is valued at $294,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $73,394, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $1,281 a month.
What is the weather like in St. Paul?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 8.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.2 inches of precipitation a year and 40.4 inches of snow.
Does St. Paul get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of St. Paul since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 26, 1984. 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)