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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities in Minnesota beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. St Paul stands out at 87 on the index, with rent of $1,485/month and household income of $73,055. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities in Minnesota beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. St Paul stands out at 87 on the index, with rent of $1,485/month and household income of $73,055. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Not the most exciting stat, but it matters.
What does daily life actually cost in St Paul? Start with the 24% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 87) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 97) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $73,055 and homes at $289,137 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
Contrast this with: State context matters: Minnesota's 2 cities average a 92 cost index with $1,562/month — for better or worse — median rent and $76,662 household income. Twin Cities prosperity, outstate thrift. The linked city profiles go deeper than this ranking ever could.
Bottom line: St Paul leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
#1 Ranked: St Paul — cost index 87, rent $1,485/mo, income $73,055
St Paul rent up 3% over the past year
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Housing Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Paul | 87 | 87 | $1,485 | Details |
| 2 | Minneapolis | 96 | 96 | $1,638 | Details |
303,820 residents · Minnesota
Why St Paul ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 87 on the cost index, residents save roughly 24% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,485/month while the median household pulls in $73,055/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 87, though Healthcare (97) lags behind. Home prices average $289,137 — $178,233 below the national median (that's pre-tax, of course).
425,115 residents · Minnesota
Minneapolis earns its position at #2 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 96 cost index sits 15 points below the national baseline, and the $80,269 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $327,043 — $140,327 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 96, while Healthcare trails at 99.
Cities are ranked by their housing cost sub-index within Minnesota. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
St Paul ranks #1 in Minnesota for this analysis with a cost index of 87 and median income of $73,055.
St Paul, MN has the lowest housing index at 87, compared to the national average of 100.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
St Paul (ranked #1) has a cost index of 87 and rent of $1,485/mo, while Minneapolis (ranked #2) has a cost index of 96 and rent of $1,638/mo — a 9-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in St Paul is $1,485/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $410 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in St Paul is $289,137, which is 4.0× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Minnesota has a 9.85% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7.545%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.02%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.