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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.
St Paul earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 87 cost index sits 24 points below the national baseline, and the $73,055 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $289,137 — $178,233 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 87, while Healthcare trails at 97.
Rent data is sourced from Zillow's Observed Rent Index (ZORI), which tracks the median rent across all active listings — not just new leases. This gives a more representative and stable signal than asking prices alone. St Paul: $1,485/mo, Minneapolis: $1,638/mo. The cheapest city here is $410 under the national median — that's $4,920/year in savings on rent alone.
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. An outlier in the best sense.
#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 | Median Rent | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Paul | $1,485 | 87 | Details |
| 2 | Minneapolis | $1,638 | 96 | Details |
303,820 residents · Minnesota
A closer look at St Paul: the cost index of 87 breaks down to a Housing index of 87 (strongest category) and a Healthcare index of 97 (weakest). Median rent is $1,485/month — 22% below the national median — while household income sits at $73,055, meaning locals spend about 24% of income on rent. That's a healthy margin by any standard. The definition of value.
425,115 residents · Minnesota
Dive into Minneapolis's numbers: cost index 96 (15 points below national average), rent $1,638/month, income $80,269, and a home price of $327,043. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 96, while Healthcare runs 99. With 425,115 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
St Paul ranks #1 in Minnesota for this analysis with a cost index of 87 and median income of $73,055.
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.