Duluth vs St. Paul
Duluth, Minnesota versus St. Paul, Minnesota: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Duluth and St. Paul score about the same overall (46 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Duluth | St. Paul |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $70k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $49k |
| Home Value | $210k | $265k |
| Monthly Rent | $990 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $22k | $64k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.21% | 1.28% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.54% | 17.39% |
| Unemployment | 4.9% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 11°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.4 in | 29.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.0 in | 40.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 214 days | 182 days |
| Summer Humidity | 56°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 68 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 34.5 | 29.6 |
| Air Quality | 35 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.3 | 95.8 |
| Violent Crime | 1022/100k | 1728/100k |
| Property Crime | 3029/100k | 4654/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 86,772 | 308,806 |
| Median Age | 34.7 | 33.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.22 | 0.64 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+46 |
| White (%) | 87.1% | 51.3% |
| Black (%) | 2.5% | 15.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.7% | 8.6% |
| Asian (%) | 1.6% | 18.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.1% | 6.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 13.9/20 | 16.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 141 mi | 7 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.8% | 90.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 29.39 | 25.87 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Duluth or St. Paul more affordable?
- Duluth has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Duluth's $44k and St. Paul's $49k. Median rent is $990 in Duluth versus $1k in St. Paul.
- Is Duluth or St. Paul safer?
- Duluth has the lower violent crime rate. Duluth reports 1022/100k and St. Paul reports 1728/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Duluth or St. Paul?
- The median home value is $210k in Duluth and $265k in St. Paul, so homes are more affordable in Duluth.