Oakdale vs St. Paul
Oakdale, 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.
Oakdale edges out St. Paul on overall objective livability (50 vs 44 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Oakdale | St. Paul |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $86k | $70k |
| Cost of Living | $59k | $49k |
| Home Value | $289k | $265k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.00% | 1.28% |
| Income Tax | 9.90% | 9.90% |
| Sales Tax | 8.04% | 8.04% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.92% | 17.39% |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 5.0% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 16°F | 16°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 33.8 in | 29.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 40.4 in | 40.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 182 days | 182 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 28.7 | 29.6 |
| Air Quality | 40 AQI | 50 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 95.8 |
| Violent Crime | 517/100k | 1728/100k |
| Property Crime | 2915/100k | 4654/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 28,029 | 308,806 |
| Median Age | 41.0 | 33.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.51 | 0.64 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+46 |
| White (%) | 66.6% | 51.3% |
| Black (%) | 10.1% | 15.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.3% | 8.6% |
| Asian (%) | 12.6% | 18.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.3% | 6.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 9.7/20 | 16.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 15 mi | 7 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.9% | 90.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 138.07 | 25.87 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | 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 Oakdale or St. Paul more affordable?
- St. Paul has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Oakdale's $59k and St. Paul's $49k. Median rent is $1k in Oakdale versus $1k in St. Paul.
- Is Oakdale or St. Paul safer?
- Oakdale has the lower violent crime rate. Oakdale reports 517/100k and St. Paul reports 1728/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Oakdale or St. Paul?
- The median home value is $289k in Oakdale and $265k in St. Paul, so homes are more affordable in St. Paul.