Español

Este sitio también está en español. Leer en español

City · 307,284 residents · Ramsey County, Minnesota

St. Paul , Minnesota

In St. Paul, a typical home is worth $294,500 and typical rent is $1,281 a month. Compared with all of Ramsey County, typical household income is 10% lower, the typical home value is 10% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 8 points lower.

WhatsApp

  • Typical home value

    $294,500

    10% below the county

    11% below Minnesota

    • St. Paul
    • Ramsey
    • Minnesota

  • Typical rent

    $1,281a month

    4% below the county

    About the same as Minnesota

    • St. Paul
    • Ramsey
    • Minnesota

  • Typical household income

    $73,394a year

    10% below the county

    18% below Minnesota

    • St. Paul
    • Ramsey
    • Minnesota

  • Households that own their home

    53%

    8 points below the county

    19 points below Minnesota

    • St. Paul
    • Ramsey
    • Minnesota

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$291,209
0.8% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,524 a month
3.4% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

St. Paul is in Ramsey County. The FHA loan limit ($552,000 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Ramsey County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets St. Paul apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. St. Paul has the 9th lowest homeownership rate of the 152 cities in Minnesota with more than 5,000 people (53%).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in St. Paul

What homes there are in St. Paul, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In St. Paul there is a bit of everything: no kind of home reaches half. The most common are detached houses (49%); in Ramsey County, 52%.

Year built

Homes in St. Paul are older: the typical year built is 1952; in Ramsey County, 1965.

Homes in St. Paul are smaller: 45% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Ramsey County, 50%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

About 88% of owner-occupied homes in St. Paul are worth less than the FHA loan limit for Ramsey County ($552,000).

Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Ramsey County is $1,734; about 77% of rents in St. Paul are below it.

With a mortgage

$1,911 a month

Ramsey County: $1,975 a month

Without a mortgage

$764 a month

Ramsey County: $785 a month

Owners with a mortgage

69%

Ramsey County: 65%

In St. Paul, 69% of owners have a mortgage; their typical cost is $1,911 a month, about the same as in Ramsey County.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Much as in Ramsey County, the typical home value in St. Paul rose 42% since 2015–2019.

The typical rent in St. Paul rose 32% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Ramsey County (32%).

Housing prices ran ahead of income in St. Paul: typical income rose 27%, against +42% for home values and +32% for rent.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureSt. PaulRamsey CountyMinnesotaUnited States
Rental vacancy 6.4%6.1%5.3%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy 0.7%0.7%0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room 5.0%4.0%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.372.382.432.53
Drive alone 59%63%69%69%
Carpool 9%8%8%9%
Public transit 5%4%2%3%
Walk or bike 5%4%3%3%
Work from home 20%21%18%15%
Other means 2%1%1%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Much as in Ramsey County, the rental vacancy rate in St. Paul is 6.4%.

More households are short on space in St. Paul: 5.0% have more than one person per room; in Ramsey County, 4.0%.

A household in St. Paul has 2.37 people on average, about the same as in Ramsey County (2.38).

To get to work, 59% of workers in St. Paul drive alone; in Ramsey County, 63%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in St. Paul?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in St. Paul, worth $294,500, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 41% of the typical household income in St. Paul, which is $73,394 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $108,468 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Ramsey County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in St. Paul. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $10,308 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,531

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$289,165
Total interest
$416,041
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,973 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,713 a month

  • Tight

    $1,713 to $2,202 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,202 a month

    Your payment · 41%

Compared with the typical household income in St. Paul ($73,394 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,531
Principal & interest$1,959
Property tax$319
Home insurance$123
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$130

You need at least $10,308 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

St. Paul and Ramsey County

St. Paul is in Ramsey County, Minnesota. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

St. Paul's own numbers

Typical home value
$294,500
Typical monthly rent
$1,281
Typical yearly household income
$73,394
Households that own their home
53%
Effective property tax rate
1.3%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Ramsey County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$552,000
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,734
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+31%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
0.5%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Ramsey County.

Everything about Ramsey County

Buying

Buying a home in St. Paul

A typical home in St. Paul is worth $294,500: 10% below the county and 11% below Minnesota. With the typical household income in St. Paul ($73,394 a year), a typical home costs 4.0 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • St. Paul 4.0 years
  • Ramsey 4.0 years
  • Minnesota 3.7 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Ramsey County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Ramsey County rose 70% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Ramsey County.

Period County Minnesota U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.9% +2.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +31% +37% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +70% +71% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

St. Paul next to Ramsey County, Minnesota and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • St. Paul $294,500
  • Ramsey $326,600
  • Minnesota $329,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • St. Paul $1,281
  • Ramsey $1,329
  • Minnesota $1,280
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • St. Paul $73,394
  • Ramsey $81,568
  • Minnesota $89,062
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
St. Paul next to Ramsey County and Minnesota
Measure St. Paul Ramsey County Minnesota U.S.
Typical home value $294,500 $326,600 $329,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,281 $1,329 $1,280 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $73,394 $81,568 $89,062 $80,734
Households that own their home 53% 61% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,822 $3,966 $3,357 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.3% 1.21% 1.02% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 50% 51% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Ramsey County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in St. Paul

For a typical $294,500 home in St. Paul, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, St. Paul's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,531a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $10,308
    Cash to close
    $19,143
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $130

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,477a month

    Down payment
    $14,725
    Cash to close
    $23,560
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $140

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,038a month

    Down payment
    $58,900
    Cash to close
    $67,735
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,310a month

    Down payment
    $44,175
    Cash to close
    $53,010
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for St. Paul and for Ramsey County.

Property tax

Effective rate in St. Paul

1.3%of the home’s value each year

$3,822 a year for the typical owner in St. Paul.

  • St. Paul 1.3%
  • Ramsey 1.21%
  • Minnesota 1.02%

What Minnesota publishes Homestead market value exclusion (Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes (Minnesota Statutes))

Exemptions and deadlines in Minnesota

Flood risk in Ramsey County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Ramsey County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
0.5%
707
Of those, with NFIP insurance
5.7%
County Minnesota U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 0.5% 0.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 5.7% 17% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in St. Paul

Typical rent in St. Paul is $1,281 a month: 4% below the county. In St. Paul, 50% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Ramsey County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,734 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $33.35 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Ramsey County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,265 $24.33 $50,600
1 bedroom $1,427 $27.44 $57,080
2 bedrooms $1,734 $33.35 $69,360
3 bedrooms $2,264 $43.54 $90,560
4 bedrooms $2,538 $48.81 $101,520

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in St. Paul

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). St. Paul has 12 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,540 in 55103 to $1,980 in 55101.

4 of the 12 are above the fair market rent for Ramsey County ($1,734).

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for St. Paul when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in St. Paul

HUD lists one building with rents for lower incomes in St. Paul.

  • Galway Place TH + Community Plaza 668 + 670 Central Avenue West, St Paul 55104 76 low-income homes · 2 bd: 49 · 3 bd: 26 · 4 bd: 1 · In service since 2019

See all 194 buildings in Ramsey County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in St. Paul

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 8 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Ramsey County; 5 say they serve in Spanish.

An older woman smiles in front of her apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in St. Paul

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for St. Paul or Ramsey County. The ones below are statewide in Minnesota: they work in St. Paul the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Minnesota

  • Deferred Payment Loan (Start Up)

    Statewide in Minnesota

    Minnesota state agency loan for the down payment and closing costs alongside the Start Up mortgage for first-time buyers: up to $14,000 (or $18,000 in the Plus version), with no interest or monthly payments, repaid at the end of the mortgage. Offered by Minnesota Housing (Minnesota Housing Finance Agency).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

  • Monthly Payment Loan

    Statewide in Minnesota

    Minnesota Housing loan of up to $14,000 for the down payment and closing costs, which you repay over 15 years at the same rate as your Minnesota Housing mortgage; it works with Start Up (first-time buyers) or Step Up. Offered by Minnesota Housing (Minnesota Housing Finance Agency).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near St. Paul

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of St. Paul, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, Inc.

    445 Minnesota St Ste 1800, Saint Paul · 0 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Rental counseling
    (651) 222-5863

  • Community Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc DBA Neighborworks Home Partners

    533 Dale St N, Saint Paul · 1 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Hmong.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 2 more
    (651) 292-8710

  • Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

    709 University Avenue W, Saint Paul · 1 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 1 more
    (888) 577-2227

Every agency in Ramsey County All counseling agencies in Minnesota

Help in Spanish near St. Paul

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of St. Paul

HUD’s record names them for St. Paul or Ramsey County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Public Housing Agency of the City of St Paul Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (651) 298-5664

3 other authorities have an office in Ramsey County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Ramsey County

These cities are also in Ramsey County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Ramsey County Housing in Minnesota

Nearby cities

The cities closest to St. Paul, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Ramsey County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in St. Paul.

All guides
A man and two girls read a book together on the sofa.

Questions

Housing questions about St. Paul

Short answers with the numbers for St. Paul and all of Ramsey County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in St. Paul?

The typical home value in St. Paul is $294,500, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Ramsey County it is $326,600.

How much does it cost to rent in St. Paul?

Typical rent in St. Paul is $1,281 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Ramsey County is $1,734.

What is the FHA loan limit in St. Paul?

St. Paul uses the FHA limit for all of Ramsey County (2026): $552,000 for a one-unit home and $1,061,550 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in St. Paul?

The typical homeowner in St. Paul pays $3,822 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.3% of the home’s value; in Ramsey County, the rate is 1.21%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in St. Paul?

There are 8 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Ramsey County. 5 say they serve in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).