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City · 21,382 residents · Dakota County, Minnesota

West St. Paul , Minnesota

In West St. Paul, a typical home is worth $301,300 and typical rent is $1,282 a month. Compared with all of Dakota County, typical household income is 36% lower, the typical home value is 21% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 18 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $301,300

    21% below the county

    9% below Minnesota

    • West St. Paul
    • Dakota
    • Minnesota

  • Typical rent

    $1,282a month

    17% below the county

    About the same as Minnesota

    • West St. Paul
    • Dakota
    • Minnesota

  • Typical household income

    $68,464a year

    36% below the county

    23% below Minnesota

    • West St. Paul
    • Dakota
    • Minnesota

  • Households that own their home

    57%

    18 points below the county

    15 points below Minnesota

    • West St. Paul
    • Dakota
    • Minnesota

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$317,946
2.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,428 a month
1.1% more than 12 months ago

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

West St. Paul is in Dakota 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 Dakota County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets West St. Paul apart

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

  1. 57% of households in West St. Paul own their home, against 75% in Dakota County.

  2. The typical household income in West St. Paul is $68,464, 36% less than in Dakota County as a whole ($106,318).

  3. The typical home in West St. Paul is worth $301,300, 21% less than in Dakota County as a whole ($381,000).

  4. The typical rent in West St. Paul is $1,282 a month, 17% less than in Dakota County as a whole ($1,548).

  5. 11% of households in West St. Paul have no internet at home (4% in Dakota County).

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

The homes here

Housing in West St. Paul

What homes there are in West 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 West St. Paul there is a bit of everything: no kind of home reaches half. The most common are detached houses (48%); in Dakota County, 58%.

Year built

The typical home in West St. Paul was built in 1970, 18 years before the typical one in Dakota County.

There are fewer big homes in West St. Paul than in Dakota County: 44% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 65%.

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
Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Dakota County is $1,734; about 79% of rents in West St. Paul are below it.

With a mortgage

$1,848 a month

Dakota County: $2,129 a month

Without a mortgage

$748 a month

Dakota County: $758 a month

Owners with a mortgage

70%

Dakota County: 70%

Owning costs less in West St. Paul: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,848 a month; in Dakota County, $2,129. Without one, $748.

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

Since 2015–2019, homes in West St. Paul gained value faster than in Dakota County: 51% against 43%.

Rents in West St. Paul rose more slowly than in Dakota County: 27% since 2015–2019, against 32%.

Housing prices ran ahead of income in West St. Paul: typical income rose 22%, against +51% for home values and +27% 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

MeasureWest St. PaulDakota CountyMinnesotaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate3.8%5.3%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate0.4%0.6%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.2%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.162.542.432.53
Drive alone 68%68%69%69%
Carpool 8%7%8%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%2%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate1%3%3%
Work from home 20%21%18%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%1%2%
Typical commute 20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.16 on average, against 2.54 in Dakota County.

The car rules in West St. Paul: 68% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 20 to 29 minutes.

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 West St. Paul?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in West St. Paul, worth $301,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 44% of the typical household income in West St. Paul, which is $68,464 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $108,175 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in West 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 $10,546 (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

$2,524

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$295,842
Total interest
$425,648
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $5,088 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,597 a month

  • Tight

    $1,597 to $2,054 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,054 a month

    Your payment · 44%

Compared with the typical household income in West St. Paul ($68,464 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,524
Principal & interest$2,004
Property tax$261
Home insurance$126
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$133

You need at least $10,546 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

West St. Paul and Dakota County

West St. Paul is in Dakota 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).

West St. Paul's own numbers

Typical home value
$301,300
Typical monthly rent
$1,282
Typical yearly household income
$68,464
Households that own their home
57%
Effective property tax rate
1.04%

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

Numbers for all of Dakota 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)
+32%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
0.3%

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 Dakota County.

Everything about Dakota County

Buying

Buying a home in West St. Paul

A typical home in West St. Paul is worth $301,300: 21% below the county and 9% below Minnesota. With the typical household income in West St. Paul ($68,464 a year), a typical home costs 4.4 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.

  • West St. Paul 4.4 years
  • Dakota 3.6 years
  • Minnesota 3.7 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Dakota County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Dakota County rose 64% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period County Minnesota U.S.
Last year (2025) +1.5% +2.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +32% +37% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +64% +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

West St. Paul next to Dakota 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
  • West St. Paul $301,300
  • Dakota $381,000
  • Minnesota $329,300
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • West St. Paul $1,282
  • Dakota $1,548
  • Minnesota $1,280
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • West St. Paul $68,464
  • Dakota $106,318
  • Minnesota $89,062
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
West St. Paul next to Dakota County and Minnesota
Measure West St. Paul Dakota County Minnesota U.S.
Typical home value $301,300 $381,000 $329,300 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,282 $1,548 $1,280 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $68,464 $106,318 $89,062 $80,734
Households that own their home 57% 75% 72% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,142 $3,749 $3,357 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.04% 0.98% 1.02% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 59% 50% 48% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Dakota 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 West St. Paul

For a typical $301,300 home in West 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, West St. Paul's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,524a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $10,546
    Cash to close
    $19,585
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $133

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,469a month

    Down payment
    $15,065
    Cash to close
    $24,104
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $143

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $2,020a month

    Down payment
    $60,260
    Cash to close
    $69,299
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,298a month

    Down payment
    $45,195
    Cash to close
    $54,234
    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 West St. Paul and for Dakota County.

Property tax

Effective rate in West St. Paul

1.04%of the home’s value each year

$3,142 a year for the typical owner in West St. Paul.

  • West St. Paul 1.04%
  • Dakota 0.98%
  • 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 Dakota County

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
0.3%
488
Of those, with NFIP insurance
6.6%
County Minnesota U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 0.3% 0.7% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 6.6% 17% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in West St. Paul

Typical rent in West St. Paul is $1,282 a month: 17% below the county. In West St. Paul, 59% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Dakota 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 Dakota 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 West St. Paul

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). West St. Paul is in ZIP code 55118.

For 2 bedrooms it is $1,620: $114 less than the fair market rent for Dakota County ($1,734).

  • 55118 $1,620$2,120

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for West 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 West St. Paul

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

  • Colleen Loney Manor 1675 Livingston Ave, West St Paul 55118 80 low-income homes · Run by Dakota County Cda · Average payment: $463 a month · Average wait: 36 months (651) 675-4400

See all 74 buildings in Dakota County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in West 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 is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Dakota County; none says it serves in Spanish.

An older man and his daughter go over papers with a professional.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in West St. Paul

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for West St. Paul or Dakota County. The ones below are statewide in Minnesota: they work in West 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 West St. Paul

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

  • Neighborhood Development Alliance

    481 Wabasha St S, Saint Paul · 2 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (651) 292-0131

  • Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services, Inc.

    445 Minnesota St Ste 1800, Saint Paul · 3 miles away

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

  • Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio-Clues

    797 7th St E, Saint Paul · 4 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (651) 379-4200

Every agency in Dakota County All counseling agencies in Minnesota

Help in Spanish near West 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 West St. Paul

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

  • Dakota County Cda Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (651) 675-4400

One other authority has an office in Dakota County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Dakota County

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

Everything about Dakota County Housing in Minnesota

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Dakota 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 West St. Paul.

All guides
A family walks a boardwalk trail in the forest; one of them uses a wheelchair.

Questions

Housing questions about West St. Paul

Short answers with the numbers for West St. Paul and all of Dakota 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 West St. Paul?

The typical home value in West St. Paul is $301,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Dakota County it is $381,000.

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

Typical rent in West St. Paul is $1,282 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Dakota County is $1,734.

What is the FHA loan limit in West St. Paul?

West St. Paul uses the FHA limit for all of Dakota 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 West St. Paul?

The typical homeowner in West St. Paul pays $3,142 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.04% of the home’s value; in Dakota County, the rate is 0.98%.

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

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Dakota County. 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).