City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

North St. Paul, MN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for North St. Paul - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

12,511
Residents
$81,641
Median income
$286,600
Median home
$1,709
Median rent (state)

North St. Paul - the verdict

Nationally, North St. Paul sits in the 63rd percentile for household income and the 36th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

63rd
percentile, household income
63rd
percentile, home value
68th
percentile, median rent
36th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: North St. Paul, MN

North St. Paul is a small town in Minnesota, home to 12,511 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $81,641 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.8%. North St. Paul's housing stock carries a median value of $286,600, and the median resident age is 33.6 years. About 27.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 65.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 86 residential building permits were authorized in North St. Paul (Building Boom), up 95% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 1841.4 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Minnesota at 98.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,709 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Minnesota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 94.6 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

12,511 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$81,641 /yr

Poverty 9.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

How does North St. Paul compare to other US cities?

North St. Paul measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 63% higher than other cities
Home value 63% pricier than other cities
Median rent 68% pricier than other cities
Safety 36% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Minnesota alone, North St. Paul ranks #181 of 229 Minnesota cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below North St. Paul's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Minnesota, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

63rdIncome percentile
36thSafety percentile

63rd percentile nationally for median household income · 36th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

North St. Paul's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

North St. Paul's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 45 Avg. percentile National median
North St. Paul's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How North St. Paul's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$286,600 37th percentile more affordable than 37% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. North St. Paul $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - North St. Paul, MN North St. Paul, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not North St. Paul, MN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution North St. Paul, MN median $81,641/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
North St. Paul, MN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for North St. Paul, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
12,511
Median Income
$81,641
Median Home Value
$286,600
Median Age
33.6
Poverty Rate
9.8%
Labor force participation
65.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1841.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
188.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1653.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
12,200 residents12,400 residents12,600 residents12,800 residents13,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 12,343 residents 12,780 residents ▲ +3.5%
North St. Paul's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
86
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
84
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 44
2020 251
2021 158
2022 24
2023 11
2024 86

Permit volume increased 95% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.2%
Carpool
9.1%
Public Transit
2.0%
Walk
0.2%
Work from Home
11.2%
Other
1.3%

Based on 6,117 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Minnesota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Minnesota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Minnesota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county North St. Paul sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,709/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
94.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Minnesota

Lake Elmo
12,504 people
Cloquet
12,582 people
Vadnais Heights
12,789 people
St. Peter
12,085 people
Mounds View
12,992 people
East Bethel
11,995 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to North St. Paul's 12,511 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Winnetka, IL
12,508 people
Rantoul, IL
12,515 people
Ridge, NY
12,506 people
Baraboo, WI
12,506 people
Freehold, NJ
12,504 people
Haddonfield, NJ
12,502 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to North St. Paul's $81,641 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Bolivar, WV
$81,641 median income
Canton, GA
$81,642 median income
Summit Station, PA
$81,635 median income
Perry, GA
$81,648 median income
Carlton, MT
$81,648 median income
Waukesha, WI
$81,651 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - North St. Paul, MN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition North St. Paul, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 59.9% 6.1% 21.8% 8.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 5.1% White 59.9% Black or African American 6.1% Asian 21.8% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.6% Two or more races 8.5% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How North St. Paul compares to nearby Minnesota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
North St. Paul (this city) 12,511 $81,641
Lake Elmo 12,504 $153,407
Cloquet 12,582 $63,854
Vadnais Heights 12,789 $91,946
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about North St. Paul, MN?

What is the population of North St. Paul, MN? +

North St. Paul, MN has a population of 12,511 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in North St. Paul, MN? +

In North St. Paul, the typical household earns $81,641 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in North St. Paul? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for North St. Paul; the closest available measure is the Minnesota state average, a cost of living index of 98.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Minnesota vary by metro area.

Is North St. Paul, MN safe? +

North St. Paul has a total crime rate of 1841.4 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in North St. Paul, MN? +

North St. Paul's median home value sits at $286,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.