City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

West St. Paul, MN

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

21,076
Residents
$70,738
Median income
$281,800
Median home
$1,709
Median rent (state)

West St. Paul - the verdict

Nationally, West St. Paul sits in the 50th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

50th
percentile, household income
62nd
percentile, home value
68th
percentile, median rent
5th
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: West St. Paul, MN

Minnesota's West St. Paul is a small city, with 21,076 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Median household income here is $70,738 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.0%. West St. Paul's housing stock carries a median value of $281,800, and the median resident age is 38.9 years. Educational attainment runs 35.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 62.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 35 residential building permits were authorized in West St. Paul (Building Boom), up 600% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. West St. Paul's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 4464.9 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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

Population

21,076 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$70,738 /yr

Poverty 7.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

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

Here's how West St. Paul stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 50% higher than other cities
Home value 62% pricier than other cities
Median rent 68% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% 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, West St. Paul ranks #225 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

Each percentile compares West St. Paul against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Minnesota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Minnesota-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places West St. Paul toward the top of Minnesota's cities

Among the 784 Minnesota cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, West St. Paul ranks #153 - the 80th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares West St. Paul only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#348 of 775
55th percentile in Minnesota
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 785
77th percentile in Minnesota
Median Home Value
#170 of 774
78th percentile in Minnesota
Poverty Rate
#309 of 785
60th percentile in Minnesota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#153 of 784
80th percentile in Minnesota

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Minnesota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

50thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

50th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

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

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

West 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 30 Avg. percentile National median
West 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 West St. Paul's home value compares nationally

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

$281,800 38th percentile more affordable than 38% 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. West 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 - West St. Paul, MN West St. Paul, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not West 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 West St. Paul, MN median $70,738/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%
West 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 West St. Paul, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.6%

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

Population
21,076
Median Income
$70,738
Median Home Value
$281,800
Median Age
38.9
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Labor force participation
62.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4464.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
162.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4302.2
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 →
20,000 residents20,500 residents21,000 residents21,500 residents22,000 residents22,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 20,560 residents 21,950 residents ▲ +6.8%
West 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)
35
housing units authorized
Single-Family
29
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 233
2021 629
2022 15
2023 138
2024 35

Permit volume increased 600% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.5%
Carpool
6.5%
Public Transit
2.3%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
17.5%
Other
0.6%

Based on 10,552 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 West 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

Willmar
21,136 people
Otsego
21,358 people
New Hope
21,402 people
Forest Lake
20,678 people
Northfield
20,678 people
South St. Paul
20,633 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to West St. Paul's 21,076 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Gardner, MA
21,075 people
Hays, KS
21,078 people
Mineola, NY
21,082 people
Silverdale, WA
21,046 people
Hanahan, SC
21,119 people
Old Jamestown, MO
21,121 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to West St. Paul's $70,738 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Douglass, KS
$70,735 median income
Hanlontown, IA
$70,729 median income
Athena, OR
$70,729 median income
Borden, IN
$70,750 median income
Froid, MT
$70,750 median income
Bennington, NH
$70,750 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - West 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 West St. Paul, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 72.4% 6.3% 8.2% 10.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 20.4% White 72.4% Black or African American 6.3% Asian 1.7% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 8.2% Two or more races 10.9% 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 West 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
West St. Paul (this city) 21,076 $70,738
Willmar 21,136 $63,368
Otsego 21,358 $127,219
New Hope 21,402 $73,698
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

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

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

The population of West St. Paul, MN stands at 21,076 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in West St. Paul runs $70,738, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

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

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for West 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 West St. Paul, MN safe? +

West St. Paul has a total crime rate of 4464.9 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 West St. Paul, MN? +

A typical home in West St. Paul is worth $281,800, 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

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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.