City profile · Nebraska · Census ACS 2023

St. Paul, NE

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

2,574
Residents
$58,493
Median income
$184,400
Median home
$1,049
Median rent (state)

St. Paul - the verdict

St. Paul ranks in the 33rd percentile for household income and the 85th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

33rd
percentile, household income
38th
percentile, home value
24th
percentile, median rent
85th
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: St. Paul, NE

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 2,574 residents in St. Paul, a small town within Nebraska. The typical household in St. Paul brings in $58,493 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.3%. Typical homes in St. Paul are valued around $184,400, and the median resident age is 42.0 years. Educational attainment runs 27.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 60.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 1 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 67% from five years earlier. St. Paul reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 493.8 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Nebraska run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Nebraska at 90.1 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,049 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Nebraska's average monthly utility costs around $207 (state average). Commute times here average 25.0 minutes, with 82.5% driving alone and 7.8% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 24.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very Low).

Population

2,574 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Nebraska

Median Household Income

$58,493 /yr

Poverty 3.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

90.1 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Nebraska average

How does St. Paul compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 33% higher than other cities
Home value 38% pricier than other cities
Median rent 24% pricier than other cities
Safety 85% 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 Nebraska alone, St. Paul ranks #10 of 44 Nebraska 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 St. Paul against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Nebraska only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Nebraska-relative analysis

Median Home Value places St. Paul toward the top of Nebraska's cities

Among the 438 Nebraska cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, St. Paul ranks #73 - the 83rd percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares St. Paul only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#281 of 439
36th percentile in Nebraska
Median Gross Rent
#116 of 450
73rd percentile in Nebraska
Median Home Value
#73 of 438
83rd percentile in Nebraska
Poverty Rate
#305 of 450
31st percentile in Nebraska
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#92 of 450
80th percentile in Nebraska

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 Nebraska only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

33rdIncome percentile
85thSafety percentile

33rd percentile nationally for median household income · 85th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

St. Paul's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

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

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

$184,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 62% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. 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 - St. Paul, NE St. Paul, NE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not St. Paul, NE-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 St. Paul, NE median $58,493/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%
St. Paul, NE'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 St. Paul, NE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.2%

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

Population
2,574
Median Income
$58,493
Median Home Value
$184,400
Median Age
42.0
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Labor force participation
60.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
493.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
82.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
411.5
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 →
2,410 residents2,420 residents2,430 residents2,440 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,423 residents 2,416 residents ▼ -0.3%
St. Paul's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
1
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 3
2020 6
2021 5
2022 6
2023 2
2024 1

Permit volume decreased 67% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
25.0 minutes
Drive Alone
82.5%
Carpool
4.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.9%
Work from Home
7.8%
Other
3.3%

Based on 1,188 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

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

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$65
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$207
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Nebraska 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 Nebraska state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county St. Paul sits in

Cost of Living Index
90.1
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,049/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
24.2 / 100
Very Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Nebraska

Valentine
2,632 people
Milford
2,656 people
Bennington
2,417 people
Hickman
2,834 people
Geneva
2,214 people
Beaver Lake
2,198 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to St. Paul's 2,574 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Harrisburg, AR
2,574 people
Rancho Santa Fe, CA
2,574 people
Guyton, GA
2,574 people
Greenport, NY
2,574 people
Bono, AR
2,575 people
Fairmount, IN
2,575 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to St. Paul's $58,493 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Icehouse Canyon, AZ
$58,494 median income
Lismore, MN
$58,490 median income
Perth Amboy, NJ
$58,490 median income
St. Francis, WI
$58,490 median income
Lamar, CO
$58,487 median income
Union Point, GA
$58,487 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - St. Paul, NE 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 St. Paul, NE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.0% 10.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.3% White 87.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.3% Two or more races 10.7% 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 St. Paul compares to nearby Nebraska cities

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

City Population Median Household Income
St. Paul (this city) 2,574 $58,493
Valentine 2,632 $53,438
Milford 2,656 $80,997
Bennington 2,417 $98,375
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NE FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about St. Paul, NE?

What is the population of St. Paul, NE? +

The population of St. Paul, NE stands at 2,574 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in St. Paul is $58,493 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

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

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for St. Paul; the closest available measure is the Nebraska state average, a cost of living index of 90.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Nebraska vary by metro area.

Is St. Paul, NE safe? +

St. Paul has a total crime rate of 493.8 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 St. Paul, NE? +

St. Paul's median home value sits at $184,400, 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.