Residential comparison · 13 facts
Rochester, MN vs St. Paul, MN
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Rochester needs about $85,000 in St. Paul to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from St. Paul, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Rochester.
A few differences
- Rochester is higher on median household income ($89,389 vs $73,394).
- Rochester is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,390/mo vs $1,404/mo).
- St. Paul is lower on median home price ($294,500 vs $310,500).
Rochester vs St. Paul · facet by facet
| Facet | Rochester, MN | St. Paul, MN |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $310,500 | $294,500 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,390/mo | $1,404/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.05% | 1.05% |
| State & local income tax | 3.68% | 3.68% |
| Sales tax | 7.5% | 7.5% |
| Cost of living index | 95 | 95 |
| Groceries index | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $165/mo |
| Median household income | $89,389 | $73,394 |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% |
| Crime index | 40/100 | 40/100 |
| School rating | 7.0/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 195 days | 195 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Rochester, MN · St. Paul, MN
Questions & answers
- Is Rochester cheaper than St. Paul?
- Rochester and St. Paul display the same day-to-day cost index; the differences show up facet by facet in the table above.
- What household income in St. Paul equals $85,000 in Rochester?
- A household earning $85,000 in Rochester needs about $85,000 in St. Paul to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of St. Paul lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Rochester.