Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in St. Paul, Minnesota
A $280,000 home here costs
$2,315per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,439. The real number is $875 higher every month — 61% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
St. Paul against Ramsey County and Minnesota
| Measure | St. Paul | Ramsey County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $280,300 | $304,900 |
| Median property tax | $3,605 | $3,767 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.286% | 1.235% |
| Median gross rent | $1,248 | $1,298 |
| Population | 307,762 | 544,438 |
The weather behind that power bill
St. Paul sits in Ramsey County, which averages a high of 82.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 8.3°F in its coldest, with 33.11" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 790 cooling and 7,327 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Ramsey County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Ramsey County
Full Ramsey County cost breakdown · Every county in Minnesota
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in St. Paul?
A $280,000 home in St. Paul, Minnesota costs approximately $2,315 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,439 principal and interest, $300 property tax, $122 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $233 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in St. Paul?
St. Paul has an effective property tax rate of 1.286%, based on a median home value of $280,300 and median real estate taxes of $3,605. That is higher than the Ramsey County average of 1.235%.
What is the average home price in St. Paul?
The median owner-occupied home value in St. Paul, Minnesota is $280,300, against $304,900 across Ramsey County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. Paul?
Median gross rent in St. Paul is $1,248 a month, against $2,315 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for St. Paul — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Minnesota.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.