Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in West St. Paul, Minnesota
A $282,000 home here costs
$2,276per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,450. The real number is $826 higher every month — 57% 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.
West St. Paul against Dakota County and Minnesota
| Measure | West St. Paul | Dakota County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $281,800 | $362,100 |
| Median property tax | $2,982 | $3,610 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.058% | 0.997% |
| Median gross rent | $1,195 | $1,497 |
| Population | 21,076 | 442,204 |
The weather behind that power bill
West St. Paul sits in Dakota County, which averages a high of 81.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 3.3°F in its coldest, with 34.12" of precipitation a year and 41% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 551 cooling and 8,121 heating degree days, which is what sets the $152 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Dakota County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Dakota County
Full Dakota County cost breakdown · Every county in Minnesota
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in West St. Paul?
A $282,000 home in West St. Paul, Minnesota costs approximately $2,276 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,450 principal and interest, $249 property tax, $122 homeowners insurance, $220 utilities and $235 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in West St. Paul?
West St. Paul has an effective property tax rate of 1.058%, based on a median home value of $281,800 and median real estate taxes of $2,982. That is higher than the Dakota County average of 0.997%.
What is the average home price in West St. Paul?
The median owner-occupied home value in West St. Paul, Minnesota is $281,800, against $362,100 across Dakota County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in West St. Paul?
Median gross rent in West St. Paul is $1,195 a month, against $2,276 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 West 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.