The Town FilesWest St. Paul, Minnesota
City in Dakota County · population 20,615 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $301,300
- Household income
- $68,464
- Jan low / Jul high
- 9° / 83°
- Snow a year
- 51 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 39.8
West St. Paul is a city of 20,615 people in Dakota County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $301,300, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more walkable than 99% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 99% of Minnesota towns, better transit than 99% of Minnesota towns.
How West St. Paul ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in West St. Paul is worth $301,300, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.4 times the median household income of $68,464, which is more affordable than 12% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,282 a month. 57.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | West St. Paul | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $301,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,282 | $991 |
| Median household income | $68,464 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 57.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in West St. Paul
| People | West St. Paul | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.5% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.2% | — |
| Work from home | 19.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 22.4 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 86.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in West St. Paul
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 8.6°F. About 29.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 51.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 12 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 146 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West St. Paul since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 14, 1981 about 4.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 6 deaths and 129 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 27, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 279 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 8, 1966.
Severe weather in Dakota County since 1996
Dakota County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| July 6, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4069: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 19, 2010 | Flood | EM-3310: Flooding |
| September 13, 2005 | Hurricane | EM-3242: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Jobs and pay in Dakota County
Dakota County had 189,387 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $72,792 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in West St. Paul itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Public schools in West St. Paul
13 public schools with 4,172 students, about 26.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HUMBOLDT HIGH SCHOOL | 6-12 | 988 | 18.0 |
| HERITAGE E-STEM MAGNET SCHOOL | 5-8 | 760 | 21.7 |
| OPEN WORLD LEARNING SECONDARY | 6-12 | 491 | 20.5 |
| GARLOUGH ENVIRONMENTAL MAGNET | K-4 | 394 | 98.5 |
| MORELAND ART/HEALTH SCIENCE MAGNET | PK-4 | 385 | 128.3 |
| EARLY EDUCATION - BIRTH TO THREE | PK-PK | 364 | — |
| ECSE INCLUSION | PK-PK | 322 | — |
| CHEROKEE HEIGHTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-5 | 205 | 9.3 |
| ACADEMIC ARTS HIGH SCHOOL (charter) | 9-12 | 103 | 10.3 |
| 917 DCALS North | 9-12 | 77 | 11.0 |
| GUADALUPE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS | 7-12 | 62 | — |
| BRANCH OUT TRANSITIONAL SERVICES | 12-12 | 21 | — |
Towns near West St. Paul
- South St. Paul, MN2.4 mi · 20,759 people · home $281,600
- Mendota Heights, MN2.9 mi · 11,744 people · home $520,300
- St. Paul, MN3.3 mi · 311,527 people · home $294,500
- Newport, MN4.7 mi · 3,797 people · home $378,100
- Inver Grove Heights, MN5.2 mi · 35,801 people · home $363,400
- St. Paul Park, MN6.4 mi · 5,544 people · home $263,500
- Eagan, MN7.1 mi · 68,855 people · home $397,100
- Falcon Heights, MN7.4 mi · 5,369 people · home $384,500
West St. Paul questions
Is West St. Paul, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West St. Paul scores better for retirees than 10% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 2%. 20.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.8).
How much does a house cost in West St. Paul?
The median owner-occupied home in West St. Paul is valued at $301,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $68,464, so homes cost about 4.4 times income. Median rent is $1,282 a month.
What is the weather like in West St. Paul?
July highs average 82.6°F and January lows 8.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 29.2 inches of precipitation a year and 51.2 inches of snow.
Does West St. Paul get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West St. Paul since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 14, 1981. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)