Getting ready to move to the City of St. Paul? Minnesota’s capital city—and next door neighbor of Minneapolis—offers year-round outdoor recreation, job opportunities, affordable living, and plenty of fun things to do. Keep reading to learn more about what it’s like to live in St. Paul!
Between the Twin Cities, St. Paul is more affordable! Though suburban St. Paul offers a 6% more affordable cost of living compared to Minneapolis, its median home price at $217,000 is lower than Minneapolis—which offers a median purchase price of nearly $270,000—so it makes sense why over half of St. Paul owns their homes. On top of that, St. Paulites can benefit from a slightly more budget-friendly median monthly rent, with rates just over $1,000, while Minne’s rentals are closer to $1,100. Residents can find even more savings when selecting homes from multiple safe, affordable neighborhoods.
As a Twin City, St. Paul benefits from Minneapolis’ proximity—but has a strong job market on its own, which is a major reason why young professionals and recent graduates opt to stay. The top St. Paul industries include healthcare and social assistance, public administration, and educational services—while the best St. Paul companies include Bremer Bank, The Wine Company, Siemens, and more! Explore jobs in the healthcare and social assistance industry at amazing companies like Gillette Children’s Hospital and Clinics, Regions Hospital, or United Hospital. Apply for public administration jobs in St. Paul at companies like the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, Ampact, or the State of Minnesota. For those looking for a career in education, institutions like St. Paul Academy and Summit School and St. Paul Public Schools offer great opportunities to work with local youth.
There are many great schools in St. Paul that allow you to explore your passions and prepare for a career. Find an education at Macalester College, the highest-ranking liberal arts college in Minnesota and 21st in the country. Check out the University of St. Thomas-Minnesota for an education in their top majors of business, management, and marketing. Consider other liberal arts schools like St. Catherine University, a private women’s college offering undergraduate programs in social work, public policy, communication studies, and more. Apply to the number one Pell-eligible private university in Minnesota and a top private university in the Midwest, Concordia University. Join the ranks of one of the top schools in graduation rates in the nation and first in the Midwest at Bethel University. Opt for a research school by applying to the University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus, which is in the top 10 U.S. research universities. Or gain skills in carpentry, CNC toolmaking, and culinary arts at Saint Paul College.
It’s very easy to get around St. Paul! The city is walkable, bikeable, and driveable. Thanks to the Saint Paul Pedestrian Plan, St. Paul ensures safety for pedestrians and has created over 200 miles of bike paths for people to explore. Find bus and train schedules with St. Paul Metro Transit. Commute to Minneapolis via the Metro Green Line. And fly regional or international through the Minneapolis – Saint Paul International Airport, just on the other side of the Mississippi River.
Enjoy nice weather in St. Paul by taking friends and family to pickleball courts, sepak takraw courts, boat launches, and more—and with access to the Mississippi River shoreline, residents can enjoy river activities like birding, fishing, and biking at St. Paul parks like the Hidden Falls Park or a nearby Minnesota beach or lake. Explore the Bruce Vento Trail, Gateway State Trail, and the planned Capital City Bikeway as part of the local bike trails in St. Paul. As an Upper Midwestern area, the Twin Cities offer all four seasons, with snow falling in St. Paul from October until mid-April. The cold weather doesn’t stop St. Paulites from enjoying the outdoors! Strap on your winter gear and go skiing and snowboarding down the 150-foot Mount Como at Como Park Ski Center. Participate in annual events like the Ice Fishing Tournament and Fire & Ice Run—and walk through the snow park and ice castles, go ice skating, and more during the Winter Carnival, which has run for almost 150 years in St. Paul. And be sure to explore all of the best sledding hills St. Paul has to offer!
The whole family can have fun in St. Paul! Take the kids to ride rollercoasters or play in the splash zone at Como Town. Go on a senior stroll, enjoy sensory-friendly mornings, and visit your favorite animals like sea lions and gorillas at the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. Play and learn at areas like The Scramble, Imaginopolis, Shipwreck Adventures the Minnesota Children’s Museum. Enroll your kids in a book club, attend author events, or go to weekly story times at the historic Red Balloon Bookshop. Look at dinosaurs and fossils, learn about the human body, and meet the giant astronaut during your visit to the Science Museum of Minnesota. Or play mini-golf, arcade games, and pinball at the vintage Can Can Wonderland.
Explore the rich history in St. Paul! Journey through Summit Avenue—the street that inspired F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby—with a walking tour through over 400 St. Paul mansions, some dating back to the 1800s. See the Cathedral of Saint Paul, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s childhood home, and the oldest standing house of the mansions at 312 Summit Avenue! Visit Landmark Plaza to admire bronze statues of your favorite characters from the Peanuts comic strip, like Charlie Brown and his loving dog, Snoopy. Learn about the military fort and the Native American population that lived on the land at the Historic Fort Snelling. Explore exhibits like Then Now Wow, Weather Permitting, and Minnesota’s Greatest Generation to learn about the history of the state at the Minnesota History Center. Meet some of the ancient creatures that once roamed the planet at the nearby natural history museum, the Bell Museum. Or learn about other cultures through art, speeches, and gatherings at the Landmark Center.
Minnesota is an inclusive and diverse place to live—state laws support a majority of sexual orientation policies, gender identity policies, and overall LGBTQ+ policies! The governor’s office has a history of making efforts to move forward in inclusivity and equality with the Office of Inclusion, and under Tim Walz, executive orders have renewed the Governor’s One Minnesota Council on Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity and the Governor’s Community Council on Inclusion and Equity. Find community in the Midway neighborhood of St. Paul, where you can celebrate Twin Cities Pride! Check out a Black, woman-owned bookstore—Black Garnet Books—which focuses on diverse stories and authors. Or visit LGBTQ+ businesses like Workhorse Coffee Bar, where you can order a latte, grab a bite, and make new friends!
The Twin Cities offer lots of opportunities for sports fans! Watch the Minnesota Vikings (NFL) throw the pigskin at U.S. Bank Stadium. Catch the University of Minnesota Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium for some spirited college football—or support their men’s and women’s basketball teams at Williams Arena. Check out the women’s basketball, the Minnesota Lynx (WNBA) or men’s basketball, the Minnesota Timberwolves (NBA), at the Target Center! Root for the Minnesota Twins (MLB) at Target Field. Grab tickets to the University of Minnesota Men’s Hockey at the 3M Arena at Mariucci and the Women’s hockey at Ridder Arena. And be sure to attend games closer to home in St. Paul! Head to the CHS Field in Lowertown to watch the St. Paul Saints (MiLB) hit homers. Cheer on the Minnesota Wild (NHL) and Minnesota Frost (PWHL) at the Xcel Energy Center. Or catch the Minnesota United (MLS) FC Soccer at Allianz Field.
Gaze upon St. Paul’s creativity in varying art forms. Find rotating exhibits and new events like When You’re in the Mirror, HERE, NOW, and El Vaivén at the Minnesota Museum of American Art, also called the M. Go to reimagined performances like Murder On The Dance Floor, Nutcracker in Wonderland, or An American in Paris at the Ballet Co.Labratory. Find art throughout the city through Public Art Saint Paul with projects like the Western Sculpture Park from eARTh Lab workshops to promote learning about the environment. Catch one of over 500 productions throughout the year—including Broadway shows, the Minnesota Opera, and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra—at The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. Visit the historic Fitzgerald Theatre, which opened in 1910, and continues to offer a wide range of shows from Broadway, film, concerts, and even vaudeville. Or support Minnesota’s only Black professional theater company at the Penumbra Theatre by seeing a show, like When We Are Found, or participating in a program, like Collective Practice Circles!
Located between Downtown St. Paul and Minneapolis, the Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) houses more than 100 creative businesses. Find some of the volunteer opportunities St. Paul has to offer, like the 100 Trees Initiative which is aimed to grow the urban tree canopy on public boulevards in the area. Join the CEZ Spring Clean-Up by signing up for a shift to organize sign-in or by helping clean up the trash in the area! Support the neighborhood and the arts by attending CEZ events like the annual Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival, which produces murals by diverse voices for building beautification, and hosts artist-led programs and events for the community. Get food from local eateries, like an espresso tonic from SK coffee, modern and fun Vietnamese food at Khue’s, or a comforting bowl of soup from Hampden Park Co-op. Attend the MidCity Farmer’s Market for some local produce, culinary creativity, and art. Or go to The Black Market to support Black-owned businesses in the area!
Looking to go shopping? Visit one of the many malls and fashion stores in St. Paul! Shop at one of 30 local or well-known franchised stores at the Maplewood Mall—and be sure to take a ride on their famous two-story-high Venetian carousel ride. Visit Calisota to find streetwear and snacks. Get your DIY on or buy handmade items from others at Handmod. Stop by historic Downtown St. Paul to experience the many local shops and clothing stores. Shop locally-made wallets, belts, and more at Leather Works Minnesota. Sample the 1920s men’s fashion scene with Heimie’s Haberdashery. Find a new-to-you tune from the expansive vintage selection at Eclipse Records. Check out Lula on popular Selby Avenue, a store where you can stock up on unique vintage clothes that change seasonally. And be sure to visit Grand Avenue for the rest of your shopping and errand needs, with eateries, bars, boutiques, and stores like Cooks | Bellecour, where you can buy food, utensils, and learn to cook or bake.
No matter what time of year, there’s a festival to attend! Go back in time with vintage vehicles, watch The Great Race, and more during the Back to the Fifties weekend. Learn about the largest urban Hmong population in the world through Hmong dances, the annual Miss Hmong Minnesota Pageant, and singing competitions at the Minnesota Hmong New Year Festival! Learn about the Native inhabitants of the Twin Cities, the Dakota Native American tribe, at the 12-week WAKPA Triennial Art Festival, which focuses on public art and community building throughout the city. Find new pieces for your home, learn about artists, enjoy food, and immerse yourself in the art at the St. Paul Art Crawl. Watch performances and attend events like the Northland Vintage Toy, Train, Advertising & Pop Culture Show, the Viking Motorcycle Show, the Natural Strongman Midwest World Qualifier, and more during the Minnesota State Fair. Or compete in the ice fishing tournament, attend the Royal Coronation for the royal court, participate in the Securian Financial Winter Run, see massive sculptures of ice and snow at the Vulcan Snow Park, and watch two parades at the 11-day Saint Paul Winter Carnival!
For a dinner date or a quick snack on the way home, St. Paul has many options to choose from! Order breakfast in St. Paul like Cinnamon Roll French Toast, followed by Toasted Vanilla Pie or Nutter Better Cookies at Hot Hands Pie & Biscuit. Visit Mickey’s Diner at any time—open 24/7 since 1940—for affordable homemade diner classics with locally-sourced ingredients. Stop by a restaurant founded by iconic American chef, James Beard, and satisfy your sweet tooth with farm-fresh goods at The Buttered Tin. Enjoy the flavors of Southern Europe with dishes like Falafel, Radiatore, and Honey Cake for dessert at Estelle. Looking for the best German restaurant in St. Paul? Try food like a Surly Beer Brat, Reuben Sandwich, and Belgian Truffle Fries while partaking in events like karaoke at New Bohemia! Try traditional Afro-Mediterranean dishes like Chicken Curry, Yassa Chicken, Chapati Wrap, and more at Afro Deli & Grill.
Looking to raise glasses and spirits? St. Paul has you covered! Sip a variety of local beers, enjoy great event spaces, and get dinner from food trucks at Bad Weather Brewing Company. Enjoy a brew at Bang Brewing, which specializes in creating sustainable and eco-friendly beers by relying 100% on wind energy, providing a local pollinator garden, and more environmentally-friendly actions! Get a truly unique dining experience on a beautiful outdoor patio and enjoy a wide array of locally-sourced brews, cocktails, and food at Saint Paul Brewing. Support the first women-owned microbrewery of the state, Urban Growler, a brewery offering a bite to eat like the Twin Cities Basket with fries, tater tots, and cheese curds to share, paired with a beer or hard seltzer. Try their twist on classic craft beer styles at Lake Monster Brewing Co. Or attend Friday Night Comedy, listen to music, and partake in trivia while drinking beer or cocktails and filling up on food at Gambit Brewing Co.
The fun doesn’t have to stop at sundown in St. Paul! Gather some friends and head to The Nook for some burgers, and enjoy a few games at Ranham Bowling afterward. Enjoy an outdoor concert, shop at the local vendor market, and taste food from local vendors at Keg & Case. Get a signature burger, like the Cowboy Stack or Smokehouse, and local beer while cheering on your favorite team at Alary’s Bar. Rock out to artists like Bright Eyes, Snow Patrol, and flipturn at century-old venue, the Palace Theatre. Laugh, see the cabaret, or grab a drink at Camp. Find blues, R&B, and rock shows, a full bar, and pub fare at Minnesota Music Cafe. Or join in on drag shows, burlesque, karaoke, BINGO, and bocce at LGBTQ-friendly Black Hart of Saint Paul!
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