Is St Paul cheaper than Durham?

Yes. Typical rent in St Paul is $1,232 a month versus $1,711 in Durham — 28% cheaper. Median household income is $72,400 in St Paul compared with $74,710 in Durham, so Durham has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, St Paul or Durham?

St Paul is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 78 versus 97 in Durham — 20% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, St Paul or Durham?

School composites are close: A- in St Paul and A- in Durham. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

St Paul, MN vs Durham, NC

St Paul, MN versus Durham, NC is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,232 a month in St Paul and $1,711 in Durham, and median household income lands at $72,400 versus $74,710. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

St Paul takes affordability and safety, while Durham takes job market and weather. The widest gap is typical weather, where Durham leads by 50% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in St Paul can feel further apart than St Paul and Durham do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the St Paul and Durham reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full St Paul report Full Durham report

St Paul, MN

Rent: $1,232/mo
Median income: $72,400
Crime index: 78
Schools: A-
Weather: —

Durham, NC

Rent: $1,711/mo
Median income: $74,710
Crime index: 97
Schools: A-
Weather: 79°F

Rent

28% cheaper

St Paul rent is 28% cheaper than Durham

St Paul

Winner

$1,232/mo

Durham

$1,711/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,232 a month in St Paul versus $1,711 in Durham, so St Paul is 28% cheaper. That's roughly $479/month back in your pocket — $5,748/year. Over five years that's $28,740 you could redirect toward a down payment, travel, or investments. Housing is the bill you pay before groceries, childcare, or a social life, so that gap shows up in how often you eat out and how panicked a rent hike feels. If you already have a high-paying offer in Durham, the extra rent can be rational. If you do not, St Paul is the easier city to land in without blowing up your budget.

Median income

3% higher

Durham's median income is 3% higher than St Paul

St Paul

$72,400

Durham

Winner

$74,710

What this means for your life

Median household income is $74,710 in Durham versus $72,400 in St Paul, so typical pay runs 3% higher in Durham — about $2,310 more household income a year. The income edge is modest. Treat it as extra negotiating context, not a reason to ignore rent, schools, or climate. Remote workers especially should not treat citywide pay as a personal raise if their employer will not localize salary.

Crime index

20% lower crime

St Paul's crime index is 20% lower than Durham

St Paul

Winner

78 (100 = avg)

Durham

97 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

St Paul's crime index is 78 versus 97 in Durham (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 20% lower in St Paul. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, St Paul is the easier city. Durham can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

St Paul and Durham are about even on school scores.

St Paul

A- · 84/100

Durham

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in St Paul, A- in Durham). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

50% more comfortable

Durham weather is 50% more comfortable than St Paul

St Paul

Comfort 52/100

Durham

Winner

79°F typical

What this means for your life

Durham scores 50% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. St Paul reads as a mixed climate; Durham reads as warm weather most of the year. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Durham is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. St Paul can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose St Paul

Families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy

St Paul is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 28% cheaper here at about $1,232 a month. Choose St Paul if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

St Paul is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 20% lower than Durham (78 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the St Paul report →

Fit check

Who should choose Durham

Career-focused movers who want salary upside plus year-round outdoor access

It is also a match for career-focused movers who want salary upside and year-round outdoor access. Median household income runs 3% higher ($74,710), and typical weather is the more comfortable of the two — around 79°F. That pairing is for people who will work hard and then actually use the evenings.

Open the Durham report →

Bottom line

St Paul vs Durham, called

If weather is your priority, Durham is the clear choice.

If cost of living matters more to you, St Paul pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, St Paul offers the better overall package.

Common questions

St Paul vs Durham FAQ

Is St Paul cheaper than Durham?: Yes. Typical rent in St Paul is $1,232 a month versus $1,711 in Durham — 28% cheaper. Median household income is $72,400 in St Paul compared with $74,710 in Durham, so Durham has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, St Paul or Durham?: St Paul is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 78 versus 97 in Durham — 20% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, St Paul or Durham?: School composites are close: A- in St Paul and A- in Durham. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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