City comparison
Yes. El Paso's crime index is 87 versus 166 in St Paul, and its violent crime index is 88 versus 160, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
El Paso is cheaper. Median rent is $1,073 a month versus $1,281 in St Paul.
Climate is the sharpest divide between El Paso and St Paul. El Paso averages 66°F while St Paul averages 50°F, a difference that affects utility bills, outdoor lifestyle, and how you feel nine months of the year. Rent runs $1,073 versus $1,281.
El Paso is not a close call here. It leads on cost of living, safety, and weather by margins that add up in daily life. St Paul makes sense if you have a specific reason, a job offer, family, or a neighborhood you already know, but on the numbers alone El Paso is the stronger move.
The rent gap is real but neighborhoods matter. El Paso at $1,073 average has pockets that run $873 and others at $1,473: your actual number depends on which part of the city you land in.
The move
El Paso and St Paul are 1,161 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,073 a month in El Paso to $1,281 a month in St Paul, up $208 a month (19%).
Median household income goes from $59,745 in El Paso to $73,394 in St Paul, up $13,649 (23%).
The crime index goes from 87 in El Paso to 166 in St Paul, up 79 points (91%).
The move
St Paul and El Paso are 1,161 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,281 a month in St Paul to $1,073 a month in El Paso, down $208 a month (16%).
Median household income goes from $73,394 in St Paul to $59,745 in El Paso, down $13,649 (19%).
The crime index goes from 166 in St Paul to 87 in El Paso, down 79 points (48%).
El Paso, TX
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
St Paul, MN
School quality varies by neighborhood. Check GreatSchools.org for current ratings.
Comparing El Paso and St Paul? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
16% cheaper
El Paso rent is 16% cheaper than St Paul
El Paso
Winner$1,073/mo
St Paul
$1,281/mo
Typical rent runs $1,073 a month in El Paso versus $1,281 in St Paul, so El Paso is 16% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $2,496, enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. El Paso still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in St Paul.
Planning to buy in El Paso? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
23% higher
St Paul's median income is 23% higher than El Paso
El Paso
$59,745
St Paul
Winner$73,394
Median household income is $73,394 in St Paul versus $59,745 in El Paso, so typical pay runs 23% higher in St Paul (about $13,649 more household income a year). Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, St Paul is the stronger labor market on paper. El Paso can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
48% lower crime
El Paso's crime index is 48% lower than St Paul
El Paso
Winner87 (100 = avg)
St Paul
166 (100 = avg)
El Paso's crime index is 87 versus 166 in St Paul (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 48% lower in El Paso. 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, El Paso is the easier city. St Paul can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
72% more comfortable
El Paso weather is 72% more comfortable than St Paul
El Paso
Winner66°F avg · 72°F highs · comfort 100/100
St Paul
50°F avg · 57°F highs · comfort 58/100
El Paso averages about 66°F (72°F highs); St Paul averages about 50°F (57°F highs). El Paso sits near 66°F on average, a range where people can be outside without fighting extreme heat or cold. St Paul averages around 50°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. El Paso scores 72% closer to the 65-80°F comfort band on this page, so it is the easier default for year-round outdoor errands and evenings. Choose St Paul if you already prefer its hotter or cooler pattern and have budgeted for the AC or heating that comes with it.
Fit check
Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing
El Paso is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 16% cheaper here at about $1,073 a month. Choose El Paso if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick El Paso if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (66°F) beat St Paul on this page's weather index by 72%. St Paul may pay more or cost less, but El Paso is the city where the forecast fights you less.
El Paso is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 48% lower than St Paul (87 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.
Fit check
Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth
St Paul is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 23% higher here ($73,394). Start with St Paul if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
Bottom line
Neither city is a free pass on neighborhood choice, but El Paso leads on safety (64/100 vs 45/100 in St Paul). Typical rent is $1,073 in El Paso and $1,281 in St Paul; do not assume the cheaper lease buys the calmer blocks.
Safety still diverges (64/100 in El Paso vs 45/100 in St Paul), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $73,394 in St Paul versus $59,745 in El Paso.
El Paso is ahead on safety (64/100 vs 45/100); St Paul is still viable when you have a vetted ZIP there and $1,281/month rent plus $73,394 income fit your budget better than the safety margin.
Common questions
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