City comparison
No. St Paul's crime index is 166 versus 350 in New Orleans, and its violent crime index is 160 versus 393, using 2023 FBI data for New Orleans and 2024-2025 FBI data for St Paul.
New Orleans is cheaper. Median rent is $1,251 a month versus $1,281 in St Paul.
Climate is the sharpest divide between New Orleans and St Paul. New Orleans averages 73°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 $1,251 versus $1,281.
Neither city has a clear overall edge here. New Orleans costs less and St Paul pays more: the right call depends on whether you are optimizing for take-home pay or monthly burn rate. Both are defensible choices for different reasons.
The crime gap is citywide. St Paul has rougher pockets and New Orleans has quiet ones: the index tells you the average, not your block.
The move
New Orleans and St Paul are 1,049 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,251 a month in New Orleans to $1,281 a month in St Paul, up $30 a month (2%).
Median household income goes from $56,631 in New Orleans to $73,394 in St Paul, up $16,763 (30%).
The crime index goes from 350 in New Orleans to 166 in St Paul, down 184 points (53%).
The move
St Paul and New Orleans are 1,049 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,281 a month in St Paul to $1,251 a month in New Orleans, down $30 a month (2%).
Median household income goes from $73,394 in St Paul to $56,631 in New Orleans, down $16,763 (23%).
The crime index goes from 166 in St Paul to 350 in New Orleans, up 184 points (111%).
New Orleans, LA
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 New Orleans and St Paul? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
2% cheaper
New Orleans rent is 2% cheaper than St Paul
New Orleans
Winner$1,251/mo
St Paul
$1,281/mo
Typical rent runs $1,251 a month in New Orleans versus $1,281 in St Paul, so New Orleans is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $30, or $360 a year: noticeable, but rent alone should not pick the city. Use this as a tie-breaker after you compare income, schools, and crime, unless you are already stretching every dollar.
Planning to buy in New Orleans? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
30% higher
St Paul's median income is 30% higher than New Orleans
New Orleans
$56,631
St Paul
Winner$73,394
Median household income is $73,394 in St Paul versus $56,631 in New Orleans, so typical pay runs 30% higher in St Paul (about $16,763 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. New Orleans can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
53% lower crime
St Paul's crime index is 53% lower than New Orleans
New Orleans
350 (100 = avg)
St Paul
Winner166 (100 = avg)
St Paul's crime index is 166 versus 350 in New Orleans (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 53% 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. New Orleans can still work if you pick the right pocket. Just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.
Typical weather
72% more comfortable
New Orleans weather is 72% more comfortable than St Paul
New Orleans
Winner73°F avg · 81°F highs · comfort 100/100
St Paul
50°F avg · 57°F highs · comfort 58/100
New Orleans averages about 73°F (81°F highs); St Paul averages about 50°F (57°F highs). New Orleans sits near 73°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. New Orleans 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
New Orleans is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 2% cheaper here at about $1,251 a month. Choose New Orleans if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick New Orleans if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (73°F) beat St Paul on this page's weather index by 72%. St Paul may pay more or cost less, but New Orleans is the city where the forecast fights you less.
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 30% higher here ($73,394). Start with St Paul if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.
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 53% lower than New Orleans (166 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.
Bottom line
Crime and safety tilt toward St Paul: St Paul scores 45/100 versus 22/100 in New Orleans, with typical rent at $1,281 versus $1,251. I would vet the exact ZIP in New Orleans before trading 23 safety points for housing savings.
Safety still diverges (45/100 in St Paul vs 22/100 in New Orleans), so climate preference should not be the only filter.
Median income is $73,394 in St Paul versus $56,631 in New Orleans.
St Paul clears the bar on safety in this dataset. New Orleans deserves a serious look only when you already know the New Orleans block you would live on and the safety gap is acceptable.
Common questions
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for New Orleans and St Paul, plus other cities in LA and MN.
