City comparison
Yes. Pittsburgh's crime index is 158 versus 166 in St Paul, and its violent crime index is 147 versus 160, using 2024-2025 FBI data.
Pittsburgh is cheaper. Median rent is $1,261 a month versus $1,281 in St Paul.
Pittsburgh and St Paul are closer on paper than many city pairs, so the move comes down to how you weight cost, safety, and climate. Typical rent sits near $1,261 in Pittsburgh and $1,281 in St Paul, and median household income lands at $65,742 versus $73,394. Use the category rows below to see which gaps would change your daily life.
Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh is the stronger move.
Visit both if you can. Cities reveal themselves in the ordinary moments, a Tuesday morning commute, a Saturday errand run, not on a weekend visit.
The move
Pittsburgh and St Paul are 733 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,261 a month in Pittsburgh to $1,281 a month in St Paul, up $20 a month (2%).
Median household income goes from $65,742 in Pittsburgh to $73,394 in St Paul, up $7,652 (12%).
The crime index goes from 158 in Pittsburgh to 166 in St Paul, up 8 points (5%).
The move
St Paul and Pittsburgh are 733 miles apart in a straight line.
Median rent goes from $1,281 a month in St Paul to $1,261 a month in Pittsburgh, down $20 a month (2%).
Median household income goes from $73,394 in St Paul to $65,742 in Pittsburgh, down $7,652 (10%).
The crime index goes from 166 in St Paul to 158 in Pittsburgh, down 8 points (5%).
Pittsburgh, PA
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 Pittsburgh and St Paul? Check mortgage rates before you decide where to buy.
Rent
2% cheaper
Pittsburgh rent is 2% cheaper than St Paul
Pittsburgh
Winner$1,261/mo
St Paul
$1,281/mo
Typical rent runs $1,261 a month in Pittsburgh versus $1,281 in St Paul, so Pittsburgh is 2% cheaper. The monthly spread is about $20, or $240 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 Pittsburgh? Check mortgage rates before you decide.
Median income
12% higher
St Paul's median income is 12% higher than Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
$65,742
St Paul
Winner$73,394
Median household income is $73,394 in St Paul versus $65,742 in Pittsburgh, so typical pay runs 12% higher in St Paul (about $7,652 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. Pittsburgh can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.
Crime index
5% lower crime
Pittsburgh's crime index is 5% lower than St Paul
Pittsburgh
Winner158 (100 = avg)
St Paul
166 (100 = avg)
Pittsburgh's crime index is 158 versus 166 in St Paul (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 5% lower in Pittsburgh. The difference is noticeable without being night-and-day. You will still want to pick the neighborhood carefully in Pittsburgh, but you will usually spend less energy on constant vigilance than you would in St Paul. Tour both cities after dark before you let a modest index gap close the decision.
Typical weather
5% more comfortable
Pittsburgh weather is 5% more comfortable than St Paul
Pittsburgh
Winner51°F avg · 58°F highs · comfort 61/100
St Paul
50°F avg · 57°F highs · comfort 58/100
Pittsburgh averages about 51°F (58°F highs); St Paul averages about 50°F (57°F highs). Pittsburgh averages around 51°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. St Paul averages around 50°F, so jackets, heating bills, and shorter outdoor seasons are part of daily life. Pittsburgh scores 5% 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
Pittsburgh is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 2% cheaper here at about $1,261 a month. Choose Pittsburgh if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.
Pick Pittsburgh if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (51°F) beat St Paul on this page's weather index by 5%. St Paul may pay more or cost less, but Pittsburgh is the city where the forecast fights you less.
Pittsburgh is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 5% lower than St Paul (158 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 12% 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
Pittsburgh is cheaper on rent ($1,261/month vs $1,281), but St Paul's $73,394 median income beats Pittsburgh's $65,742 by 10%. Remote workers paid on St Paul scales can make that trade; local-market earners often cannot.
Weather averages land near 51°F in Pittsburgh and 50°F in St Paul.
St Paul leads on local pay ($73,394 median income vs $65,742), even though rent runs $1,281 versus $1,261 — skip St Paul only if you are optimizing for the cheaper lease, not the paycheck.
Safety scores read 46/100 in Pittsburgh and 45/100 in St Paul.
Common questions
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Next steps
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Nearby research
Open full neighborhood reports for Pittsburgh and St Paul, plus other cities in PA and MN.
