Compare any U.S. Census place · Official 2024 ACS data · Guarded AI analysis

Source-led head-to-head · 2024 ACS

Moving from New York to St. Paul

New York and St. Paul answer different parts of the relocation question. St. Paul has the lower default annual core-cost model, while the salary, excluded state-tax assumption, and rent-versus-buy choice can reverse that result. Use the citywide ACS figures as reference points, then replace them with the actual offer and housing quote.

Corridor Direction & Trade-off Delta

Moving from New York to St. Paul

⇄ Switch to St. PaulNew York
Median Rent Impact
-$540/mo

Moving to St. Paul saves ~$6,480/yr in rent.

State Tax Treatment
-5.5%

~$5,500 saved in state tax on a $100k salary in Minnesota.

Daily Commute Difference
-21 min / day

Difference of ~175 hours per year spent commuting based on 2024 ACS midpoint averages.

Your move

Compare the life behind the offer.

Adjust the assumptions. Every result updates instantly.

Search all 32,330 U.S. Census places directly below.

Instant results use official 2024 ACS place data. Places with incomplete required signals remain visible in search but cannot be selected.

What matters most?

Directional estimate using ACS citywide benchmarks. Verified profiles may include a simplified state-tax reference; automatically added profiles exclude state tax until an official reference is approved. Exact tax, benefits, debt, housing, insurance, and personal circumstances may materially change the result.

LIVE VERDICTNYCSTP
89/ 100

Worth serious consideration

Your modeled annual room improves.
Estimated annual life delta+$24,089after essentials; unverified state tax excluded
Take-home$63,983$81,592
Core costs$36,852$30,372
Commute time165 hours gained
Best gainMixed affordability
Watch closelyRent vs income balance
See assumptions and methodology →
Advertisement

The short answer

In the uniform one-person renting baseline, St. Paul is about $6,480 lower per year. This is not a verdict by itself: replace city medians with the actual offer, address, household, benefits, insurance, and tax details before deciding.

New York household income$80,483
St. Paul household income$73,394
New York gross rent$1,821
St. Paul gross rent$1,281

Housing, income, and tax reference

MetricNew YorkSt. Paul
2024 ACS population8,483,844307,284
Median household income$80,483$73,394
Median gross rent$1,821$1,281
Median owner-occupied home value$777,600$294,500
State-tax treatment5.5% simplifiedExcluded
Salary & Affordability Benchmark

How much do you need to earn to live in St. Paul?

2024 ACS Median Income

$73,394/yr

30% Rule for RentRecommended
$51,240 / year

To afford St. Paul's median gross rent of $1,281/mo at or below 30% of gross earnings, a household needs approximately $24.63/hour (full-time).

28% Rule for HomeownershipMedian Home
$74,657 / year

Modeled against St. Paul's median home benchmark of $294,500 (estimated $1,742/mo ownership carrying cost at typical 7.1% baseline).

Slide to test your income against local rent, taxes, and essentials.
$73,394gross/year
Affordability Status:Comfortable
Rent is 21% of gross income (27% of net pay)

At this income, median rent is only 21% of gross pay, leaving strong room for savings and essentials.

Monthly Budget AllocationEstimated Net Take-Home: $4,761/mo
Tax 22%
Rent 21%
Essentials 20%
Savings 37%
Taxes: $1,346/mo Rent: $1,281/mo Essentials: $1,250/mo Discretionary Margin: $2,230/mo

Time and daily routine

The commute-time distribution produces a weighted one-way estimate of about 44 minutes in New York and 23 minutes in St. Paul. This citywide estimate cannot capture a specific route, remote-work schedule, or transit choice, so the calculator converts it into an explicit time difference instead of hiding it in a subjective lifestyle score.

Advertisement

Decision checklist

  • Compare actual offers rather than city medians
  • Verify neighborhood housing against the citywide ACS benchmark
  • Treat renting and buying as separate decisions
  • Use the route-specific commute, not only the city estimate

What each city wins

New York

The deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort. Watch the cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate new york city resident income tax.

St. Paul

Mixed affordability. Watch rent vs income balance.

Source boundary: Core figures come from the 2024 ACS five-year tables linked on each city profile. Commute is derived from B08303 midpoint weighting. A state-tax value without an approved official reference is excluded and disclosed. This comparison becomes index-eligible only after its unique analysis clears the content quality gate.

Advertisement