While big cities like St. Paul offer culture, cuisine, and charisma, they also deliver terrible traffic, towering expenses, and a taxing quality of life.
With that in mind, we wanted to uncover the best suburbs around St. Paul. These burbs have all of the benefits of being near St. Paul without actually having to be in the city.
Of course, not all suburbs of St. Paul are created equally, which is precisely why we set out to find the best ones. Using Saturday Night Science, we delve into the factors that matter most, from commutes and housing costs to community vibes, to help you uncover the perfect suburban spots in the Greater St. Paul area.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 best suburbs to live around St. Paul for 2024:
What’s the best suburb of St. Paul? Deephaven ranks as the best suburb of St. Paul for 2024 based on the most recent Census and FBI data. If you happen to be a resident of Deephaven, you’re probably not too surprised to find it on the top our list.
We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 St. Paul ‘burbs better than the rest–but first, a bit about our methodology.
Feel free to check out some more reading about Minnesota:
The 10 Best St. Paul Suburbs To Live For 2024
/10
Deephaven is always mentioned as one of the best suburbs in the St. Paul area. We’ll tell you the good about “Awesome Deephaven.”
Everyone here is rich; families average $164,149 a year, which is the 5th highest in the St. Paul region. And only 1.42% are out of work. Homes average more than $931,810 each.
/10
Population: 11,642
Median Income: $129,800
Unemployment Rate: 0.9%
Poverty Rate: 3.2%
More on Mendota Heights: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Mendota Heights is the second best ‘burb we looked at near St. Paul for 2024.
It ranks 16th for incomes in the area and only 0.97% of residents lack insurance, good for 4th best.
/10
Population: 13,283
Median Income: $154,611
Unemployment Rate: 1.3%
Poverty Rate: 2.6%
More on Rogers: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Here in Rogers, it’s really safe, and residents are just about as rich as you’ll see in the St. Paul metro area.
The bad side? Schools are more crowded, and the cost of living puts a large part of the city out of reach for most families.
But price is based on demand and a lot of people want to live in Rogers.
/10
Population: 3,837
Median Income: $127,982
Unemployment Rate: 2.2%
Poverty Rate: 4.0%
More on North Hudson: Data | Real Estate
North Hudson ranks as the 4th best suburb of St. Paul for 2024.
You won’t find many better places to raise your kids in the region than in North Hudson and the schools are some of the best around.
/10
Population: 10,681
Median Income: $179,515
Unemployment Rate: 4.3%
Poverty Rate: 2.3%
More on Victoria: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Coming in as the fifth best is Victoria.
Victoria gets kudos for having the 14th most expensive homes in the St. Paul area, where houses sell for an average of $552,013. However, the cost of living here is among the highest in the area.
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Population: 27,608
Median Income: $129,539
Unemployment Rate: 1.5%
Poverty Rate: 2.5%
More on Prior Lake: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Prior Lake is proud of its 6th place finish on this list. And here’s why.
Most residents have great jobs and the unemployment rate sits at 1.5%.
According to online reports, Prior Lake is quickly becoming one of the more affluent suburbs in the St. Paul area, meaning you need to get in soon.
/10
Population: 79,918
Median Income: $130,131
Unemployment Rate: 2.1%
Poverty Rate: 3.6%
More on Plymouth: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The 7th best suburb on our list goes to Plymouth.
Plymouth schools are some of the best in the region, and crime is really low. The cost of living makes it a lot more desirable for many families, especially first-time home buyers.
And, it’s only 18.2 miles to downtown, which is a good thing.
It has all the amenities that you may need including a wide array of grocery stores and places to eat.
There is a lack of diversity in the town and the rent and cost of living is higher than the surrounding areas in the west metro.
/10
Wayzata is growing quickly, and for a good reason. Crime is far below average, and most residents are gainfully employed. Even the cost of living is reasonable.
A solid 2.08% of people lack insurance, good for 23rd in the area.
/10
Population: 53,037
Median Income: $125,506
Unemployment Rate: 3.7%
Poverty Rate: 4.9%
More on Edina: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Is ‘Everything Better In Edina?’
Almost.
It placed 9th on our list thanks to the fact that it’s really expensive to live here, but the schools are great, so you get what you pay for in that regard.
I hate Edina because I feel it is a stuck up city. The citizens are s****y and entitled there. It is full of ritzy, over-priced things that people don’t really need.
The thing to watch out for are the people. The people working at the stores and restaurants were rude but also the residents and people on the streets were rude and judgmental.
/10
Population: 25,868
Median Income: $131,633
Unemployment Rate: 3.5%
Poverty Rate: 2.6%
More on Chanhassen: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
And rounding out the top ten for 2024 is Chanhassen.
This city is far above average in every category, and the best part? It’s far more affordable than the other cities listed above. So, you get a big bang for your buck here.
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Suburbs Around St. Paul for 2024
Figuring out the best suburbs around St. Paul was simple. We used Saturday Night Science to find things people like about living in the suburbs and then locate the suburbs with those things.
We analyzed the newest American Community Survey data for 2018-2022 to research each suburb. We decided upon the following criteria:
- Low unemployment rate
- High median household incomes
- Population density (lots of things to do)
- High home values
- A lot of college-educated people
- Low poverty
- High rate of insured families
We defined a suburb as being within 30 miles of St. Paul.
Additionally, we limited the analysis to places that have over 2,000 people. This left us with a grand total of 99 suburbs to evaluate around St. Paul.
We ranked each place with scores from 1 to 99 in each category, where 1 was the “best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each place to create a quality-of-life index.
Finally, we crowned the city with the best quality of life index, the “Best Suburb near St. Paul.” We’re lookin’ at you, Deephaven.
This result may differ from our state-wide data as we did not include commute times and crime for this analysis to allow for a more extensive selection of suburbs.
We updated the data for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best St. Paul suburbs. Skip to the end to see the list of all the suburbs ranked from best to worst.
Summary: Welcome to the Best St. Paul ‘Burbs of 2024
We said it once, and we’ll say it again–life in the big city isn’t for everyone. At least not all the time.
The best suburbs of St. Paul are .
So if you’re craving the amenities of a larger city like St. Paul but don’t want to deal with the drawbacks, one of these suburbs might be for you.
For more Minnesota reading, check out:
Table: Best St. Paul Suburbs
Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Deephaven, MN | 3,852 | $164,149 | $931,810 |
2 | Mendota Heights, MN | 11,642 | $129,800 | $515,905 |
3 | Rogers, MN | 13,283 | $154,611 | $441,756 |
4 | North Hudson, MN | 3,837 | $127,982 | $378,685 |
5 | Victoria, MN | 10,681 | $179,515 | $552,013 |
6 | Prior Lake, MN | 27,608 | $129,539 | $492,980 |
7 | Plymouth, MN | 79,918 | $130,131 | $474,202 |
8 | Wayzata, MN | 4,365 | $118,456 | $836,055 |
9 | Edina, MN | 53,037 | $125,506 | $598,918 |
10 | Chanhassen, MN | 25,868 | $131,633 | $509,790 |
11 | Medina, MN | 6,746 | $202,153 | $797,015 |
12 | Elko New Market, MN | 4,850 | $149,881 | $443,179 |
13 | St. Anthony, MN | 9,332 | $91,955 | $377,784 |
14 | Lake Elmo, MN | 11,861 | $158,269 | $616,212 |
15 | Shorewood, MN | 7,722 | $163,525 | $717,403 |
16 | Afton, MN | 2,951 | $124,159 | $675,637 |
17 | Orono, MN | 8,223 | $173,209 | $1,019,638 |
18 | Rosemount, MN | 25,993 | $127,252 | $408,304 |
19 | Lino Lakes, MN | 21,525 | $120,745 | $422,847 |
20 | Minnetrista, MN | 8,347 | $162,474 | $660,620 |
21 | Minnetonka, MN | 53,529 | $114,867 | $450,534 |
22 | North Oaks, MN | 5,193 | $235,714 | $876,362 |
23 | Centerville, MN | 3,916 | $117,481 | $393,612 |
24 | Grant, MN | 3,969 | $136,579 | $671,381 |
25 | Lakeville, MN | 70,696 | $129,069 | $465,445 |
26 | Carver, MN | 5,656 | $125,123 | $477,934 |
27 | Hugo, MN | 15,831 | $110,160 | $413,867 |
28 | Scandia, MN | 3,965 | $97,159 | $490,786 |
29 | Mahtomedi, MN | 8,073 | $126,579 | $460,576 |
30 | Stillwater, MN | 19,316 | $107,986 | $417,520 |
31 | Ham Lake, MN | 16,489 | $112,854 | $463,556 |
32 | Woodbury, MN | 75,549 | $125,097 | $448,821 |
33 | Excelsior, MN | 2,257 | $92,148 | $786,518 |
34 | Maple Grove, MN | 70,110 | $127,001 | $397,985 |
35 | Corcoran, MN | 6,549 | $155,385 | $556,085 |
36 | Dayton, MN | 7,745 | $138,654 | $473,645 |
37 | Andover, MN | 32,639 | $123,054 | $415,283 |
38 | Eden Prairie, MN | 63,623 | $129,345 | $463,961 |
39 | Oak Grove, MN | 8,956 | $118,871 | $431,853 |
40 | Savage, MN | 32,441 | $123,069 | $412,196 |
41 | Columbus, MN | 4,180 | $103,906 | $435,889 |
42 | Shoreview, MN | 26,846 | $106,153 | $391,526 |
43 | St. Louis Park, MN | 49,500 | $94,263 | $364,388 |
44 | Champlin, MN | 23,666 | $113,570 | $347,903 |
45 | Mound, MN | 9,272 | $89,855 | $360,628 |
46 | Prescott, MN | 4,343 | $74,195 | $380,614 |
47 | Cottage Grove, MN | 39,274 | $117,673 | $368,093 |
48 | Hudson, MN | 14,763 | $90,250 | $461,468 |
49 | Chaska, MN | 27,764 | $99,988 | $441,075 |
50 | Golden Valley, MN | 22,142 | $110,026 | $409,489 |
51 | Farmington, MN | 23,487 | $114,737 | $373,537 |
52 | Circle Pines, MN | 4,996 | $97,083 | $292,408 |
53 | Eagan, MN | 68,262 | $104,101 | $385,125 |
54 | East Bethel, MN | 11,901 | $116,453 | $378,957 |
55 | Wyoming, MN | 8,037 | $99,821 | $379,394 |
56 | Hastings, MN | 22,063 | $87,722 | $313,784 |
57 | Ramsey, MN | 27,774 | $110,212 | $362,266 |
58 | Bayport, MN | 3,902 | $105,114 | $389,047 |
59 | Arden Hills, MN | 9,805 | $121,978 | $450,961 |
60 | Inver Grove Heights, MN | 35,673 | $98,719 | $349,482 |
61 | Falcon Heights, MN | 5,232 | $87,750 | $391,737 |
62 | Apple Valley, MN | 55,594 | $97,588 | $363,468 |
63 | New Brighton, MN | 23,141 | $84,707 | $362,922 |
64 | Lauderdale, MN | 2,454 | $73,931 | $289,471 |
65 | Vadnais Heights, MN | 12,864 | $89,632 | $354,501 |
66 | Crystal, MN | 22,954 | $86,288 | $296,320 |
67 | River Falls, MN | 16,165 | $72,247 | $370,227 |
68 | Oak Park Heights, MN | 4,790 | $77,132 | $318,164 |
69 | Roseville, MN | 36,066 | $87,702 | $350,177 |
70 | White Bear Lake, MN | 24,317 | $79,699 | $332,323 |
71 | St. Paul Park, MN | 5,497 | $92,760 | $293,855 |
72 | Shakopee, MN | 44,135 | $103,924 | $378,683 |
73 | Blaine, MN | 70,047 | $100,659 | $354,091 |
74 | Oakdale, MN | 28,029 | $86,003 | $329,457 |
75 | Hopkins, MN | 18,752 | $70,058 | $317,062 |
76 | Mounds View, MN | 13,100 | $89,358 | $322,091 |
77 | Maplewood, MN | 41,405 | $86,769 | $320,605 |
78 | Coon Rapids, MN | 63,296 | $85,445 | $310,442 |
79 | North St. Paul, MN | 12,465 | $77,475 | $304,655 |
80 | Bloomington, MN | 89,244 | $87,381 | $347,523 |
81 | Osseo, MN | 2,634 | $65,463 | $287,563 |
82 | Forest Lake, MN | 20,553 | $91,157 | $387,584 |
83 | Richfield, MN | 36,809 | $80,712 | $327,416 |
84 | Burnsville, MN | 64,075 | $85,801 | $356,837 |
85 | Brooklyn Park, MN | 84,951 | $82,271 | $327,075 |
86 | Anoka, MN | 17,892 | $73,118 | $308,373 |
87 | Spring Lake Park, MN | 6,966 | $74,697 | $299,120 |
88 | Robbinsdale, MN | 14,452 | $80,125 | $296,059 |
89 | Somerset, MN | 3,034 | $70,833 | $379,412 |
90 | South St. Paul, MN | 20,598 | $82,644 | $280,795 |
91 | Minneapolis, MN | 426,877 | $76,332 | $318,812 |
92 | New Hope, MN | 21,620 | $69,244 | $328,822 |
93 | West St. Paul, MN | 20,820 | $68,359 | $296,144 |
94 | Little Canada, MN | 10,624 | $69,673 | $351,425 |
95 | Fridley, MN | 29,731 | $76,592 | $302,586 |
96 | Newport, MN | 4,163 | $62,039 | $320,702 |
97 | Columbia Heights, MN | 21,822 | $70,470 | $280,659 |
98 | Brooklyn Center, MN | 33,109 | $70,692 | $278,078 |
99 | Lexington, MN | 2,448 | $76,047 | $301,883 |