The 10 Best St. Paul Suburbs To Live In For 2024


The best St. Paul suburbs are Deephaven and Mendota Heights for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

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


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

Overall SnackAbility

10
/10

Population: 3,852
Median Income: $164,149
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%
Poverty Rate: 3.0%
More on Deephaven: Data | Crime | Real Estate

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.

Mendota Heights, MN

Source: Wikipedia User Gabriel Vanslette | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/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.

Rogers, MN

Source: Wikipedia User Tony Webster | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/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.

Overall SnackAbility

10
/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.

Victoria, MN

Source: Flickr User SocialMediaAdventure | CC BY 2.0
Overall SnackAbility

6
/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.

Prior Lake, MN

Source: Wikipedia User Jeanqueq | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

9
/10

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.

Plymouth, MN

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

10
/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.

Review Of Plymouth by HomeSnacks User

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.

Wayzata, MN

Source: Wikipedia User 123dieinafire (talk) | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

9.5
/10

Population: 4,365
Median Income: $118,456
Unemployment Rate: 1.3%
Poverty Rate: 4.4%
More on Wayzata: Data | Crime | Real Estate

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.

Edina, MN

Source: Public domain
Overall SnackAbility

10
/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.

Review Of Edina by HomeSnacks User

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.

Chanhassen, MN

Source: Wikipedia User Bobak Ha’Eri | CC BY 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/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
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.