Is it cheaper to live in Dover or St. Paul?

Dover, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,270 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below St. Paul, MN's $1,310, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Dover versus $45,000 in St. Paul.

Which has lower taxes, Dover or St. Paul?

Dover is taxed under Delaware's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Dover vs St. Paul Cost of Living 2026

Dover

Delaware

$1,270/mo est.

St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,310/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,270 in Dover, DE versus $1,310 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, Dover, DE is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Paul, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,336 in Dover, DE and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 20% higher in St. Paul, MN. Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Dover, DE

St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio

$993

$995

+0% in St. Paul, MN

1 Bedroom

$1,047

$1,126

+8% in St. Paul, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,185

$1,384

+17% in St. Paul, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,634

$1,662

+2% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$248,500

$280,300

+13% in St. Paul, MN

Income

Median Household Income

$58,336

$73,055

+25% in St. Paul, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,690

$59,320

+27% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.1 yr

33.5 yr

+1.6 yr in Dover, DE

Homeownership

47.0%

53.2%

+6.2 pp in St. Paul, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

27.1%

43.5%

+16.4 pp in St. Paul, MN

Avg Commute

24.0 min

22.3 min

+1.7 min in Dover, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,025.3

619

+40% in Dover, DE

Property Crime

6,159.1

2,897.2

+53% in Dover, DE

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

56.9°F

47.1°F

+9.8°F in Dover, DE

Annual Precipitation

46.0 in

28.5 in

+17.5 in in Dover, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.96/gal

+0% in St. Paul, MN

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Minnesota.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

19.3

17.5

+9% in Dover, DE

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$29.73

$14.79

+50% in Dover, DE

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in St. Paul, MN

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.66

+5% in Dover, DE

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$3.63

+64% in St. Paul, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.77

+5% in St. Paul, MN

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.10

+10% in St. Paul, MN

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (DE / MN)

None

6.875%

+6.9 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

6.60%

9.85%

+3.3 pp in MN

Dover vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dover or St. Paul?: Dover, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,270 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below St. Paul, MN's $1,310, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dover than in St. Paul?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Dover versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Dover or St. Paul?: Dover is taxed under Delaware's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).