Living Cost Compare
St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in St. Paul, MN versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Paul, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,055 in St. Paul, MN and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 24% higher in St. Paul, MN. Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

St. Paul, MN
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$995
$1,103
+11% in Wilmington, DE
1 Bedroom
$1,126
$1,024
+9% in St. Paul, MN
2 Bedroom
$1,384
$1,213
+12% in St. Paul, MN
3 Bedroom
$1,662
$1,394
+16% in St. Paul, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$280,300
$224,500
+20% in St. Paul, MN

Income

Median Household Income
$73,055
$55,269
+24% in St. Paul, MN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,320
$54,310
+8% in St. Paul, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.5 yr
37.0 yr
+3.5 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
53.2%
46.0%
+7.2 pp in St. Paul, MN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
43.5%
33.1%
+10.4 pp in St. Paul, MN
Avg Commute
22.3 min
23.0 min
+0.7 min in Wilmington, DE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
619
1,138.2
+84% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
2,897.2
3,182.4
+10% in Wilmington, DE

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
47.1°F
54.9°F
+7.8°F in Wilmington, DE
Annual Precipitation
28.5 in
43.1 in
+14.6 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.95/gal
$3.86/gal
+2% in St. Paul, MN

Area: Minnesota vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.9
19.4
+14% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$14.95
$22.51
+51% in Wilmington, DE

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in St. Paul, MN
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Wilmington, DE
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in St. Paul, MN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in St. Paul, MN
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in St. Paul, MN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MN / DE)
6.875%
None
+6.9 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
9.85%
6.60%
+3.3 pp in MN

St. Paul vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in St. Paul or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below St. Paul, MN's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in St. Paul than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in St. Paul versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, St. Paul or Wilmington?
St. Paul is taxed under Minnesota's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).