Minnesota · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area

Buying a home in St. Paul, Minnesota

In St. Paul, the median value of owner-occupied homes is $294,500, Ramsey County's effective property tax rate is 1.21%, a purchase mortgage carried a median $5,369 in total loan costs in 2025, and median gross rent is $1,281 a month.

Data as of : Census ACS 2020-2024, Census Vintage 2024, HMDA 2025, HUD FY 2027. Sources

St. Paul home costs, fact by fact

About St. Paul

St. Paul has 307,465 residents and lies in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metro area, the 16th largest in the United States. Median gross rent is $1,281 per month, and 52.9% of homes are owner-occupied.

Calculate for Minnesota

If you buy

Minnesota state transfer tax

State deed tax (Minn. Stat. 287.21): 0.33% of net consideration when over $3,000; flat $1.65 for $3,000 or less. Change the price: the amount is recalculated instantly.

Price$353,800
State transfer tax$1,167.54
Share of the price0.33% of the price
Who paysThe seller

Default price: the Minnesota median value of owner-occupied homes, $353,800 (Census ACS 2025). Rule: 0.33% of net consideration (price minus any lien or mortgage that stays on the property) when consideration is over $3,000. A flat $1.65 applies to consideration of $3,000 or less, no consideration, and certain mergers and designated transfers. Who pays: The grantor is liable for the deed tax (287.24), so by law the seller owes it. The mortgagor (borrower) is liable for the mortgage registry tax (287.035). A purchase agreement may shift costs between the parties. Not included: county and city transfer taxes, the tax on the mortgage, recording fees, title insurance and lender charges. Minnesota transfer tax guide · all 50 states.

If you sell

Capital gain and the federal tax on it

Same federal rule in every state: Section 121 of the Internal Revenue Code excludes up to $250,000 of gain on a main home ($500,000 for a married couple filing jointly).

Capital gain$350,000
Section 121 exclusion$250,000 (limit $250,000)
Taxable gain$100,000
Type of gainLong-term (owned over 1 year), 15% chosen
Federal tax on the gain$15,000

Section 121 excludes $250,000; the rest is taxable.

Gain = sale price minus your adjusted basis (purchase price, buying costs and improvements); selling expenses reduce it (IRS Publication 523). Long-term rates for sales in 2026, by taxable income including the gain (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32, section 4.03): 0% up to $49,450 single or $98,900 married filing jointly, 15% up to $545,500 single or $613,700 jointly, 20% above. Not included: Minnesota state income tax on the gain (not computed), the net investment income tax, depreciation recapture on a rental or home office, and the reduced exclusion for an early sale. Agent commissions are negotiated and never set by law. Capital gains on a home sale.

Sectors of St. Paul

St. Paul is divided into the ten most populous of 17 planning districts (district councils), one open spot per trade in each.

Source: City of Saint Paul, District Councils (planning districts). Population per area is a Payotte estimate: the sum of Census ACS 2020-2024 populations (table B01003) of the 2020 census tracts whose internal point lies inside each official boundary.

Questions about buying a home in St. Paul

How much is property tax in St. Paul?

Homeowners in Ramsey County pay a median $3,966 a year in property tax, 1.21% of the county median home value of $326,600 (Census ACS 2020-2024). Your bill depends on your assessed value and local rates.

What are closing costs on a mortgage in St. Paul?

Home-purchase mortgages in Ramsey County carried median total loan costs of $5,369 in 2025; half of the 4,401 loans fell between $4,114 and $7,744 (HMDA). Total loan costs are the lender and settlement-service charges of the Closing Disclosure; transfer taxes and prepaid items come on top.

Is there a transfer tax when you buy a home in St. Paul?

Minnesota calls its transfer tax a deed tax: 0.33% of the net consideration when a deed is recorded, plus a mortgage registry tax of 0.23% of a new loan. Hennepin County adds 0.01% to each. By law the seller owes the deed tax and the borrower the mortgage tax.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in St. Paul?

It depends on your mortgage rate, down payment and how long you stay. As a benchmark, the median value of owner-occupied homes in St. Paul ($294,500) equals 19.2 years of the median gross rent ($1,281 a month), both from Census ACS 2020-2024.

Run your own numbers: rent vs buy calculator · closing costs calculator.

Minnesota rules that apply in St. Paul

Other large cities in Minnesota

Who licenses each trade in Minnesota · All covered cities

Sources

Minnesota · All states · Federal guides