Are you considering a move to St. Paul MN? Before you make your decision, understanding the St. Paul crime rate is crucial. St. Paul, like many cities, has its share of crime, but this shouldn’t overshadow the many positives of living here. In recent years, efforts to improve safety have shown promising results, with crime rates steadily decreasing.
Whether you are looking for a busy urban environment or a quiet suburban neighborhood, St. Paul offers a wide range of neighborhoods where you can feel safe and secure. Join us as we explore the current state of the St. Paul crime rate and answer the question, “Is St. Paul MN safe?”
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How safe is St. Paul MN? Before answering this question, it is important to understand how crime rates work to begin with. Crime rates are determined by data from local law enforcement agencies and are then officially reported by the FBI. When determining the overall crime rate, the FBI takes a look at the total number of crimes committed in cities per 1,000 residents and then divides it by the area’s population. This number is then multiplied by 100, which is why crime rates are reported as, “X crimes per 100,000 people.”
Crime rates are often divided into three categories: Overall crime rate, violent crime rate, and property crime rate. Then, you can get even more specific and look at categories such as homicide, motor vehicle theft, and burglary.
While the crime rate in St. Paul MN is useful when looking at information for the city as a whole, it is not reliable as a primary source. The St. Paul crime rate is city-wide, meaning that it does not differentiate between areas and neighborhoods in the city. Oftentimes, different neighborhoods, or even streets, have major differences in crime levels. This is especially true in a large city like St. Paul.
Additionally, reporting crime information is completely voluntary, making some cities appear to have a higher crime rate, when, in reality, they simply did not report some or all of their crime statistics.
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Is St. Paul MN Safe? One of the best ways to answer this question is to take a look at the St. Paul crime statistics. Here’s an overview of the St. Paul crime rate as well as how it compares to the state and national averages.
National Crime Rate:
Minnesota Crime Rate:
St. Paul Crime Rate:
As you can see from the numbers above, the crime rates in the St. Paul area are higher than both the state and national averages. The overall crime rate in St. Paul is 89.5% higher than the Minnesota average and 94.0% higher than the national average. Although these numbers may seem concerning at first, crime in the area is on the decline. According to the Minnesota Reformer, crime in Minnesota went down in every major category from 2022 to 2023.
Many people are curious about the St. Paul crime rate compared to the Minneapolis crime rate. Crime in Minneapolis is much more prevalent than in St. Paul, despite these twin cities being very close to each other. Here’s a quick look at the Minneapolis crime rate compared to the St. Paul crime rate:
To keep up with crime in the Twin Cities, you can check out pages such as Twin Cities Crime Watch & Information.
Another great way to dissect the St. Paul Minnesota crime rate is to check out St. Paul crime reports and crime maps. The crime map below shows which areas of St. Paul see the most crime. The darker areas represent areas with higher crime rates, while the lighter areas see little to no crime at all.
As you can see, most of the crime in St. Paul Minnesota is concentrated in the central part of the city. The areas on the outskirts of town are incredibly safe, with very little crime. These crime concentrations make sense, as the darker areas are more densely populated and see more nightlife.
St. Paul is often split up into three areas: West St. Paul, North St. Paul, and South St. Paul. Here’s a look at the crime in these areas.
To discover a more detailed report of crime in St. Paul, you can check out the crime mapping tool on the city website. With this interactive map, you can view the St. Paul area down to each square mile, exploring a detailed report on specific crimes reported to police in the community.
Curious about the St. Paul violent crime rate? Violent crimes include offenses like St. Paul murders, St. Paul homicides, shootings, manslaughter, rape, sexual assault, assault, and kidnapping.
Violent crime in St. Paul:
Although the violent crime rates in the St. Paul area are on the higher end, data shows that crime is on a downward trend in the city. According to KSTP, St. Paul has seen a decline in violent crimes when looking at the first five months of 2022, 2023, and 2024. During this time, the number of homicides, gunshot victims, and carjackings went down. It was reported by Bring Me The News that homicide rates are falling dramatically, with a 20.8% decrease from January to March 2024.
Let’s take a look at the property crime rate in St. Paul. Property crimes include burglary, theft, motor vehicle theft, larceny, arson, shoplifting, and vandalism.
Property Crime in St. Paul:
While property crimes are frustrating, they are not generally a threat to your safety. You can prevent property crime by taking steps such as locking up your homes and vehicles, marking your valuables, and reporting suspicious vehicles or persons. One of the most prevalent property crimes in the St. Paul area over the past few years has been motor vehicle theft.
However, according to NPR, the motor vehicle theft numbers have decreased dramatically. From 2022 to 2023, motor vehicle theft in St. Paul dropped by nearly 40%, which is more than any other major city in the United States.
Are you curious about high crime areas in St. Paul MN? While most neighborhoods in the area are very safe, there are a few areas with high crime rates. These are just a few of the worst neighborhoods in St. Paul.
On the other end, there are several neighborhoods in St. Paul that are incredibly safe. These are just a few of the safest St. Paul neighborhoods.
Home to Macalester College, Macalester-Groveland is a safe neighborhood in St. Paul that is popular among college students and young families.
Highland Park is one of the safest St. Paul neighborhoods and is known for its incredible real estate with gorgeous views of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers
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This St. Paul neighborhood is popular among retirees and is home to attractions like Como Park and the Como Park Zoo and Observatory.
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When living in the area, you will be served by the Saint Paul Police Department, which has nearly 550 officers on the force. The SPPD is led by police chief Axel Henry, who has been with the department since 1998.
Saint Paul Police Department, 367 Grove St, St Paul, MN 55101, (651) 291-1111
Yes, St. Paul is a safe place to live. Although the crime rates are on the higher end, most areas in the city are very safe.
Although the Downtown area has higher crime rates, the neighborhood is generally safe. Just use extra caution when traveling through the area at night.
The St. Paul crime rate is 5,713 crimes per 100,000 people.
So, is St. Paul MN safe? Overall, St. Paul is a very safe place to live. If you are ready to call St. Paul home, then get in touch with The Move Crew. Our St. Paul movers are ready to help you plan your relocation. Give us a call today at (612) 361-6787 to get started with a free quote.
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