Duluth vs St. Cloud
Compare Duluth, MN and St. Cloud, MN on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Housing costs are close: ACS median rent is $909/mo in Duluth and $956/mo in St. Cloud, with HUD 2-bedroom benchmarks of $1,113/mo and $1,155/mo. Across the four public-data screens (cost/climate, work, daily life, community) the metros land close together (222 vs 224 summed points), so the right pick depends on which tradeoffs you can live with.
Climate is a real differentiator: Duluth runs summer highs near 76°F and winter lows near -5°F, while St. Cloud runs 82°F and 3°F. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Duluth; if walkable daily life matters more, St. Cloud screens stronger on the walkability proxy (12 vs 9). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
St. Cloud leads 65 to 56 on the cost and climate screen.
Both cities are close on the work screen.
Duluth leads 41 to 33 on the daily life screen.
Both cities are close on the community screen.
$85,000 in Duluth is roughly $68,000 in St. Cloud using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Duluth | St. Cloud | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $909/mo | $956/mo | Duluth |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $1,113/mo | $1,155/mo | Duluth |
| Median home value | $194,000 | $238,000 | Duluth |
| State income tax | 9.8% | 9.8% | Tie |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 23.3 min | Duluth |
| Safety score | 61/100 | 61/100 | Tie |
| School score | 6/10 | 6/10 | Tie |
| Walkability estimate | 9/100 | 12/100 | St. Cloud |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 6/10 | Tie |
| Restaurants per 100k | 149.9 | 159.1 | St. Cloud |
| Mountain distance | 106 mi | 235 mi | Duluth |
| Coast distance | 851 mi | 952 mi | Duluth |
What stands out
Duluth stronger signals
- Trail access within 33 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 0 miles
- Ski location within 0 miles
- More affordable than many peer metros
Duluth tradeoffs
- High top marginal state income tax
- Cold winters
St. Cloud stronger signals
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 19 miles
- More affordable than many peer metros
- Shorter average commute
St. Cloud tradeoffs
- High top marginal state income tax
- Cold winters
Common questions
Is Duluth cheaper than St. Cloud?
On public benchmarks Duluth is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $909/mo in Duluth vs $956/mo in St. Cloud; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $1,113/mo vs $1,155/mo; state income tax is 9.8% vs 9.8%.
Is Duluth or St. Cloud safer?
Duluth screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 61/100 for Duluth and 61/100 for St. Cloud (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Duluth or St. Cloud?
School screens show 6/10 for Duluth vs 6/10 for St. Cloud, alongside the safety scores above. Both screen similarly — district-level research will matter more than the metro gap.
How different is the climate between Duluth and St. Cloud?
Duluth: summer highs near 76°F, winter lows near -5°F, disaster-risk band 2/3. St. Cloud: 82°F / 3°F, disaster-risk band 2/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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