Saint Paul is the capital and second most populous city in Minnesota, situated adjacent to its larger twin city, Minneapolis. Together they form a major metropolitan area known as the Twin Cities.
Saint Paul traces its origins to a settlement called Pig's Eye Landing established in the 1840s. The settlement formed around a trading post alongside the Mississippi River near Lambert's Landing. The town was later renamed Saint Paul after the historic St. Paul's Chapel built by early Catholic missionaries.
When Minnesota became a state in 1858, Saint Paul was designated the state capital. Given its location along the Mississippi River and proximity to Fort Snelling, Saint Paul quickly became a transportation and shipping hub. It had an early economy based around logging, steamboating, and the railroads. Many European immigrants passed through the city on their way westward.
As Minneapolis grew as a commercial and industrial center, Saint Paul expanded as a capital city and center for culture and education. Today it retains much of its historic architecture and charm. The city has a diverse modern economy centered around government, healthcare, education, manufacturing, and technology firms.
For more historical information, visit the History of Saint Paul page on Wikipedia.
According to 2019 census estimates, Saint Paul has a population of around 307,000 residents. It ranks as the 63rd most populous city in the United States. The broader Twin Cities metropolitan area consists of approximately 3.6 million residents.
Saint Paul is considered one of the most livable cities in the U.S., known for its high standard of living, education levels, and public amenities. Over 90% of adults in the city hold a high school degree or higher, and around 39% have a bachelor's degree or advanced degree.
As the state capital, Saint Paul is home to the Minnesota State Capitol building, the Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives, and many state government agencies and departments. The city follows a "strong mayor" form of government led by an elected mayor and city council.
The current mayor of Saint Paul is Melvin Carter III, first elected to office in 2018. At the federal level, most of Saint Paul lies within Minnesota's 4th congressional district, represented by Democrat Betty McCollum.
More information about Saint Paul's municipal government can be found on their official website: https://www.stpaul.gov/
While state government drives much of Saint Paul's economy, major private companies headquartered in the city include:
In addition to large corporations, the city has a mix of thriving small and mid-sized businesses in fields like technology, financial services, healthcare, education, and manufacturing.
Major colleges and universities based in Saint Paul include:
The broader Twin Cities metropolitan area contains one of the country's largest populations of college students per capita due to the abundance of schools.
Key transportation services and infrastructure in Saint Paul include:
Nice Ride Minnesota also provides a seasonal public bicycle sharing system in Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
Home to major league and minor league teams, Saint Paul has an active sports scene. Teams include:
Other major Minnesota teams like the Vikings (NFL) and Twins (MLB) help drive economic activity across the metro area.
Some top arts and cultural institutions in Saint Paul include:
Saint Paul celebrates its arts and culture through events like the Saint Paul Winter Carnival and Saint Paul Art Crawl.
Saint Paul contains over 170 public parks and open spaces covering 3,400 acres of land. Top parks include:
An extensive network of biking and walking trails connects neighborhoods and parks across the city.
Top-rated hotels in Saint Paul include:
Budget hotels like Super 8, Days Inn, and Motel 6 also have convenient locations around the city.
Public K-12 education in Saint Paul is provided by Saint Paul Public Schools, an independent, special school district. The district oversees more than 60 schools including neighborhood elementary schools, middle schools, and specialized high school programs.
More information about Saint Paul Public Schools can be found on their website at https://www.spps.org/
From historic charm to cultural attractions, Saint Paul offers wonderful amenities as Minnesota's capital city.