Relocation profile · Federal data
St. Cloud, MN
LiveAbility 61.3/100 places St. Cloud #40 of 387 (top third of scored metros).
- 87.6
- Cost index (US=100)
- $1,206
- 2BR rent / mo
- $72,671
- Median salary
- 61.3
- LiveAbility Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, St. Cloud ranks #40 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (61.3/100), with its strongest marks in cost of living and job market.
- #40
- of 387 US metros · Excellent
- 5,793,151
- metro-area population
- 259
- violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
- 2,391
- schools in the state (NCES)
Weakest dimension: climate (10/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.
According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), St. Cloud ranks #40 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 87.6 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,206/mo, median salary $72,671; LiveAbility Score 61.3/100, strongest in cost of living and job market.
Signature: LiveAbility 61.3/100 places St. Cloud #40 of 387 (top third of scored metros).
Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 87.6 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $1,206/mo.
LiveAbility 61.3/100 puts St. Cloud in the top third (#40 of 387).
BLS OEWS total employment in the St. Cloud area is 96,960.
St. Cloud vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score
Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)
61 Top 10% higher than 90% of 387 US metros
Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026
St. Cloud housing and rent
HUD Fair Market Rents for the St. Cloud MSA; housing RPP 65.1 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,206/mo.
St. Cloud wages and employment
St. Cloud posts 96,960 total employment with median salary $72,671 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.
Top Occupations by Employment
| Occupation | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $37,100 |
| Registered Nurses | $105,290 |
| Retail Salespersons | $34,860 |
| Cashiers | $32,480 |
| General and Operations Managers | $89,700 |
Schools & Education
State-level education data for the St. Cloud area from NCES.
Childcare Costs
State-average childcare costs for the St. Cloud area (DOL data).
Life Score Breakdown
St. Cloud's composite Life Score is 62.7/100 (C), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.
LiveAbility Score
View full rankings →St. Cloud ranks #40 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 61.3/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →
St. Cloud - dimension scores
Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Cost of living
Cost of living
90 /100
- Job market
Job market
75 /100
- Air quality
Air quality
75 /100
- Safety
Safety
65 /100
- Housing
Housing
63 /100
- Schools
Schools
46 /100
- Low hazard 30
Low hazard
30 /100
- Climate 10
Climate
10 /100
What this shows St. Cloud's strongest dimensions are cost of living and job market; its weakest among scored dims is climate at 10/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.
Compare St. Cloud to
Metros near St. Cloud on cost, LiveAbility, or wages
Nearest out-of-state neighbors to St. Cloud on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
St. Cloud cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; St. Cloud wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.
Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →
Thinking about St. Cloud?
St. Cloud runs a $72,671 median salary at a 87.6 cost index, ranking #40 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.
- See exactly what St. Cloud's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
- Put St. Cloud head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare St. Cloud
- Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
- A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide
Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.