Downtown home values
Downtown at a glance
- Zillow’s Home Value Index puts the typical home at $169,800 (Aug 2026), −11.4% over the past 12 months and −13% over five years.
- The Census median home value is $252,700 — 14% below St. Paul overall and 26% below the U.S. median.
- Median household income is $72,703, so homes cost 3.5× local income.
- Median rent is $1,573/month (a 7.5% gross rental yield).
- Its ZIP ranks 9th of 11 St. Paul ZIP codes by home value.
- These figures are for ZIP 55101, which Downtown shares with Lowertown.
Downtown home value trend
Over the 12 months to Aug 2026, typical home values in Downtown fell 11.4%, to about $169,800. That is 12.2 percentage points slower than St. Paul (+0.8%). Values are 13.0% below their peak of $195,200 in Oct 2021. Over five years the typical home gained $-24,400 in value (−13%).
Year-by-year values
| Month | Typical value | Change vs year before |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | $169,800 | −11.4% |
| Aug 2025 | $191,700 | +1.9% |
| Aug 2024 | $188,000 | +3.4% |
| Aug 2023 | $181,800 | −3.8% |
| Aug 2022 | $189,000 | −2.7% |
| Aug 2021 | $194,200 | +3.8% |
| Aug 2020 | $187,000 | +4.7% |
| Aug 2019 | $178,600 | +0.9% |
| Aug 2018 | $177,000 | +5.8% |
| Aug 2017 | $167,300 | +13.8% |
| Aug 2016 | $147,000 | — |
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), typical value of mid-tier homes, smoothed & seasonally adjusted. Areas with several ZIPs: population-weighted.
Downtown home value score
from local value, rent & income
In ZIP 55101, rents are strong relative to prices (a high gross yield), and homes are moderately priced against local incomes.
How the Value Score is built
Computed figures
A transparent value snapshot — computed from U.S. Census ACS (2023) for this ZIP: home value, gross rent and household income. It is not a market-timing or appreciation forecast.
Downtown vs St. Paul, Minnesota and the U.S.
| Downtown | St. Paul | Minnesota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical value (Zillow, Aug 2026) | $169,800 | $317,000 | $331,400 | — |
| 1-year change | −11.4% | +0.8% | +1.0% | — |
| 5-year change | −13% | +6% | +5% | — |
| Median home value (Census) | $252,700 | $294,500 | $330,000 | $340,200 |
| Median household income | $72,703 | $76,700 | $81,800 | $78,500 |
| Median gross rent | $1,573/mo | $1,249/mo | $1,306/mo | $1,406/mo |
| Price-to-income ratio | 3.5× | 3.8× | 4.0× | 4.3× |
| Gross rental yield | 7.5% | 5.1% | 4.7% | 5.0% |
| Rent as share of income | 26% | 20% | 19% | 21% |
| Mortgage payment* | $1,278/mo | $1,489/mo | $1,669/mo | $1,720/mo |
Census figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates; areas spanning several ZIPs use population-weighted averages of ZIP medians, and city/state columns cover the ZIPs of the places listed on this site. Zillow: ZHVI. *Principal & interest on the Census median value, 20% down, 6.5% fixed, 30 years.
What it costs to buy a home in Downtown
At today’s typical value of $169,800 (Zillow, Aug 2026), a buyer putting 20% down ($33,960) and financing the rest at 6.5% over 30 years would pay about $859 a month in principal and interest — 14% of the median household income here. That sits within the common 28% guideline, so the typical home is within reach of a typical local household. The median rent is $1,573/month, so owning is roughly 45% cheaper per month than renting, even before counting equity.
Estimate only: excludes property tax, insurance, HOA and PMI, which vary by property. Incomes and rents are the latest Census (ACS 2023) figures. Run your own numbers in the estimator below.
What this means for buyers, sellers and investors in Downtown
Buyers
Homes cost about 3.5× the local median income — affordable by national standards, so first-time buyers have a realistic path in. Prices have eased 11.4% over the past year, which gives buyers more room to negotiate.
Sellers
Values are down 11.4% on the year, so price to today’s market rather than last year’s peak — and get a home-specific estimate: condition and size move the number more than the area average.
Investors
A gross rental yield of 7.5% is strong — rents are high relative to prices, which favours cash-flow investors.
Other neighborhoods in St. Paul
| Name | Home value | 1-yr | Income | Rent | Price / income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Creek ZIP 55119 · shared | $263K | +1.1% | $78K | $1,351 | 3.4× |
| Capitol River city data | — | — | — | — | — |
| Como Park | $365K | +2.9% | $85K | $1,344 | 4.3× |
| Dayton's Bluff ZIP 55106 · shared | $233K | +0.4% | $69K | $1,230 | 3.4× |
| Downtown ZIP 55101 · shared | $253K | −11.4% | $73K | $1,573 | 3.5× |
| Greater East Side ZIP 55106 · shared | $233K | +0.4% | $69K | $1,230 | 3.4× |
| Highland Park | $406K | +2.8% | $83K | $1,279 | 4.9× |
| Highwood ZIP 55119 · shared | $263K | +1.1% | $78K | $1,351 | 3.4× |
| Lowertown ZIP 55101 · shared | $253K | −11.4% | $73K | $1,573 | 3.5× |
| Macalester-Groveland ZIP 55105 · shared | $453K | +2.8% | $108K | $1,240 | 4.2× |
| Merriam Park ZIP 55104 · shared | $291K | −0.3% | $75K | $1,159 | 3.9× |
| North End | $263K | +1.5% | $72K | $1,178 | 3.7× |
| Payne-Phalen ZIP 55106 · shared | $233K | +0.4% | $69K | $1,230 | 3.4× |
| Summit Hill ZIP 55105 · shared | $453K | +2.8% | $108K | $1,240 | 4.2× |
| Summit-University ZIP 55104 · shared | $291K | −0.3% | $75K | $1,159 | 3.9× |
| Thomas-Dale (Frogtown) | $240K | +0.1% | $48K | $1,040 | 5.0× |
| Union Park ZIP 55104 · shared | $291K | −0.3% | $75K | $1,159 | 3.9× |
| West Seventh (Fort Road) | $280K | +1.0% | $74K | $1,295 | 3.8× |
| West Side | $260K | +0.6% | $78K | $1,335 | 3.3× |
Home value, income and rent: Census ACS medians; 1-yr: Zillow ZHVI change over 12 months. Tap a column heading to sort.
Downtown real estate FAQ
Are home prices going up in Downtown?
What is the typical home value in Downtown?
Is Downtown affordable?
How much is rent in Downtown?
Is Downtown good for rental property investment?
What’s your Downtown home worth?
Estimates are informational only and are not an appraisal.
About this data
Data last updated: September 2026.
Current values and trends use the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) — the typical value of mid-tier homes, smoothed and seasonally adjusted — through Aug 2026. It is refreshed monthly.
Median values, incomes, rents, housing stock and commutes come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates at ZIP Code Tabulation Area level. City and state figures are population-weighted averages of their ZIPs.
The Value Score (0–10) blends gross rental yield and price-to-income affordability. It is a value snapshot, not a forecast.
Mortgage figures assume 20% down and a 6.5% fixed 30-year loan, principal and interest only.
These are area-level statistics, not an appraisal of any individual property, and not financial advice.
Sources: U.S. Census ACS · Zillow ZHVI.