Stearns County · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington · population 72,145
Where St. Cloud stands
At or near all-time high.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 17.1 price-to-rent ratio, St. Cloud is in the 'depends on horizon' zone. Buy if you'll be there 5+ years and value flexibility on the home; rent if you might move, want zero maintenance friction, or expect rates to drop.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →St. Cloud has held up across the cycle: home values at $257,136 with +5.8% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
St. Cloud's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.
About St. Cloud
St. Cloud is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, with an estimated population of 72,145. It anchors the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metro area. The population grew 1.2% annually from 2020 to 2024, a moderate gain. The median home value in St. Cloud is $257,136 as of 2026-04, up 2.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +5.8% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in St. Cloud average $1,252 per month, up 3.7% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 71 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About St. Cloud (Wikipedia)
St. Cloud or Saint Cloud is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 68,881 at the 2020 census, making it Minnesota's 12th-most populous city. St. Cloud is the county seat of Stearns County, though it also extends into Benton and Sherburne counties. The city lies along the Mississippi River and is named after Saint-Cloud, a suburb of Paris named for the 6th-century monk Clodoald.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Playbook
You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.
Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.
Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for Stearns County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Stearns County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Cities like St. Cloud
Run the numbers for St. Cloud
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current St. Cloud listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- Sauk Rapids Resident Dies in Early Morning Crash on 9th AvenueWJON · 9h ago
- Woman dies after being hit by driver while walking on St. Cloud roadBring Me The News · 6h ago
- Adult Male Bears Emerge From Dens, Roaming Further Into Minnesota Communities – 98.1Minnesota's New Country · 2h ago
- MnDOT Highway 10 Studies Coming Before St. Cloud Council MondayKNSI · 3d ago
- St. Cloud receives $6.4 million from state for projectsSt. Cloud Live · 2d ago
- Jud Joseph Zellner ObituarySt. Cloud Times · 2d ago
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to St. Cloud
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.