Racial Equity Metrics

The City of Saint Paul is home to over 300,000 residents speaking more than 100 different languages and dialects. Our diversity is an asset in a globally-connected economy, and one that we as a community need to activate by ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunity. The data below has been collected and published to inform policy and investment decisions as we work toward the vision of being a city where race does not predetermine opportunities in education, employment, housing, health, and safety.

Racial and Ethnic Composition of Saint Paul Residents

source 2020 Census Redistricting Data and Saint Paul Department of Planning & Economic Development analysis. In order to create a pie chart of Race and Ethnicity using Census data, a decision must be made about how to combine key ethnicities (Hispanic/Latino) with the remaining racial classifications tracked by the Census Bureau. Research underscores most who are likely to identify as Hispanic or Latino people consider that their primary identity. As such, we count people who would identify as ethnically Hispanic/Latino people as Hispanic/Latino, regardless of race.

For each measure here, tied to the work of the Department of Planning and Economic Development (PED), we have broken it down by major racial or ethnic group and also highlighted the gap in each case between Saint Paul residents who are people of color and white residents.

The 2018 PED budget has a strong focus on addressing disparities, with funds allocated to several new and existing programs intended to close these gaps, including the Job Opportunity Fund, Full Stack Saint Paul, MSP TechHire, additional resources for the Right Track youth internship program, Inspiring Communities, Rental Rehab loans, and funds for implementation of the Fair Housing strategy.

Jump to a Section:
Unemployment | Labor Force | Per Capita Income | Housing Cost-Burdened | Homeownership

Where Saint Paul lives, by Race and Ethnicity

A full-screen version of this map is available.

For more information on how racial disparities impact the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region, visit the Metropolitan Council's report on Choice, Place and Opportunity.

Unemployment

Saint Paul Unemployment Gap

Source: United States Census Bureau American Community Survey, Table S2301, 5 year estimates, 2013-2017. Computation by Saint Paul Department of Planning and Economic Development, Research and Mapping Team.

Unemployment is defined as people 16 years and older who are actively looking for work but are not currently employed. It does not include potential workers who have stopped looking for work, nor does it include people who are employed but are working fewer hours than they would prefer, or in a job that doesn't make full use of their skills.

Saint Paul Unemployment by Race and Ethnicity

The unemployment rate among Black or African-Americans: 13.1%; American Indian and Alaska Natives: 10.1%; Asians: 8.7%; some other race: 6.6%; two or more races: 13.7%; Hispanic or Latino of any race: 8.6%; White (not Hispanic): 4.2%

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Labor Force Participation

Saint Paul Labor Force Participation Gap

The Labor Force Participation Rate is the percentage of people 16 years and over who are either employed or are actively looking for work. People are not counted as participating if they, for whatever reason, have stopped looking for work.

Saint Paul Labor Force Participation by Race and Ethnicity

The labor force participation rate among Black or African-Americans: 70.7%; American Indian and Alaska Natives: 62.1%; Asians: 63.1%; some other race: 76.1%; two or more races: 69.4%; Hispanic or Latino of any race: 75.9%; White (not Hispanic): 72.2%

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Per Capita Income

Saint Paul Per Capita Income Gap

Source: United States Census Bureau American Community Survey, Tables B19301A to B19301I, and Table DP05, 5-year estimates, 2013-2017. Computation by Saint Paul Department of Planning and Economic Development, Research and Mapping Team.

Per capita income is defined as the average amount of income earned among a group of people in a year. Over the last five decades, the gap in pay between workers at the top and bottom of the income scale has consistently grown nationally and in Saint Paul, widening the gap in per capita income between white people and people of color.

Saint Paul Per Capita Income by Race and Ethnicity

Per capita income among Black or African-Americans: $15,577; American Indian and Alaska Natives: $21,366; Asians: $14,624; some other race: $25,064; two or more races: $13,593; Hispanic or Latino of any race: $16,187; White (non-Hispanic): $42,874

City programs to address disparities in employment, labor force participation and per capita income include:

Business expansion and job growth programs
Contract compliance assistance for construction projects with City funding support
There are also free job training and job search resources available through the Saint Paul WorkForce Center and through several community partners.

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Housing Cost-Burdened Rate

Saint Paul Housing Cost-Burdened Rate

The rate of housing cost burden for people of color is 47.9%, while the rate of housing cost burden for white (not Hispanic) people is 30.6%, representing a 17.3% gap.

Source: United States Census Bureau American Community Survey, as reported in HUD's Comprehensive Housing Affordability Survey data. Computation by Saint Paul Department of Planning and Economic Development Research and Mapping Team.

Cost-burdened households are defined as those that pay more than 30% of their income for housing. The housing cost calculation includes rent or mortgage payments, utilities, and for homeowners also includes property taxes, homeowner's insurance, and any homeowner association fees.

The statistic on its own does not fully capture the realities for low-income families; a low-income household that earns $12,000 per year may not have enough money left over for other needed expenses after paying 30% of their income for housing. Additionally, the statistic makes no adjustment for family size; a household with just one person will have fewer other financial demands than a household with five people.

Saint Paul Cost-Burdened Households by Race and Ethnicity

Housing cost burden among Black or African-American alone, not Hispanic: 52.4%; American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic: 50.4%; Asian alone, not Hispanic: 42.0%; other including multiple races, not Hispanic: 44.8%; Hispanic of any race: 48.5%; White alone, not Hispanic: 30.6%

City programs to address disparities in the number of cost-burdened households, and to assist all Saint Paul households that are cost burdened, include the business support and job training programs given above and also a number of programs to support housing affordability including:

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Homeownership

Saint Paul Homeownership Gap

Source: United States Census Bureau American Community Survey, Table B25003A-B25003I, 5 year estimates, 2013-2017. Computation by Saint Paul Department of Planning and Economic Development, Research and Mapping Team.

Homeownership is defined as a household living in a space they own and control, rather paying rent to stay in a space owned and controlled by someone else. Homeownership is not about the form of housing: people in single-family houses can be either renters or owners; similarly, people in multi-unit buildings can be renters (of apartments) or owners (of condominiums).

Saint Paul Homeownership by Race and Ethnicity

The homeownership rate among Black or African-Americans: 16.9%; American Indian and Alaska Natives: 30.2%; Asians: 40.2%; some other race: 42.0%; two or more races: 27.6%; Hispanic or Latino of any race: 35.4%; White (non-Hispanic): 61.2%

City programs to address disparities in homeownership include:

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