St Louis Park vs Edina: Choosing Your Next Neighborhood
May 21, 2026
May 21, 2026
If you are deciding between St. Louis Park and Edina, you are not choosing between a clearly good option and a bad one. You are choosing between two well-known inner-ring suburbs that offer different tradeoffs in price, housing style, and neighborhood feel. A close look at the numbers can help you focus on what matters most for your next move. Let’s dive in.
For many buyers, the biggest difference between these two cities is cost. Census QuickFacts reports a median owner-occupied home value of $386,800 in St. Louis Park and $646,300 in Edina.
That is a gap of about $260,000. If your top goal is entering the market at a lower price point or keeping more flexibility in your monthly budget, St. Louis Park may feel more approachable.
Edina, on the other hand, tends to attract buyers who are comfortable paying more for a more traditional single-family setting and a housing market with a higher share of owner-occupied homes. Census data shows owner occupancy at 72.4% in Edina compared with 57.8% in St. Louis Park.
If you are hoping one city offers a major commute advantage, the data does not really support that. Census QuickFacts shows average travel times to work of 20.2 minutes in St. Louis Park and 20.4 minutes in Edina.
In practical terms, that difference is negligible. This means your decision will likely come down more to budget, housing stock, and the kind of neighborhood pattern you prefer rather than commute alone.
Edina’s comprehensive plan describes a city that was largely built out by the early 1980s. It also states that most residential neighborhoods are intended to remain predominantly single-family.
That matters if you picture your next home in an established neighborhood with a more classic suburban layout. A 2024 density study notes that Edina’s minimum lot size in R-1 single-family zoning is 9,000 square feet, which supports the idea of generally larger single-family lots.
Edina’s housing stock is also established rather than brand new. The city says nearly 60% of its structures were built from 1950 to 1979, with a median year built of 1968.
St. Louis Park’s housing study points to a different pattern. The city has an older housing stock overall, with the largest share built in the 1950s and the next-largest share in the 1940s, and more than 47% of homes were built in 1950 or earlier.
The same study says the city is largely built out, so future growth is expected to come mainly through infill and redevelopment. It also reports that between 2010 and 2022, newly permitted units were overwhelmingly multifamily.
For you as a buyer, that often translates to a more compact and varied housing mix. St. Louis Park may offer more options if you want a city with a denser footprint and a broader blend of housing types.
Population density helps explain why these cities can feel different even when they are close in size. Census QuickFacts reports 4,705.5 people per square mile in St. Louis Park and 3,461.1 in Edina.
That does not mean one is objectively better. It simply suggests that St. Louis Park tends to feel a bit more compact, while Edina may feel somewhat more spacious in many residential areas.
If you value room between homes and a more traditional suburban lot pattern, Edina may better match your expectations. If you like a more connected, higher-density setting with a mix of older homes and multifamily development, St. Louis Park may be a stronger fit.
Household income data also helps frame each market. Census QuickFacts shows median household income at $101,648 in St. Louis Park and $128,767 in Edina.
This does not tell you who belongs in either city, and it should not drive your decision on its own. What it does show is that Edina generally sits at a higher price and income tier, which lines up with its home values and owner-occupancy profile.
When schools matter to your home search, it helps to look at structure and published district information rather than broad assumptions.
Edina Public Schools serves the city with 10 facilities: one early learning site, six elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and a transportation center. In its 2025-26 high school profile, Edina High School reports a 25.1 ACT composite, 597 AP Scholars, and 93.92% of AP scores at 3 or higher.
For buyers who want a district with a larger system and strong college-prep reporting in its own published materials, that may stand out.
St. Louis Park Public Schools is more compact. The district lists four elementary schools plus a School Readiness Plus program, one middle school, and one high school.
The district also highlights programs such as Spanish Immersion and International Baccalaureate. Its 2025 MCA update says scores have flattened statewide and district scores are not quite where they want them to be, while another district assessment page says nearly all schools are above the state in math and reading, with high-school opt-outs affecting how results appear.
For you, the main takeaway is that the two districts present differently. Edina offers a larger district structure and strong college-prep optics in its reporting, while St. Louis Park emphasizes a smaller district footprint and distinctive academic programs.
Choosing between St. Louis Park and Edina often comes down to what you are trying to optimize.
| Category | St. Louis Park | Edina |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 50,010 | 53,494 |
| Average commute | 20.2 minutes | 20.4 minutes |
| Median household income | $101,648 | $128,767 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $386,800 | $646,300 |
| Owner-occupied rate | 57.8% | 72.4% |
| Population density | 4,705.5 per sq. mi. | 3,461.1 per sq. mi. |
The numbers give you a useful starting point, but they do not replace seeing homes and neighborhoods in person. In a market comparison like this, the most important question is not which city is better overall. It is which city fits your budget, space needs, and preferred housing style.
If you are comparing St. Louis Park and Edina, a well-planned search can save time and help you spot value faster. Working with a local advisor who understands pricing, housing stock, and neighborhood patterns can make the decision feel much clearer.
If you are weighing your next move in the western Twin Cities, Carolyn Olson, Real Estate Agent can help you compare homes, refine your search, and move forward with confidence.
If you have been thinking of selling your house and moving to a new home, condominium, or loft, she would be happy to help you market and sell your property, find a new home, and negotiate the best possible terms. If you are considering remodeling or renovating your home, she would be happy to help you assess the return on investment. She can even help you find the right architect, interior designer, builder, landscape architect, and craftspeople to make your project run as smoothly as possible.