Taxes in St. Paul
Minnesota levies a real 4-bracket state income tax (5.35% up to a 9.85% top rate over approximately $193,240) with NO local piggyback layer anywhere in the state -- but Minnesota remains a real, current, and genuinely uncommon outlier in still taxing Social Security income above an income-based exemption threshold, and St. Paul residents specifically pay a real, current minimum 9.875% combined sales tax and Ramsey County's own #2-in-Minnesota property tax rate, a real, mixed tax picture this record states plainly.
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Learn moreMinnesota's 4-Bracket State Income Tax, With No Local Piggyback Layer
Minnesota's real, current state income tax runs a 4-bracket progressive structure: 5.35%, 6.80%, 7.85%, and a top 9.85% bracket on income over approximately $193,240 for single filers (2026). Minnesota levies NO local or county income tax add-on anywhere in the state, and St. Paul itself levies no separate city income tax -- a real, genuine simplification on this specific dimension.
A Real, Genuine Outlier: Minnesota Still Taxes Social Security Income
Unlike most US states, which have fully exempted Social Security benefit income from state tax, Minnesota remains a real, current outlier: for 2026, Social Security income is fully exempt from Minnesota state tax only below $86,410 in adjusted gross income for single filers ($110,780 married filing jointly), with the exemption phasing out fully by $126,410 single ($150,780 joint). Movers and retirees with Social Security income above these thresholds should budget for this real, disclosed tax exposure directly.
Property Tax: Ramsey County's Real, Standout-High-Tax Category
As detailed in full on the property-taxes topic page, Ramsey County's own effective property tax rate (approximately 1.24%) ranks #2 of Minnesota's 87 counties -- a real, standout cost category the genuinely simple income tax structure does not offset.
Sales Tax: A Real, Current Minimum 9.875% Combined Rate
St. Paul's real, current minimum combined sales tax rate runs 9.875% (Minnesota's 6.875% state base plus St. Paul's own 1.5% city rate), with at least nine additional special tax districts applying to specific areas within the city, pushing the actual rate higher there, per Avalara's own research.
Property Taxes and Insurance: Pointers to Full Detail
St. Paul-area property tax mechanics (Ramsey County's standout-high rate and the 2026 levy increase) are covered in full on the property-taxes topic page rather than repeated here, while St. Paul's homeowners-insurance cost picture is covered on the homeowners-insurance topic page.
Key takeaways
- Minnesota's real 4-bracket state income tax runs from 5.35% up to a top 9.85% bracket over approximately $193,240 -- with NO local/county piggyback layer anywhere in the state.
- Minnesota remains a real, current outlier among US states in taxing Social Security income above an income-based exemption threshold ($86,410 single / $110,780 joint for full exemption in 2026).
- Property tax is St. Paul's real, standout-high-tax category: Ramsey County's own ~1.24% effective rate ranks #2 of Minnesota's 87 counties.
- St. Paul's real, current minimum combined sales tax runs 9.875%, with additional special tax districts pushing the actual rate higher in specific areas.
- St. Paul-area property tax mechanics and homeowners-insurance cost picture are covered in full on their own dedicated topic pages.
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