West St. Paul is a city in Dakota County,

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

, United States. The population was 20,615 at the 2020 census. It is immediately south of

Saint Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

and immediately west of South St. Paul.

History

The city's misleading name comes in part from the fact that it lies on the west bank of the predominantly north-to-south

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. A previous City of West St. Paul, incorporated in the late 19th century, was in what is now called Saint Paul's Lower West Side. According to the West 7th/Fort Road foundation, Saint Paul annexed the West Side for two reasons: "to aid law enforcement—criminals could escape Saint Paul authorities by crossing to the West Side and Dakota County—and to eliminate the Wabasha Street Bridge tolls which were inhibiting development on the West Side." The current West St. Paul split from the western half of South St. Paul, and was incorporated in 1889, just south of the city of Saint Paul. The population was 20,615 at the 2020 census, growing by 1,075 since 2010 census. West Saint Paul is known for its 2.5-mile retail strip along Robert Street.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has an area of , of which is land and is water. U.S. Highway 52 (also known as the Lafayette Freeway), Robert Street, and Minnesota Highway 62 are three of West St. Paul's main routes. Interstate Highway

494 __NOTOC__ Year 494 ( CDXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Rufius and Praesidius (or, less frequently, year 1247 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination ...

runs just south of the city and Minnesota Highway 3 (unmarked Route 952) runs through the middle of the city and into downtown Saint Paul as Robert Street. Robert Street was named for Captain Louis Robert, a Mississippi River boat captain and early French-Canadian settler of Saint Paul.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2010, there were 19,540 people, 8,529 households, and 4,751 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 9,139 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 78.0%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 6.0%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.9% Native American, 2.2% Asian, 0.1%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 8.6% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 19.5% of the population. There were 8,529 households, of which 27.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.8% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 44.3% were non-families. 37.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 3.00. The median age in the city was 39.7 years. 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.4% were from 25 to 44; 26.4% were from 45 to 64; and 17% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.6% male and 52.4% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 19,405 people, 8,645 households, and 4,875 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 8,779 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 87.27%

, 2.83%

, 0.62% Native American, 1.89% Asian, 0.03%

, 4.88% from other races, and 2.49% from two or more races.

or Latino of any race were 9.98% of the population. There were 8,645 households, of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.4% were

living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 43.6% were non-families. 37.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.20 and the average family size was 2.93. In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $41,103, and the median income for a family was $56,786. Males had a median income of $39,344 versus $29,836 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $23,558. About 3.8% of families and 5.9% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 6.6% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

West St. Paul's major employers include: * TapeMark, a medical adhesives manufacturer (approx. 300 employees) * Dakota County Government, the Northern Dakota County Service Center and Courthouse (approx. 500 employees) * Independent School District 197 (approx. 300 employees)

Government

* Mayor: Dave Napier * Council members: Pat Armon (Ward 1), Julie Eastman (Ward 1), Robyn Gulley (Ward 2), John Justen (Ward 2), Wendy Berry (Ward 3), Lisa Eng-Sarne (Ward 3). * State Senator (Senate District 52): Matthew Klein * State Representative (House District 52A): Richard J. Hansen * County Commissioner (Commissioner District 2): Joe Atkins

Police

The West St. Paul Police Department is made up of approximately 25 sworn officers, including four sergeants, 21 patrol officers and three part-time non-sworn Community Service Officers (CSO) under the command of Chief Brian Sturgeon.

Education

West St. Paul is served by Independent School District 197 public schools and is home to Moreland Arts and Sciences Magnet School (K-4), Garlough Environmental Magnet School (K-4), Heritage E-Stem Magnet School (grades 5-8), and Two Rivers High School (grades 9-12). Crown of Life Lutheran (K-8) and St. Croix Lutheran Academy High School (6-12) are two Christian schools of the

Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), also referred to simply as the Wisconsin Synod, is an American Confessional Lutheran denomination of Christianity. Characterized as Christian theology, theologically conservative, it was founded ...

in West St. Paul. St. Joseph's Catholic School (K-8) is in West St. Paul. The Thomas Irvine Dodge Nature Center's West St. Paul location contains nature preserves and a nature education-based preschool.

Notable people

Tom Gibis Thomas Wayne Gibis (born August 22, 1964) is an American film, television, voice actor, and Emmy-nominated writer/producer. Gibis is best known as the voice of Shikamaru Nara from ''Naruto,'' Takumi Nomiya from '' Honey and Clover'', and Mushra f ...

, voice actor *

Karl F. Grittner Karl Frederick Grittner (November 22, 1922 – March 3, 2011) was an American educator and politician. Grittner was born in West St. Paul, Minnesota and graduated from the Mechanic Art High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1940. He lived w ...

, Minnesota state legislator and educator *

Joan Kroc Joan Beverly Kroc ( Mansfield, previously Smith; August 27, 1928 – October 12, 2003), also known as Joni, was an American philanthropist and third wife of McDonald's CEO Ray Kroc. Early life Joan Beverly Mansfield was born on August 27, 1 ...

, philanthropist and wife of

McDonald's McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...

founder

Ray Kroc Raymond Albert Kroc (October 5, 1902 – January 14, 1984) was an American businessman who was instrumental in turning McDonald's into the most successful global fast food corporation by revenue. He purchased it from the McDonald Brothers in ...

Harold Stassen Harold Edward Stassen (April 13, 1907 – March 4, 2001) was an American Republican Party (United States), Republican Party politician, military officer, and attorney who was the List of governors of Minnesota, 25th governor of Minnesota from 193 ...

, former Minnesota governor, presidential candidate, statesman, and university president * J. Robert Stassen, Minnesota state senator and businessman

References

External links

City of West St. Paul – Official Website

{{Authority control Cities in Minnesota Cities in Dakota County, Minnesota