Saint Cloud Home Prices: $268K, Up 2.9% — 3 ZIPs Analyzed (2026)

$267,755. That’s the typical home value in Saint Cloud, MN as of February 2026. Prices are up 2.9% from a year ago, a steady climb that has held through 12 straight months of gains.

Quick answer: The average home price in Saint Cloud, MN is $267,755 as of February 2026, up 2.9% year over year according to Zillow.

Current Home Prices in Saint Cloud

The Saint Cloud market sits well below the national typical home value but has been moving in one direction: up. Every month in the past year posted a higher reading than the one before it.

The spread is narrow. Only $71,623 separates the cheapest ZIP from the priciest. In larger metros that gap can run into hundreds of thousands. Here, the city’s three tracked ZIPs cluster within a $72K band, which means buyers do not pay a steep premium to move from one neighborhood to another.

A 2.9% annual gain is modest. It is not the double-digit pandemic-era growth, but it is also not a decline. Owners gained roughly $7,600 in equity on the median home over the past year if appreciation tracked the city average. Buyers, on the other hand, paid about $7,600 more than they would have a year ago for the same typical house.

The pace has been remarkably consistent. Monthly increases have ranged from about $300 to $1,100, with no months of price drops in the past year of data.

Saint Cloud Home Prices by Neighborhood

Three ZIP codes carry tracked Zillow data in Saint Cloud. They sort cleanly from cheapest to priciest.

Most Expensive

• 56301 — At $305,613, this is the only ZIP above $300K and sits 14% above the city median, with rents around $1,262 reflecting the higher home values.
• 56304 — A middle-tier ZIP at $263,663, just 1.5% below the city median, with rents close behind at $1,226 per month.
• 56303 — Even the priciest tier here looks affordable: 56301 is the only Saint Cloud ZIP that crosses $300K.

Most Affordable

• 56303 — The cheapest ZIP at $233,990, with rents near $948, the lowest in the city by a wide margin.
• 56304 — Mid-priced at $263,663, but closer in cost to the cheapest ZIP than to the most expensive.
• 56301 — Even the priciest ZIP is under $310K, which keeps the entry point for any Saint Cloud neighborhood relatively low.

Rent vs Buy in Saint Cloud

Average rent across the three tracked ZIPs comes out to about $1,145 per month. The cheapest ZIP, 56303, rents for $948. The priciest, 56301, runs $1,262.

Compare that to ownership costs on the $267,755 median home. With a 20% down payment of about $53,500, a buyer finances roughly $214,200. At a 7% interest rate on a 30-year fixed loan, principal and interest land near $1,425 per month. Add property taxes (Minnesota averages around 1.1% of value), homeowner’s insurance, and maintenance, and total monthly cost climbs to roughly $1,900-$2,000.

Renting wins on monthly cash flow by about $750-$850. That is before the down payment is even considered.

Buying makes sense if you plan to stay long enough for appreciation and equity buildup to outweigh the upfront costs. At Saint Cloud’s recent 2.9% appreciation pace, the median home gains about $7,600 per year in value. Combined with principal paydown of roughly $2,200 in year one, ownership builds about $9,800 of equity annually.

For renters, the math is simpler: $1,145 a month, no down payment, full mobility. For buyers planning to stay five-plus years, the equity case starts to work even with the higher monthly cost.

Saint Cloud Housing Market Trends

The trend is unbroken. Twelve consecutive months of price gains.

The pace picked up in the second half of the year. Summer months posted the smallest gains ($293-$471), while late fall and winter showed bigger jumps ($1,000+ in two of the last three months). Total appreciation over the 12 months: $7,619, or 2.93%.

This is not a market overheating. It is also not a market correcting. It is grinding higher at a steady, predictable rate.

Is Saint Cloud a Good Place to Buy in 2026?

The data points to a stable seller’s market with low volatility. Prices have not dropped in any month of the past year. Year-over-year growth of 2.9% is positive but contained.

For buyers, that means no urgency to time the market. Waiting six months will likely cost you another $5,000-$7,000 if the trend continues, but you will not be priced out by a sudden surge.

The narrow ZIP spread is a buyer-friendly feature. You can choose a neighborhood based on what you want, not just what you can afford. The $72K gap between the cheapest and priciest ZIP is small enough that most buyers can target multiple areas with the same budget.

Sellers benefit from steady demand and predictable appreciation. Listings should not need aggressive price cuts to move, but the days of bidding wars are not in the current data either.

Saint Cloud Housing Market Outlook for 2026-2027

The 3-month trend shows momentum building. From November 2025 to February 2026, prices rose $2,934, or about $978 per month. That is faster than the summer pace.

If the current pace continues, Saint Cloud could see another 3-3.5% in appreciation over the next 12 months, putting the median in the $276K-$278K range by early 2027.

The risk to that path is interest rates. If mortgage rates fall meaningfully, demand could accelerate and push appreciation higher. If rates rise, the steady trend could flatten.

For now, the data suggests more of the same: small monthly gains, no signs of correction, and a market that rewards patient buyers and sellers who price reasonably.

Similar Markets in MN

Saint Cloud sits at the lower end of Minnesota’s metro pricing. Buyers comparing options across the state have several alternatives:

• Minneapolis — The state’s largest city, typically priced higher than Saint Cloud but with broader job market access.
• Saint Paul — The capital, which trades at a premium to Saint Cloud but offers urban amenities.
• Rochester — Home to the Mayo Clinic, with a steadier price floor than Saint Cloud.
• Duluth — A northern alternative often priced in a similar range to Saint Cloud.
• Bloomington — A Twin Cities suburb that runs notably above Saint Cloud’s price point.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average home price in Saint Cloud?

The average home price in Saint Cloud, MN is $267,755 as of February 2026. That figure represents the Zillow Home Value Index, which tracks typical values for homes in the middle third of the market. The cheapest ZIP sits at $233,990 and the priciest at $305,613.

Are home prices going up or down in Saint Cloud?

Prices are up 2.9% year over year in Saint Cloud. The median value rose from about $260,136 in March 2025 to $267,755 in February 2026, with positive monthly changes in all 12 months of that period. Recent months have shown slightly faster gains than the summer.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Saint Cloud?

Renting is cheaper on a monthly basis. Average rent across the three tracked ZIPs is about $1,145, while owning the median $267,755 home would cost roughly $1,900-$2,000 per month with 20% down at current rates. Buying becomes the better deal for owners who stay five or more years and benefit from equity buildup and appreciation.

What is the most affordable neighborhood in Saint Cloud?

ZIP 56303 is the most affordable, with a typical home value of $233,990, about 13% below the city median. It also has the lowest rents in the city at around $948 per month. The next cheapest is 56304 at $263,663.

Methodology

Home values are based on the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), a smoothed measure of typical home values in the 35th to 65th percentile range. Rent estimates use the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Population figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (2020-2024 vintage). All datasets are publicly available. Housing data updated 2026-02-28.