Trying to choose between Highland Park and Macalester-Groveland? You are not alone. These two Saint Paul neighborhoods sit close together, but the homes, streetscapes, and day-to-day feel can be meaningfully different once you look closer. If you are comparing where to buy in 55116 or nearby, this guide will help you understand how the housing stock, price ranges, walkability, and overall home styles stack up. Let’s dive in.
Highland Park vs Macalester-Groveland at a glance
If you zoom out, both neighborhoods offer established housing, strong buyer interest, and a west Saint Paul location that appeals to people who want city access with neighborhood character. But they are not copies of each other.
Highland Park is the larger neighborhood and has a broader mix of housing types. The City of Saint Paul district plan notes that its roughly 12,000 homes are nearly split between single-family and multi-family housing. Macalester-Groveland is more compact, with a stronger pre-World War II housing core and a more streetcar-era layout.
For many buyers, that difference shapes the whole search. Highland often feels more varied from block to block, while Macalester-Groveland tends to feel more cohesive and traditionally residential.
Housing styles in Highland Park
Highland Park offers more variety in the kinds of homes you may see during your search. According to the city’s district plan, the neighborhood includes single-family homes alongside duplexes, triplexes, row houses, accessory dwelling units, and mixed-use development.
Architecturally, you can find older English and Dutch Colonial homes in some areas. Postwar building added one-story ramblers, Colonial Revival homes, and Cape Cod houses, which gives parts of Highland a different look and feel than older Saint Paul neighborhoods with a tighter historic housing pattern.
Another factor is newer development. The Highland Bridge and former Ford Site area is planned as a mixed-housing district with townhomes, apartments, condominiums, carriage houses, live-work units, and possible senior housing. If you want more options beyond the classic detached home, Highland Park generally gives you a wider menu.
What buyers often notice in Highland
Buyers often notice that Highland Park can feel more flexible in terms of home choice. You may be able to compare a classic older single-family house, a postwar rambler, and a newer townhome-style option without leaving the broader neighborhood.
That can be helpful if your priorities are shifting. If you want less yard work, newer construction, or a different layout than a traditional early-1900s home, Highland often gives you more ways to match your lifestyle.
Housing styles in Macalester-Groveland
Macalester-Groveland has a different housing identity. Its community plan describes a mix of traditional single-family homes, duplexes, apartments, and multi-family buildings, with the strongest housing core dating to the pre-World War II era.
The neighborhood history described in the community materials says a majority of homes date from the 1915 to late-1920s streetcar era. That helps explain why many buyers experience Macalester-Groveland as having an older, more unified residential character.
The plan also notes that commercial nodes are surrounded by 1900s- to 1930s-era single-family homes. Outside mixed-use corridors, the neighborhood planning vision emphasizes preserving lower-density homes and duplexes.
What buyers often notice in Mac-Groveland
Macalester-Groveland often stands out for buyers who want that streetcar-era feel. The homes and blocks can feel more consistent in age and rhythm, especially compared with a neighborhood that has more postwar or newly planned housing mixed in.
If you are drawn to older housing stock and a neighborhood pattern shaped by early 20th-century development, Mac-Groveland may feel like the better fit. That does not make it better for everyone, but it is a distinct part of the comparison.
Walkability and getting around
One of the clearest differences between these neighborhoods is walkability. Walk Score gives Highland Park a walk score of 55 and a transit score of 45. Macalester-Groveland scores higher on walkability at 70, with a transit score of 47.
Macalester-Groveland’s community plan places strong emphasis on a pedestrian-oriented environment. It describes the neighborhood as one of the most walkable in Saint Paul, with walking, biking, and transit as central priorities.
Highland Park is still well-connected. The district plan says residents can safely and efficiently walk, bike, ride transit, or drive, and it highlights convenient access to both downtowns and the airport.
Transit differences to know
Highland Park has a broader transit network across the district. Metro Transit’s Highland Park transit study says the area is served by eight local bus routes, one commuter express route, and one A Line, and Route 74 directly serves Highland Park, downtown St. Paul, and Maplewood.
Macalester-Groveland’s transit access is also meaningful, especially near major corridors. Metro Transit notes that Route 63 serves St. Thomas, Grand Avenue, Macalester, downtown St. Paul, and Sun Ray Transit Center from the Snelling and Grand area.
In simple terms, Macalester-Groveland usually has the edge for everyday walkability, while Highland Park offers a broader urban-suburban blend and wider transit coverage across the neighborhood.
Home prices and competition
If you are comparing budget, these two neighborhoods land in a similar general range. The clearest way to read the current numbers is as a price band rather than one exact figure, because Zillow and Redfin use different methods and timeframes.
Highland Park’s Zillow typical home value is $463,958, with a median list price of $471,440. Redfin shows a Highland median sale price of $502,313 over the last three months ending in April 2026.
Macalester-Groveland’s Zillow typical home value is $461,020, with a median list price of $453,817. Redfin shows a median sale price of $449,833 over the same general period.
Quick price comparison
| Neighborhood | Typical home value | Median list price | Median sale price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highland Park | $463,958 | $471,440 | $502,313 |
| Macalester-Groveland | $461,020 | $453,817 | $449,833 |
In practice, both neighborhoods are competitive. Redfin describes both as very competitive, with homes selling at a 101.3% sale-to-list ratio in the latest snapshot.
There is a slight timing difference. Highland Park homes were selling in about 17 days, while Macalester-Groveland homes were selling in about 12 days in the same recent Redfin snapshot.
Which neighborhood may fit your home search?
The better choice depends less on which neighborhood is "best" and more on what kind of home and daily routine you want. Both areas can work well for move-up buyers, first-time buyers shopping in the local price band, and homeowners planning a long-term move within Saint Paul.
Highland Park may be the stronger match if you want more housing variety. That can include traditional detached homes, postwar styles, and newer mixed-housing options in areas shaped by recent development plans.
Macalester-Groveland may be the stronger match if you care most about a walkable, streetcar-era setting and a housing stock that feels older and more cohesive. If your search starts with neighborhood feel and block-by-block character, that may matter as much as the list price.
Questions to ask yourself
Before you decide, it helps to ask:
- Do you want a wider range of home types to compare?
- Is a more walkable day-to-day setting a top priority?
- Are you open to older housing stock, or do you want more layout variety?
- Do you want easier access to a broader transit network across the neighborhood?
- Are you focused on a specific style, such as ramblers, Colonials, Cape Cods, or early streetcar-era homes?
Those answers can narrow your search quickly. In neighborhoods this close together, small differences in housing stock and daily convenience can have a big impact on how a home feels over time.
Why local guidance matters here
This is one of those Saint Paul comparisons where broad market data only tells part of the story. Two homes at similar price points can offer very different layouts, lot patterns, and neighborhood context depending on whether you are in Highland Park or Macalester-Groveland.
That is why local, block-level guidance matters. When you understand not just the price band, but also the housing era, development pattern, and how each area functions day to day, you can make a more confident decision.
If you are weighing Highland Park against Macalester-Groveland, working with an agent who knows Saint Paul’s micro-markets can help you compare options clearly, spot the tradeoffs, and move quickly in a competitive market. If you want help narrowing your search or understanding what your current home might be worth, connect with Arbor Residential Group.
FAQs
What is the main housing difference between Highland Park and Macalester-Groveland?
- Highland Park generally offers a broader mix of housing types, while Macalester-Groveland has a stronger pre-World War II housing core and a more cohesive streetcar-era feel.
Are Highland Park and Macalester-Groveland home prices similar?
- Yes. Current data places both neighborhoods in a similar mid-$400,000s to low-$500,000s range, though Highland Park has recently shown somewhat higher median sale pricing.
Is Macalester-Groveland more walkable than Highland Park?
- Yes. Walk Score rates Macalester-Groveland at 70 for walkability compared with 55 for Highland Park.
Does Highland Park have more housing variety than Macalester-Groveland?
- Yes. City planning documents describe Highland Park as having a wider range of housing, including single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, row houses, townhomes, apartments, condominiums, and mixed-use development.
Are homes in both Saint Paul neighborhoods selling quickly?
- Yes. Recent Redfin data describes both neighborhoods as very competitive, with homes selling in about 12 to 17 days in the latest snapshot.
