NeurNEUR
Business ideas · Minnesota · Census Business Patterns 2023

Business ideas in St. Paul, MN: what has room right now

Out of 233 business types, these five have the most room in St. Paul at a $60,000 budget: fewer per resident than the rest of Minnesota, a startup range you can reach, and a realistic time to the first paying customer. Skipped 18 the city already has more of. Run it with your own budget and interests.

Neur picks

St. Paul, MN · 307,762 residents
  1. 01

    Garage / Epoxy / Concrete

    Decorative concrete coatings, epoxy floors, and garage upgrades

    • RoomSt. Paul has 97% fewer of these per person than Minnesota. At the state rate it would hold about 29 more.
    • CostOpens for $10k to $30k, inside your budget.
    • In St. Paul1
    • Per 100k vs state0.3 vs 9.7
    • Residents per one307,762
    • To first dollar—
  2. 02

    Florist

    Floral design for everyday sales, events, and weddings

    • RoomSt. Paul has 92% fewer of these per person than Minnesota. At the state rate it would hold about 12 more.
    • CostOpens for $20k to $75k, inside your budget.
    • In St. Paul1
    • Per 100k vs state0.3 vs 4.3
    • Residents per one307,762
    • To first dollar3 to 7 mo
  3. 03

    Flooring Install

    Installation of hardwood, tile, laminate, and vinyl flooring

    • RoomSt. Paul has 92% fewer of these per person than Minnesota. At the state rate it would hold about 24 more.
    • CostOpens for $10k to $30k, inside your budget.
    • In St. Paul2
    • Per 100k vs state0.6 vs 8.4
    • Residents per one153,881
    • To first dollar—
  4. 04

    Local Trucking / Hotshot

    Owner-operator hauling local and regional freight; one truck to start

    • RoomSt. Paul has 88% fewer of these per person than Minnesota. At the state rate it would hold about 43 more.
    • CostOpens for $30k to $150k, inside your budget.
    • In St. Paul6
    • Per 100k vs state1.9 vs 16.1
    • Residents per one51,294
    • To first dollar—
  5. 05

    Used Car Dealer

    Independent lot selling 10 to 40 cars a month; buy-here-pay-here optional

    • RoomSt. Paul has 86% fewer of these per person than Minnesota. At the state rate it would hold about 19 more.
    • CostOpens for $50k to $300k, inside your budget.
    • In St. Paul3
    • Per 100k vs state1.0 vs 7.0
    • Residents per one102,587
    • To first dollar1 to 3 mo

Questions

What business should I start in St. Paul, MN?
On Census Business Patterns for St. Paul's own ZIP codes, the types with the most room at a $60,000 budget are garage / epoxy / concrete, florist, flooring install, local trucking / hotshot, used car dealer. Garage / Epoxy / Concrete leads: St. Paul has 97% fewer of these per person than Minnesota. At the state rate it would hold about 29 more.
How is "room" measured?
Establishments per 100,000 residents inside St. Paul against the Minnesota rate, from Census County and ZIP Business Patterns 2023, with crowded types (more than 1.35 times the state rate) left off. It is a screen, not a guarantee: the paid report maps the actual competitors and the neighborhood demand.
What does it cost to open these?
Garage / Epoxy / Concrete $10k–$30k; Florist $20k–$75k; Flooring Install $10k–$30k; Local Trucking / Hotshot $30k–$150k; Used Car Dealer $50k–$300k. Ranges are Neur planning ranges per business type; the report localizes rent and wages.