Home inspection in North Saint Paul.

What we see in North Saint Paul homes.

North Saint Paul began as Castle, laid out in 1887 by Henry Anson Castle when the railroad was extended there, and it was incorporated the same year. It covers 3.01 square miles with 12,364 residents and 4,984 housing units in 2020. The older neighborhoods around the historic core sit on a tight grid with pre-war and early postwar houses, split by Highway 36 and the Gateway State Trail. Silver Lake and Casey Lake are the largest bodies of water, each with a large adjacent park.

Housing that dates from the railroad era through the 1950s gives us a clear list of things to look for. In the oldest houses, remnant knob-and-tube wiring, old fuse panels, plaster and lath walls, chimneys, and stone or block foundations with moisture are the common concerns. Postwar houses bring original wiring, small panels, and older plumbing. Homes on the blocks nearest Silver Lake and Casey Lake also deserve extra attention to grading, sump pumps, and basement dampness, and additions are worth a permit check.

Local facts checked September 2026 against: Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Minnesota Department of Health.