55435 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
01854
55435
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 29%
vs51 · Bottom 42%
Growth
60 · Top 33%
vs51 · Top 48%
Climate
63 · Bottom 26%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 21%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Access
93 · Bottom 49%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 39%
vs54 · Bottom 40%
Measured values
| Metric | 01854 | 55435 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,081 | 14,192 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,709 | $79,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,471 | $60,475 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 7,596/sq mi | 4,774/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $412,000 | $361,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,487 | $1,816 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 37.8% | 47.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.2% | 62.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.7% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 229 | 197 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 3.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 34.7% | 212.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.9" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.0 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.8 | 48.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.53 | 13.74 | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
01854
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
55435
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: 01854 — Lowell, MA · 55435 — Edina, MN · How this is calculated: methodology