55306 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
02302
55306
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 30%
vs50 · Bottom 40%
Growth
32 · Bottom 21%
vs30 · Bottom 17%
Climate
62 · Bottom 25%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs87 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
76 · Bottom 44%
vs89 · Top 35%
Access
93 · Top 48%
vs96 · Top 34%
Economic stability
73 · Top 25%
vs65 · Top 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 02302 | 55306 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,417 | 16,830 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,274 | $100,515 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,492 | $48,349 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,100/sq mi | 2,706/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $424,800 | $374,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,570 | $1,622 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.2% | 66.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.7% | 42.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.5% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 41 | 122 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.9% | -44.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.3" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 19 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.9 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.5 | 36.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.75 | 16.69 | 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
02302
Elevated or high exposure: coastal flooding, hurricane.
55306
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: 02302 — Brockton, MA · 55306 — Burnsville, MN · How this is calculated: methodology