55005 and 55056 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
55005
55056
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 22%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs50 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
56 · Bottom 48%
vs67 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs95 · Top 21%
Access
78 · Bottom 19%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
90 · Top 1%
vs78 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 55005 | 55056 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,376 | 14,753 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $109,107 | $95,679 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,475 | $46,415 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 231/sq mi | 148/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $340,600 | $331,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,810 | $1,314 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 88.5% | 85.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.3% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.1% | 6.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 69 | 88 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 7.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -39.5% | -6.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 1°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 36 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.6 min | 32.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 41.1 | 2024 ACS 5-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
55005
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, inland flooding.
55056
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind.
Full profiles: 55005 — East Bethel, MN · 55056 — North Branch, MN · How this is calculated: methodology