55309 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55005
55309
Opportunity
41 · Bottom 22%
vs47 · Bottom 33%
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
56 · Bottom 48%
vs66 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
78 · Bottom 19%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
90 · Top 1%
vs86 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | 55005 | 55309 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 4,376 | 21,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $109,107 | $121,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,475 | $48,185 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 231/sq mi | 343/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $340,600 | $361,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,810 | $1,408 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 88.5% | 90.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.3% | 31.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.1% | 4.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 69 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -39.5% | -16.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 3°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 28.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 36 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.6 min | 36.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 36.0 | 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.
55309
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: 55005 — East Bethel, MN · 55309 — Big Lake, MN · How this is calculated: methodology