55350 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55008
55350
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 11%
vs43 · Bottom 25%
Growth
80 · Top 4%
vs77 · Top 7%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs52 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 45%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs97 · Top 16%
Schools
60 · Top 39%
vs67 · Top 31%
Access
71 · Bottom 12%
vs60 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
66 · Top 37%
vs63 · Top 43%
Measured values
| Metric | 55008 | 55350 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,729 | 18,610 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,513 | $79,123 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,930 | $44,974 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 167/sq mi | 116/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $290,700 | $255,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,325 | $939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 73.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 26.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 241 | 236 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 23.4 | 16.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 391.8% | 1080.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 4°F | 5°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.7" | 29.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 57 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 21.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 42.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.32 | 14.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 51.5% | 53.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.0% | 54.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.1% | 35.3% | 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
55008
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
55350
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 55008 — Cambridge, MN · 55350 — Hutchinson, MN · How this is calculated: methodology