55362 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55008
55362
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 11%
vs50 · Bottom 40%
Growth
80 · Top 4%
vs77 · Top 7%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 45%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
60 · Top 39%
vs75 · Top 20%
Access
71 · Bottom 12%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
66 · Top 37%
vs86 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | 55008 | 55362 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,729 | 20,663 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,513 | $91,832 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,930 | $44,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 167/sq mi | 316/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $290,700 | $350,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,325 | $1,402 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.7% | 73.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.4% | 26.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 5.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 241 | 82 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 23.4 | 5.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 391.8% | 95.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 4°F | 3°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.7" | 28.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 48 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 33.2 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.32 | 14.84 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 51.5% | 58.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.0% | 62.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.1% | 29.3% | 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.
55362
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: 55008 — Cambridge, MN · 55362 — Monticello, MN · How this is calculated: methodology