55024 and 55016 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
55024
55016
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 47%
vs50 · Bottom 40%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs82 · Top 3%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 14%
vs86 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs99 · Top 12%
Schools
50 · Bottom 48%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Access
92 · Bottom 46%
vs94 · Top 46%
Economic stability
90 · Top 1%
vs89 · Top 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 55024 | 55016 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,287 | 40,695 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $127,280 | $120,715 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,167 | $49,566 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 438/sq mi | 1,352/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $378,700 | $377,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,483 | $1,790 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 88.7% | 88.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.5% | 40.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.9% | 4.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 244 | 611 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.2 | 14.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.8% | 114.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 36.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.03 | 17.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 46.2% | 46.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 53.0% | 51.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.9% | 29.0% | 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
55024
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
55016
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: 55024 — Farmington, MN · 55016 — Cottage Grove, MN · How this is calculated: methodology