55056 and 55011 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
55056
55011
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 19%
vs45 · Bottom 30%
Growth
64 · Top 26%
vs59 · Top 35%
Climate
50 · Bottom 1%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 39%
vs56 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 21%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools
53 · Top 49%
vs41 · Bottom 37%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs81 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
78 · Top 15%
vs86 · Top 4%
Measured values
| Metric | 55056 | 55011 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,753 | 11,482 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,679 | $121,434 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,415 | $47,106 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 148/sq mi | 250/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $331,300 | $405,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,314 | $1,869 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 85.1% | 95.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 25.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.8% | 2.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 88 | 69 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.6 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.4% | -39.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 1°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 45 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 38.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 40.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.58 | 13.24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.4% | 37.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.1% | 44.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 30.0% | 42.7% | 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
55056
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind.
55011
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 55056 — North Branch, MN · 55011 — East Bethel, MN · How this is calculated: methodology