55313 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55056
55313
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 19%
vs51 · Bottom 43%
Growth
64 · Top 26%
vs72 · Top 13%
Climate
50 · Bottom 1%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 39%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 21%
vs92 · Top 28%
Schools
53 · Top 49%
vs58 · Top 42%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs74 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
78 · Top 15%
vs77 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | 55056 | 55313 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,753 | 24,913 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,679 | $92,455 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,415 | $42,610 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 148/sq mi | 231/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $331,300 | $345,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,314 | $1,225 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 85.1% | 79.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 31.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.8% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 88 | 107 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.6 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.4% | 94.5% | 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 | 37 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.8 min | 30.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.58 | 18.47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.4% | 54.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.1% | 54.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 30.0% | 27.6% | 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.
55313
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: 55056 — North Branch, MN · 55313 — Buffalo, MN · How this is calculated: methodology