55057 and 55906 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
55057
55906
Opportunity
60 · Top 39%
vs58 · Top 44%
Growth
59 · Top 35%
vs70 · Top 15%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs56 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 33%
vs88 · Top 35%
Schools
74 · Top 21%
vs69 · Top 28%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs96 · Top 36%
Economic stability
66 · Top 38%
vs67 · Top 36%
Measured values
| Metric | 55057 | 55906 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,650 | 20,437 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,622 | $93,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,360 | $53,689 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 206/sq mi | 332/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $363,600 | $377,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,113 | $1,196 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 75.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.5% | 53.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 8.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 28 | 1,215 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.3 | 9.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 133.3% | 156.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.2 | 42.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 59.5% | 52.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 62.1% | 58.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 28.7% | 33.8% | 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
55057
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, tornado.
55906
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 55057 — Northfield, MN · 55906 — Rochester, MN · How this is calculated: methodology