55077 and 55042 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
55077
55042
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 47%
vs58 · Top 43%
Growth
70 · Top 15%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 14%
vs86 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 49%
vs88 · Top 36%
Schools
55 · Top 46%
vs59 · Top 40%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs92 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
90 · Top 1%
vs76 · Top 18%
Measured values
| Metric | 55077 | 55042 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,503 | 13,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,967 | $154,341 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,862 | $77,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 799/sq mi | 551/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $540,900 | $602,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,506 | $2,407 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.4% | 93.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.5% | 61.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.1% | 4.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 363 | 126 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.1 | 9.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 212.9% | -38.2% | 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 | 29.2" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 41.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.67 | 14.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.4% | 53.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.7% | 49.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.9% | 25.0% | 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
55077
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
55042
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: 55077 — Inver Grove Heights, MN · 55042 — Lake Elmo, MN · How this is calculated: methodology