55120 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55077
55120
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 47%
vs55 · Top 50%
Growth
70 · Top 15%
vs67 · Top 19%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 14%
vs87 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 49%
vs84 · Top 44%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
90 · Top 1%
vs89 · Top 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 55077 | 55120 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,503 | 5,058 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,967 | $116,346 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,862 | $64,902 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 799/sq mi | 935/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $540,900 | $515,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,506 | $1,628 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.4% | 61.3% | 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% | 57.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.1% | 3.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 363 | 150 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.1 | 12.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 212.9% | 2900.0% | 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" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.8 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 1 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.67 | 17.44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.9% | 41.1% | 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.
55120
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: 55077 — Inver Grove Heights, MN · 55120 — Mendota Heights, MN · How this is calculated: methodology