55120 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55120
02718
Opportunity
55 · Top 50%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
67 · Top 19%
vs80 · Top 4%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 14%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs84 · Top 44%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs90 · Bottom 41%
Economic stability
89 · Top 1%
vs74 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | 55120 | 02718 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,058 | 6,878 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $116,346 | $109,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $64,902 | $44,958 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 935/sq mi | 668/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $515,600 | $469,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,628 | $1,703 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.3% | 88.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.6% | 28.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.1% | 9.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 150 | 406 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.9 | 6.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2900.0% | 822.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 47.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 33.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 2 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.44 | 13.61 | 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
55120
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
02718
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: 55120 — Mendota Heights, MN · 02718 — Taunton, MA · How this is calculated: methodology