55306 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55306
55422
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 40%
vs51 · Bottom 42%
Growth
30 · Bottom 17%
vs30 · Bottom 17%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 14%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 35%
vs87 · Top 37%
Access
96 · Top 34%
vs96 · Top 33%
Economic stability
65 · Top 41%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | 55306 | 55422 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,830 | 28,452 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $100,515 | $93,914 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,349 | $55,989 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,706/sq mi | 3,354/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $374,700 | $325,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,622 | $1,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 74.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 42.2% | 45.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 122 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.9 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -44.8% | 250.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 11 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 22.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.2 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.69 | 14.25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 98.1% | 49.2% | 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
55306
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
55422
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: 55306 — Burnsville, MN · 55422 — Golden Valley, MN · How this is calculated: methodology