55313 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55313
55056
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 43%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Growth
72 · Top 13%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs50 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs67 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs95 · Top 21%
Schools
58 · Top 42%
vs53 · Top 49%
Access
74 · Bottom 15%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
77 · Top 17%
vs78 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 55313 | 55056 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,913 | 14,753 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,455 | $95,679 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,610 | $46,415 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 231/sq mi | 148/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $345,300 | $331,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,225 | $1,314 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.5% | 85.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.3% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.5% | 6.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 107 | 88 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 7.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 94.5% | -6.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 1°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 37 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 32.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 41.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.47 | 17.58 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 54.2% | 52.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.5% | 51.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.6% | 30.0% | 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
55313
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
55056
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind.
Full profiles: 55313 — Buffalo, MN · 55056 — North Branch, MN · How this is calculated: methodology