55362 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55313
55362
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 43%
vs50 · Bottom 40%
Growth
72 · Top 13%
vs77 · Top 7%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 28%
vs90 · Top 32%
Schools
58 · Top 42%
vs75 · Top 20%
Access
74 · Bottom 15%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
77 · Top 17%
vs86 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | 55313 | 55362 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,913 | 20,663 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,455 | $91,832 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,610 | $44,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 231/sq mi | 316/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $345,300 | $350,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,225 | $1,402 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.5% | 73.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.3% | 26.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.5% | 5.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 107 | 82 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 5.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 94.5% | 95.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 3°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 28.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 37 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.5 min | 28.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.0 | 35.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.47 | 14.84 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 54.2% | 58.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.5% | 62.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.6% | 29.3% | 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.
55362
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: 55313 — Buffalo, MN · 55362 — Monticello, MN · How this is calculated: methodology