55330 and 55309 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
55330
55309
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 34%
vs47 · Bottom 33%
Growth
52 · Top 46%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs66 · Top 41%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 17%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
65 · Top 32%
vs65 · Top 33%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs70 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
87 · Top 2%
vs86 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | 55330 | 55309 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,721 | 21,378 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $115,761 | $121,711 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,633 | $48,185 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 429/sq mi | 343/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $382,600 | $361,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,385 | $1,408 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 84.2% | 90.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.9% | 31.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.8% | 4.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.2% | -16.1% | 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 | 35 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 36.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.7 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 25 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.61 | 15.88 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 58.1% | 52.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 62.0% | 57.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 22.9% | 33.1% | 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
55330
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
55309
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: 55330 — Elk River, MN · 55309 — Big Lake, MN · How this is calculated: methodology