55350 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55350
55008
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 25%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Growth
77 · Top 7%
vs80 · Top 4%
Climate
52 · Bottom 2%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs62 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 16%
vs93 · Top 25%
Schools
67 · Top 31%
vs60 · Top 39%
Access
60 · Bottom 7%
vs71 · Bottom 12%
Economic stability
63 · Top 43%
vs66 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | 55350 | 55008 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,610 | 16,729 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,123 | $84,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,974 | $39,930 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 116/sq mi | 167/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $255,500 | $290,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $939 | $1,325 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.2% | 75.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 8.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 236 | 241 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.1 | 23.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1080.0% | 391.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 5°F | 4°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.8" | 29.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 48 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 33.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 40.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.17 | 18.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 53.9% | 51.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.6% | 59.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.3% | 34.1% | 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
55350
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
55008
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: 55350 — Hutchinson, MN · 55008 — Cambridge, MN · How this is calculated: methodology