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
56073
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 25%
vs49 · Bottom 38%
Growth
77 · Top 7%
vs73 · Top 11%
Climate
52 · Bottom 2%
vs54 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 13%
vs80 · Top 24%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 16%
vs99 · Top 12%
Schools
67 · Top 31%
vs44 · Bottom 40%
Access
60 · Bottom 7%
vs50 · Bottom 4%
Economic stability
63 · Top 43%
vs69 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | 55350 | 56073 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,610 | 17,339 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,123 | $70,250 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,974 | $37,912 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 116/sq mi | 86/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $255,500 | $218,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $939 | $959 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.2% | 77.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 236 | 134 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.1 | 9.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1080.0% | 570.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 5°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.8" | 31.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 73 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.1 min | 15.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.17 | 14.47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 53.9% | 43.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.6% | 45.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.3% | 32.2% | 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
55350
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
56073
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 55350 — Hutchinson, MN · 56073 — New Ulm, MN · How this is calculated: methodology