55376 and 55038 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
55376
55038
Opportunity
57 · Top 45%
vs57 · Top 46%
Growth
75 · Top 9%
vs67 · Top 20%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs78 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs97 · Top 16%
Schools
81 · Top 12%
vs87 · Top 6%
Access
77 · Bottom 18%
vs88 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
93 · Top 1%
vs92 · Top 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 55376 | 55038 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,106 | 25,061 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $131,266 | $130,931 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,317 | $58,634 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 688/sq mi | 496/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $389,200 | $422,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,483 | $1,765 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 90.7% | 91.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.5% | 49.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.7% | 2.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 309 | 151 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 15.4 | 9.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 7.3% | -13.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 32 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.0 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 38.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.93 | 14.84 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 73.2% | 70.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 68.5% | 66.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 18.3% | 21.5% | 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
55376
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
55038
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: 55376 — St. Michael, MN · 55038 — Hugo, MN · How this is calculated: methodology