55387 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55387
55038
Opportunity
63 · Top 32%
vs57 · Top 46%
Growth
68 · Top 18%
vs67 · Top 20%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 10%
vs78 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 31%
vs97 · Top 16%
Schools
81 · Top 12%
vs87 · Top 6%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs88 · Bottom 35%
Economic stability
88 · Top 2%
vs92 · Top 1%
Measured values
| Metric | 55387 | 55038 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,030 | 25,061 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $114,511 | $130,931 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,619 | $58,634 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 477/sq mi | 496/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $440,300 | $422,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,330 | $1,765 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.2% | 91.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.4% | 49.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.9% | 2.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 180 | 151 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 9.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.6% | -13.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.6" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 29.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.3 | 38.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.65 | 14.84 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 63.0% | 70.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.9% | 66.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 12.3% | 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
55387
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, tornado.
55038
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: 55387 — Waconia, MN · 55038 — Hugo, MN · How this is calculated: methodology