55426 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55426
55124
Opportunity
60 · Top 39%
vs47 · Bottom 34%
Growth
66 · Top 22%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 7%
vs87 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs84 · Top 45%
Schools
47 · Bottom 44%
vs45 · Bottom 42%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs97 · Top 32%
Economic stability
78 · Top 14%
vs81 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | 55426 | 55124 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,251 | 55,658 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $99,347 | $97,727 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $58,202 | $50,389 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,813/sq mi | 3,300/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $364,600 | $370,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,539 | $1,736 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.3% | 73.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.9% | 45.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 6.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 613 | 399 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.4 | 7.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 20333.3% | 1325.0% | 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" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.97 | 15.73 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 46.6% | 43.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 53.0% | 52.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.7% | 36.0% | 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
55426
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
55124
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: 55426 — St. Louis Park, MN · 55124 — Apple Valley, MN · How this is calculated: methodology