55435 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55435
01854
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 42%
vs45 · Bottom 29%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs60 · Top 33%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 7%
vs88 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
62 · Bottom 25%
vs59 · Bottom 21%
Access
97 · Top 32%
vs93 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 40%
vs53 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | 55435 | 01854 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,192 | 30,081 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,884 | $72,709 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $60,475 | $34,471 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,774/sq mi | 7,596/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $361,300 | $412,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,816 | $1,487 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 47.6% | 37.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.6% | 31.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.0% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 197 | 229 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 1.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 212.7% | 34.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 40.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 30.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 48.3 | 32.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.74 | 12.53 | 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
55435
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
01854
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: 55435 — Edina, MN · 01854 — Lowell, MA · How this is calculated: methodology