55744 and 56401 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
55744
56401
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 11%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Growth
81 · Top 3%
vs66 · Top 21%
Climate
45 · Bottom 1%
vs49 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs71 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs94 · Top 24%
Schools
49 · Bottom 47%
vs63 · Top 35%
Access
54 · Bottom 5%
vs34 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 21%
vs51 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | 55744 | 56401 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,295 | 31,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,644 | $73,128 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,925 | $37,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 85/sq mi | 99/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $241,200 | $261,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,092 | $883 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.9% | 73.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.9% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 184 | 159 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 16.4 | 11.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2200.0% | 28.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | -1°F | 0°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.4" | 24.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 68 mi | 99 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.1 | 40.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.75 | 14.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 47.8% | 57.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 52.7% | 51.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.4% | 42.3% | 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
55744
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
56401
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, tornado.
Full profiles: 55744 — Grand Rapids, MN · 56401 — Brainerd, MN · How this is calculated: methodology