55902 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55901
55902
Opportunity
58 · Top 44%
vs61 · Top 36%
Growth
70 · Top 15%
vs70 · Top 15%
Climate
54 · Bottom 2%
vs54 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 48%
vs57 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs91 · Top 29%
Schools
37 · Bottom 31%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Access
97 · Top 25%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
74 · Top 22%
vs78 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 55901 | 55902 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 58,495 | 26,464 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,607 | $120,611 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,948 | $87,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,768/sq mi | 643/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $317,000 | $454,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,403 | $1,703 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.3% | 72.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.1% | 65.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 5.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,215 | 1,215 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.9 | 9.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 156.3% | 156.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 17.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 40.3% | 43.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.7% | 47.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.2% | 38.3% | 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
55901
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
55902
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 55901 — Rochester, MN · 55902 — Rochester, MN · How this is calculated: methodology