55379 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55902
55379
Opportunity
61 · Top 36%
vs61 · Top 38%
Growth
70 · Top 15%
vs67 · Top 20%
Climate
54 · Bottom 2%
vs54 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 48%
vs67 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs94 · Top 24%
Schools
46 · Bottom 42%
vs55 · Top 45%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs92 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
78 · Top 15%
vs83 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 55902 | 55379 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,464 | 50,041 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $120,611 | $106,312 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $87,594 | $47,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 643/sq mi | 865/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $454,800 | $379,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,703 | $1,568 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.4% | 74.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.5% | 40.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.0% | 6.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,215 | 341 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.9 | 7.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 156.3% | 3.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 8°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 30.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.6 min | 24.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.57 | 15.72 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.8% | 46.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.9% | 55.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.3% | 40.2% | 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
55902
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
55379
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, hail.
Full profiles: 55902 — Rochester, MN · 55379 — Shakopee, MN · How this is calculated: methodology