56007 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
56007
56187
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 9%
vs27 · Bottom 6%
Growth
34 · Bottom 23%
vs26 · Bottom 12%
Climate
53 · Bottom 2%
vs53 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs60 · Top 48%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs95 · Top 20%
Schools
33 · Bottom 26%
vs24 · Bottom 15%
Access
75 · Bottom 16%
vs64 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 29%
vs44 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | 56007 | 56187 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,377 | 15,214 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,846 | $64,326 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,953 | $29,235 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 126/sq mi | 90/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $166,900 | $219,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $855 | $925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.7% | 69.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.5% | -2.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.2% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 6 | 11 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 200.0% | -87.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 6°F | 5°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.8" | 30.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 45 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 18.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.3 | 34.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.59 | 13.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 33.0% | 21.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.7% | 30.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 57.8% | 67.6% | 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
56007
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, cold wave.
56187
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: 56007 — Albert Lea, MN · 56187 — Worthington, MN · How this is calculated: methodology