56073 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
56073
56379
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 38%
vs33 · Bottom 11%
Growth
73 · Top 11%
vs66 · Top 20%
Climate
54 · Bottom 2%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 24%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 12%
vs94 · Top 24%
Schools
44 · Bottom 40%
vs41 · Bottom 36%
Access
50 · Bottom 4%
vs54 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
69 · Top 33%
vs83 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | 56073 | 56379 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,339 | 17,607 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,250 | $76,138 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,912 | $39,718 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 86/sq mi | 197/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $218,700 | $272,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $959 | $993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.9% | 65.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 134 | 97 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.5 | 7.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 570.0% | 385.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 3°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.1" | 28.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 73 mi | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.2 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.21 | 16.91 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.6% | 44.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.7% | 47.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.2% | 35.0% | 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
56073
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
56379
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 56073 — New Ulm, MN · 56379 — Sauk Rapids, MN · How this is calculated: methodology