56201 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
56201
56301
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 21%
vs33 · Bottom 12%
Growth
34 · Bottom 24%
vs32 · Bottom 20%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 9%
vs68 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs87 · Top 38%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs28 · Bottom 21%
Access
39 · Bottom 2%
vs56 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 45%
vs54 · Bottom 39%
Measured values
| Metric | 56201 | 56301 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,146 | 35,580 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,804 | $73,142 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,913 | $34,316 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 213/sq mi | 465/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $216,300 | $288,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $1,151 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.9% | 50.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.8% | 32.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.9% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.3% | -81.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 3°F | 3°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 28.7" | 28.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 90 mi | 65 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 14.5 min | 20.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 27.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.19 | 15.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.1% | 29.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 35.5% | 37.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 65.0% | 68.2% | 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
56201
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
56301
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 56201 — Willmar, MN · 56301 — St. Cloud, MN · How this is calculated: methodology