56007 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
56301
56007
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 12%
vs30 · Bottom 9%
Growth
32 · Bottom 20%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs53 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 38%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
28 · Bottom 21%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Access
56 · Bottom 5%
vs75 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 39%
vs47 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 56301 | 56007 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,580 | 21,377 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,142 | $68,846 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,316 | $39,953 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 465/sq mi | 126/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $288,600 | $166,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,151 | $855 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.9% | 76.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 18.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 11.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 70 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -81.5% | 200.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 3°F | 6°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 28.5" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 65 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 27.1 | 44.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.02 | 14.59 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 29.2% | 33.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.3% | 37.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.2% | 57.8% | 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
56301
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
56007
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, cold wave.
Full profiles: 56301 — St. Cloud, MN · 56007 — Albert Lea, MN · How this is calculated: methodology