55056 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
56379
55056
Opportunity
33 · Bottom 11%
vs39 · Bottom 19%
Growth
66 · Top 20%
vs64 · Top 26%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs50 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs67 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 24%
vs95 · Top 21%
Schools
41 · Bottom 36%
vs53 · Top 49%
Access
54 · Bottom 5%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
83 · Top 8%
vs78 · Top 15%
Measured values
| Metric | 56379 | 55056 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,607 | 14,753 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $76,138 | $95,679 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,718 | $46,415 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 197/sq mi | 148/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $272,400 | $331,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $993 | $1,314 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.7% | 85.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.4% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.7% | 6.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 97 | 88 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.0 | 7.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 385.0% | -6.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 3°F | 1°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 28.5" | 33.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 67 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 32.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.5 | 41.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.91 | 17.58 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 44.1% | 52.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.9% | 51.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.0% | 30.0% | 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
56379
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
55056
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind.
Full profiles: 56379 — Sauk Rapids, MN · 55056 — North Branch, MN · How this is calculated: methodology