56401 and 55744 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
56401
55744
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 15%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Growth
66 · Top 21%
vs81 · Top 3%
Climate
49 · Bottom 1%
vs45 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
71 · Top 34%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 24%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
63 · Top 35%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Access
34 · Bottom 1%
vs54 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
51 · Bottom 34%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | 56401 | 55744 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,841 | 20,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,128 | $70,644 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,969 | $37,925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 99/sq mi | 85/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $261,600 | $241,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $883 | $1,092 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.6% | 76.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.4% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.1% | 10.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 159 | 184 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.0 | 16.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 28.2% | 2200.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 0°F | -1°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.5" | 29.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 99 mi | 68 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.2 min | 21.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.4 | 47.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.86 | 17.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 57.9% | 47.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.8% | 52.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.3% | 42.4% | 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
56401
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, tornado.
55744
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 56401 — Brainerd, MN · 55744 — Grand Rapids, MN · How this is calculated: methodology