56501 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
56501
55744
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 41%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Growth
63 · Top 26%
vs81 · Top 3%
Climate
45 · Bottom 1%
vs45 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 14%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 45%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
49 · Bottom 46%
vs49 · Bottom 47%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs54 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
40 · Bottom 20%
vs42 · Bottom 21%
Measured values
| Metric | 56501 | 55744 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,004 | 20,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,037 | $70,644 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,609 | $37,925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 96/sq mi | 85/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $314,700 | $241,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $963 | $1,092 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.5% | 76.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 29.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.7% | 10.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 49 | 184 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.9 | 16.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 58.1% | 2200.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | -4°F | -1°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.5" | 29.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 68 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 21.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.5 | 47.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.26 | 17.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 46.1% | 47.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 47.9% | 52.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.0% | 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
56501
Elevated or high exposure: winter weather, tornado, strong wind.
55744
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 56501 — Detroit Lakes, MN · 55744 — Grand Rapids, MN · How this is calculated: methodology