56401 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
56601
56401
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 8%
vs36 · Bottom 15%
Growth
49 · Bottom 47%
vs66 · Top 21%
Climate
45 · Bottom 1%
vs49 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
67 · Top 39%
vs71 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs94 · Top 24%
Schools
52 · Top 50%
vs63 · Top 35%
Access
11 · Bottom 1%
vs34 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 33%
vs51 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | 56601 | 56401 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,784 | 31,841 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $72,262 | $73,128 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,496 | $37,969 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 94/sq mi | 99/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $260,900 | $261,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,088 | $883 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.2% | 73.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.2% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.1% | 25.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.4% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 43 | 159 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.8 | 11.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 104.8% | 28.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 79°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | -4°F | 0°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 26.5" | 24.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 102 mi | 99 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.9 | 40.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 22 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.16 | 14.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 48.1% | 57.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.7% | 51.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 44.5% | 42.3% | 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
56601
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
56401
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, tornado.
Full profiles: 56601 — Bemidji, MN · 56401 — Brainerd, MN · How this is calculated: methodology