Anoka and Forest Park 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
Anoka
Forest Park
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Growth
44 · Bottom 38%
vs51 · Top 50%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs63 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 48%
vs69 · Top 38%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 45%
vs82 · Top 48%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
63 · Top 44%
vs58 · Bottom 45%
Measured values
| Metric | Anoka | Forest Park | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,970 | 13,943 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,948 | $77,221 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,436 | $54,640 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,695/sq mi | 5,805/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $308,700 | $304,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,269 | $1,367 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.9% | 52.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 51.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 15 | 18 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 200.0% | 157.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 34.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 29.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Anoka
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, inland flooding.
Forest Park
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Anoka
61
Your Score
56
Area Score
Forest Park
62
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Anoka, MN · Forest Park, IL · How this is calculated: methodology