Woodbury receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Anoka
Woodbury
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs60 · Top 41%
Growth
44 · Bottom 38%
vs43 · Bottom 38%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 48%
vs87 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 45%
vs93 · Top 26%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs94 · Top 43%
Economic stability
63 · Top 44%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Anoka | Woodbury | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,970 | 78,305 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,948 | $125,310 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,436 | $60,068 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,695/sq mi | 2,244/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $308,700 | $450,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,269 | $1,908 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.9% | 77.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.6% | 61.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 5.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 15 | 244 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 200.0% | -70.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 25.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 38.0 | 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.
Woodbury
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: Anoka, MN · Woodbury, MN · How this is calculated: methodology