Big Lake receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Big Lake
Minneapolis
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 25%
vs49 · Bottom 36%
Growth
49 · Bottom 48%
vs33 · Bottom 22%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs78 · Bottom 46%
Schools
63 · Top 35%
vs27 · Bottom 19%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
83 · Top 3%
vs59 · Bottom 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Big Lake | Minneapolis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,367 | 427,246 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $120,549 | $80,846 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,522 | $52,692 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,710/sq mi | 7,912/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $330,200 | $362,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,340 | $1,371 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.9% | 47.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.8% | 55.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 16.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 415 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.1% | 40.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 3°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 28.5" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.8 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.5 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 143 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.88 | 13.23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.9% | 30.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.4% | 37.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 33.1% | 60.7% | 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
Big Lake
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Minneapolis
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Big Lake
66
Your Score
62
Area Score
Minneapolis
61
Your Score
59
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Big Lake, MN · Minneapolis, MN · How this is calculated: methodology