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
St. Paul
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 25%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Growth
49 · Bottom 48%
vs36 · Bottom 25%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
66 · Top 42%
vs93 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs82 · Top 48%
Schools
63 · Top 35%
vs19 · Bottom 10%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
83 · Top 3%
vs59 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | Big Lake | St. Paul | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,367 | 307,284 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $120,549 | $73,394 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,522 | $42,815 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,710/sq mi | 5,912/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $330,200 | $294,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,340 | $1,281 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.9% | 52.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.8% | 43.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 15.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 437 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.1% | 46.6% | 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" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.8 min | 22.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.5 | 33.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 141 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.88 | 14.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 52.9% | 24.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 57.4% | 34.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 33.1% | 66.4% | 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
Big Lake
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
St. Paul
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Big Lake, MN · St. Paul, MN · How this is calculated: methodology