Blackfoot receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Blackfoot
Faribault
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 43%
vs45 · Bottom 27%
Growth
44 · Bottom 39%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs52 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
52 · Bottom 45%
vs51 · Bottom 44%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 37%
vs83 · Top 46%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
57 · Bottom 43%
vs47 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | Blackfoot | Faribault | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,782 | 24,631 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,032 | $61,449 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,259 | $33,225 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,079/sq mi | 1,568/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $262,500 | $241,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $839 | $1,074 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.9% | 66.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.7% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.6% | 16.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 32 | 27 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.5 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -65.6% | 3.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 5°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 11.8" | 35.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 20.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 38.7 | 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
Blackfoot
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Faribault
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, tornado.
Full profiles: Blackfoot, ID · Faribault, MN · How this is calculated: methodology