Bloomington vs Minnetonka

Which is the better fit for you?

Bloomington, MN
56
Area Score
Bottom 41% nationally
Minnetonka, MN
66
Area Score
Top 26% nationally

Want a third or fourth place beside these? Open them in the shortlist and add more.

Minnetonka receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.

If you are moving

What the difference in prices, rent, homes and weather comes to, using the published figures for the two places. Add your income to see what it would take to keep pace.

Moving from Bloomington to Minnetonka

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Everyday prices
About the same
Regional price level 104.3 against 104.3 (US = 100). Both places sit in the same price region, so the index cannot tell them apart.
Income to keep the same purchasing power
Enter your household income to see it.
A new two-bedroom lease
The same
HUD benchmarks it at $1,709 in Minnetonka against $1,709 in Bloomington.
The median home
32% more
$475,800 in Minnetonka against $361,700 in Bloomington.
The weather you would swap
Winters 1°F colder
Normal January lows are 8°F in Minnetonka against 9°F in Bloomington; July highs are 84°F against 83°F (summers 1°F hotter).

These are differences between published figures, not a forecast of your budget. Income and sales taxes, commuting, schools, insurance and the job you would actually get are not in them, and a price index describes a metropolitan area, so two places in one metro read the same. HUD’s rent is a benchmark for a new lease, not a listing.

Signals

Bloomington
Minnetonka
Opportunity: Minnetonka is the more favorable of the two.
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 34%
vs
54 · Bottom 44%
Growth: Minnetonka is the more favorable of the two.
Growth
8 · Bottom 1%
vs
28 · Bottom 12%
Climate: Bloomington is the more favorable of the two.
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs
54 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 7%
vs
93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability: Bloomington is the more favorable of the two.
Housing affordability
74 · Top 28%
vs
73 · Top 31%
Schools: Minnetonka is the more favorable of the two.
Schools
32 · Bottom 27%
vs
78 · Top 15%
Access: Bloomington is the more favorable of the two.
Access
97 · Top 31%
vs
96 · Top 36%
Economic stability: Minnetonka is the more favorable of the two.
Economic stability
69 · Top 27%
vs
75 · Top 13%

Measured values

MetricBloomingtonMinnetonkaSource period
Population88,66553,0642024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income$93,211$119,517 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income$52,173$75,502 — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Population density2,555/sq mi1,971/sq mi2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value$361,700$475,8002024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent$1,561 — more favorable$1,7792024 ACS 5-Year
Market rent, two bedroom$1,709$1,709FY2026
Cost of living index104.3104.32023
Homeownership rate65.7%71.6%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment rate4.4%4.2% — more favorableJuly 2026
Employment change (year over year)−2.1%−2.1%July 2026
Bachelor's degree or higher46.2%65.0% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate8.4%5.8% — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units permitted (12 months)48112 months ending July 2026
Permits per 1,000 residents0.01.5 — more favorable12 months ending July 2026
Permit change (year over year)−98.8%−81.5%12 months ending July 2026
Average July high83°F84°F1991-2020 Normals
Average January low9°F8°F1991-2020 Normals
Annual precipitation31.6"30.6"1991-2020 Normals
Distance to major airport6 mi — more favorable12 miNASR current cycle
Average commute22.4 min20.9 min — more favorable2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age41.142.92024 ACS 5-Year
Public schools23302024-25 school year
Students per teacher15.815.1 — more favorable2024-25 school year
Math proficiency48.2%64.2% — more favorable2018-19 school year
Reading proficiency52.8%70.3% — more favorable2018-19 school year
Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility48.8%26.4%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.

The number of units permitted is not marked because the larger place always permits more; the per-resident rate is the fair comparison. The year-over-year change is not marked either: a percentage on fewer than 300 units swings on a handful of permits.

Physical risk tradeoff

Bloomington

Elevated or high exposure: hail.

Minnetonka

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.

Bloomington
—
Bloomington: Your Score
56
Area Score
Minnetonka
—
Minnetonka: Your Score
66
Area Score

Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.

Full profiles: Bloomington, MN · Minnetonka, MN · How this is calculated: methodology