Buffalo receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Buffalo
Blaine
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 39%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
71 · Top 15%
vs38 · Bottom 28%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 36%
vs57 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 22%
vs94 · Top 22%
Schools
57 · Top 43%
vs57 · Top 43%
Access
73 · Bottom 15%
vs90 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
70 · Top 30%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Buffalo | Blaine | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,499 | 72,488 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,820 | $106,801 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,807 | $46,842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,126/sq mi | 2,203/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $314,400 | $352,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,182 | $1,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 85.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.0% | 36.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.9% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 107 | 96 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 94.5% | -51.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 37 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.47 | 16.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 54.2% | 50.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.5% | 55.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 27.6% | 39.5% | 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
Buffalo
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Blaine
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Buffalo, MN · Blaine, MN · How this is calculated: methodology