Lakeville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Cambridge
Lakeville
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 5%
vs59 · Top 45%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs75 · Top 10%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 46%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs97 · Top 14%
Schools
59 · Top 40%
vs79 · Top 16%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs87 · Top 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Cambridge | Lakeville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,307 | 74,354 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,154 | $139,041 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,047 | $57,291 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,378/sq mi | 2,014/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $251,600 | $452,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,302 | $1,806 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.8% | 87.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.8% | 50.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 2.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 241 | 795 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 23.4 | 10.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 391.8% | 47.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 4°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.7" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.32 | 17.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 51.5% | 62.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.0% | 66.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.1% | 21.2% | 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
Cambridge
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Lakeville
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, heat wave.
Full profiles: Cambridge, MN · Lakeville, MN · How this is calculated: methodology