Plymouth receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Cambridge
Plymouth
Opportunity
29 · Bottom 5%
vs57 · Top 49%
Growth
79 · Top 6%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 46%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
82 · Top 47%
vs93 · Top 24%
Schools
59 · Top 40%
vs87 · Top 6%
Access
71 · Bottom 13%
vs93 · Top 44%
Economic stability
61 · Top 48%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Cambridge | Plymouth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,307 | 79,220 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,154 | $136,534 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,047 | $71,865 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,378/sq mi | 2,422/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $251,600 | $491,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,302 | $1,766 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.8% | 75.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.8% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 4.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 241 | 457 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 23.4 | 5.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 391.8% | 0.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 4°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.7" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.1 min | 23.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 40.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.32 | 16.45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 51.5% | 71.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.0% | 72.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 34.1% | 24.4% | 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
Cambridge
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Plymouth
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Cambridge, MN · Plymouth, MN · How this is calculated: methodology