DeForest and Grimes receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
DeForest
Grimes
Opportunity
80 · Top 7%
vs85 · Top 3%
Growth
88 · Top 1%
vs82 · Top 3%
Climate
57 · Bottom 9%
vs59 · Bottom 10%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 9%
vs85 · Top 18%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs93 · Top 45%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs86 · Top 1%
Measured values
| Metric | DeForest | Grimes | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,501 | 16,366 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $106,419 | $120,037 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,093 | $48,382 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,221/sq mi | 1,248/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $359,600 | $304,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,442 | $1,251 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.9% | 70.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 51.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 4.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 613 | 240 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 53.3 | 14.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 101.6% | 62.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 12°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.1" | 36.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.1 min | 20.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 35.4 | 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
DeForest
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Grimes
Elevated or high exposure: drought, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: DeForest, WI · Grimes, IA · How this is calculated: methodology