Duluth receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Duluth
Hibbing
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 12%
vs20 · Bottom 1%
Growth
33 · Bottom 21%
vs58 · Top 35%
Climate
47 · Bottom 1%
vs41 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
54 · Top 47%
vs43 · Bottom 39%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs64 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 37%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Duluth | Hibbing | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 87,093 | 16,057 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $68,807 | $55,789 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,503 | $34,424 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,215/sq mi | 88/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $242,700 | $130,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,087 | $833 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.4% | 71.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.3% | -3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.0% | 18.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 16.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 153 | 62 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 3.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.5% | 675.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 78°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 2°F | -4°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.2" | 24.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 5 mi | 52 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 17.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.2 | 45.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 18 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.75 | 16.98 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 46.7% | 45.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.5% | 54.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 38.4% | 47.4% | 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.
Full profiles: Duluth, MN · Hibbing, MN · How this is calculated: methodology