Forest Lake receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
East Bethel
Forest Lake
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
59 · Top 34%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
80 · Bottom 22%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
80 · Top 8%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | East Bethel | Forest Lake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,115 | 20,729 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $110,000 | $92,944 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,288 | $46,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 272/sq mi | 679/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $363,900 | $393,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,695 | $1,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 92.3% | 72.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 35.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.2% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 69 | 73 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.7 | 3.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -39.5% | 9.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 35.2 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.9 | 39.6 | 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
East Bethel
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, inland flooding.
Forest Lake
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
East Bethel
63
Your Score
58
Area Score
Forest Lake
67
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: East Bethel, MN · Forest Lake, MN · How this is calculated: methodology