Elk River and Forest Lake 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
Elk River
Forest Lake
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 27%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 44%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 18%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
83 · Top 3%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Elk River | Forest Lake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,793 | 20,729 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,741 | $92,944 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,113 | $46,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 633/sq mi | 679/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $370,100 | $393,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,283 | $1,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.2% | 72.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.8% | 35.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.4% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 73 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 3.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -14.2% | 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 | 35 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.9 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 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
Elk River
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
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.
Elk River
67
Your Score
63
Area Score
Forest Lake
67
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Elk River, MN · Forest Lake, MN · How this is calculated: methodology