Blackfoot receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Faribault
Blackfoot
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 27%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
51 · Top 49%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
52 · Bottom 2%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
51 · Bottom 44%
vs52 · Bottom 45%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs88 · Top 37%
Access
78 · Bottom 19%
vs86 · Bottom 31%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 27%
vs57 · Bottom 43%
Measured values
| Metric | Faribault | Blackfoot | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 24,631 | 12,782 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,449 | $64,032 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,225 | $28,259 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,568/sq mi | 2,079/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $241,500 | $262,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,074 | $839 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.1% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.1% | -2.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.6% | 24.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 27 | 32 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 2.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3.8% | -65.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 5°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.5" | 11.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 23.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 34.7 | 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
Faribault
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, tornado.
Blackfoot
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, heat wave.
Full profiles: Faribault, MN · Blackfoot, ID · How this is calculated: methodology