Vadnais Heights receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Farmington
Vadnais Heights
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs49 · Bottom 34%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs71 · Top 16%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs93 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs92 · Top 26%
Access
93 · Top 45%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
84 · Top 3%
vs82 · Top 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Farmington | Vadnais Heights | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,902 | 12,838 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $123,673 | $98,685 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,512 | $57,103 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,541/sq mi | 1,842/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $366,200 | $363,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,241 | $1,455 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.5% | 79.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 38.7% | 45.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.1% | 3.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 244 | 250 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 10.2 | 19.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -22.8% | 1370.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.6" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.2 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.4 | 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
Farmington
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Vadnais Heights
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
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Farmington
73
Your Score
69
Area Score
Vadnais Heights
76
Your Score
72
Area Score
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Full profiles: Farmington, MN · Vadnais Heights, MN · How this is calculated: methodology