Forest Lake and Elk River 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
Forest Lake
Elk River
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 26%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Growth
54 · Top 44%
vs53 · Top 45%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
70 · Top 35%
vs65 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs95 · Top 18%
Access
85 · Bottom 30%
vs74 · Bottom 16%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs83 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Forest Lake | Elk River | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,729 | 26,793 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $92,944 | $108,741 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,249 | $50,113 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 679/sq mi | 633/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $393,500 | $370,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,421 | $1,283 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 72.9% | 79.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.4% | 33.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.0% | 3.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 73 | 109 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 4.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.0% | -14.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.2" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 35 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 29.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 37.2 | 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
Forest Lake
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Elk River
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Forest Lake
67
Your Score
62
Area Score
Elk River
67
Your Score
63
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Forest Lake, MN · Elk River, MN · How this is calculated: methodology