Blaine receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fridley
Blaine
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 16%
vs50 · Bottom 37%
Growth
33 · Bottom 22%
vs38 · Bottom 28%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs57 · Bottom 48%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs94 · Top 22%
Schools
22 · Bottom 13%
vs57 · Top 43%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs90 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
63 · Top 44%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Fridley | Blaine | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 30,241 | 72,488 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,680 | $106,801 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,100 | $46,842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,975/sq mi | 2,203/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $302,900 | $352,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,326 | $1,705 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.0% | 85.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 36.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.9% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 96 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -51.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.7 | 37.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 21 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.79 | 16.42 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 31.3% | 50.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 32.9% | 55.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.1% | 39.5% | 2024-25 school 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
Fridley
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, inland flooding.
Blaine
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Fridley, MN · Blaine, MN · How this is calculated: methodology