Stillwater receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Golden Valley
Stillwater
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 43%
vs54 · Bottom 45%
Growth
31 · Bottom 19%
vs28 · Bottom 15%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 7%
vs87 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 42%
vs89 · Top 34%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs89 · Bottom 39%
Economic stability
63 · Top 45%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Golden Valley | Stillwater | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,725 | 19,355 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $108,772 | $105,853 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $68,225 | $57,943 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,129/sq mi | 2,405/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $431,400 | $414,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,785 | $1,622 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 76.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 60.0% | 51.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.1% | 7.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.3 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 250.0% | 0.0% | 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 | 10 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.2 | 42.5 | 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
Golden Valley
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Stillwater
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.
Golden Valley
63
Your Score
60
Area Score
Stillwater
67
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Golden Valley, MN · Stillwater, MN · How this is calculated: methodology