Rochester receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Greeley
Rochester
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 44%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
75 · Top 11%
vs72 · Top 15%
Climate
55 · Bottom 12%
vs54 · Bottom 8%
Physical resilience
62 · Top 43%
vs55 · Top 50%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 18%
vs96 · Top 44%
Access
96 · Top 13%
vs99 · Top 4%
Economic stability
93 · Top 2%
vs94 · Top 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Greeley | Rochester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 350,396 | 228,522 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,097 | $91,882 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,312 | $50,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 88/sq mi | 92/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $471,700 | $306,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,539 | $1,276 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.0% | 74.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.4% | -2.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.2% | 43.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.6% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,088 | 1,495 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.8 | 6.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -0.6% | 86.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 14°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 13.4" | 34.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 15 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.1 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 38.9 | 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
Greeley
Elevated or high exposure: hail, cold wave, tornado.
Rochester
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Greeley, CO Metro Area · Rochester, MN Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology