Crystal receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hastings
Crystal
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 33%
vs49 · Bottom 35%
Growth
30 · Bottom 18%
vs41 · Bottom 33%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
86 · Top 15%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs95 · Top 19%
Access
91 · Bottom 48%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
76 · Top 14%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Hastings | Crystal | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,117 | 22,476 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $93,998 | $92,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,593 | $44,831 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,136/sq mi | 3,885/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $322,400 | $296,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,183 | $1,467 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.4% | 76.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.9% | 37.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.4% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -38.1% | 300.0% | 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 | 21 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 22.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.0 | 37.7 | 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
Hastings
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Crystal
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Hastings, MN · Crystal, MN · How this is calculated: methodology