Duluth receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hibbing
Duluth
Opportunity
20 · Bottom 1%
vs36 · Bottom 12%
Growth
58 · Top 35%
vs33 · Bottom 21%
Climate
41 · Bottom 1%
vs47 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 7%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs92 · Top 27%
Schools
43 · Bottom 39%
vs54 · Top 47%
Access
64 · Bottom 8%
vs90 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 20%
vs54 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Hibbing | Duluth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,057 | 87,093 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,789 | $68,807 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,424 | $41,503 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 88/sq mi | 1,215/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $130,200 | $242,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $833 | $1,087 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.1% | 59.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.3% | -3.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.6% | 44.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.2% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 62 | 153 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.9 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 675.0% | -27.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 78°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | -4°F | 2°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.8" | 31.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 52 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.9 min | 18.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.7 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.98 | 14.75 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.0% | 46.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.3% | 54.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 47.4% | 38.4% | 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.
Full profiles: Hibbing, MN · Duluth, MN · How this is calculated: methodology