Hopkins and White Bear Lake receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Hopkins
White Bear Lake
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 30%
vs39 · Bottom 15%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs15 · Bottom 5%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 7%
vs90 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 27%
vs78 · Bottom 45%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
65 · Top 39%
vs70 · Top 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Hopkins | White Bear Lake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,819 | 23,908 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $75,234 | $83,554 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,787 | $46,608 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,635/sq mi | 2,972/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $375,600 | $331,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,468 | $1,601 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 36.5% | 67.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45.6% | 41.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.1% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 7 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -97.7% | -50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.6" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 23.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 41.9 | 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
Hopkins
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
White Bear Lake
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hopkins
63
Your Score
60
Area Score
White Bear Lake
63
Your Score
59
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Hopkins, MN · White Bear Lake, MN · How this is calculated: methodology