Lake Elmo and Eagan 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
Lake Elmo
Eagan
Opportunity
57 · Top 49%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
60 · Top 32%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 15%
vs88 · Top 14%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs91 · Top 29%
Schools
56 · Top 43%
vs67 · Top 30%
Access
92 · Top 48%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Elmo | Eagan | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,140 | 68,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $153,669 | $108,690 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $76,087 | $57,112 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 595/sq mi | 2,181/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $597,000 | $397,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,407 | $1,679 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 93.5% | 67.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.9% | 54.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.8% | 5.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 126 | 58 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.6 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -38.2% | 45.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.2" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.79 | 15.84 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 53.5% | 54.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.9% | 58.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 25.0% | 27.9% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lake Elmo
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Eagan
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: Lake Elmo, MN · Eagan, MN · How this is calculated: methodology