Plymouth receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Lake Elmo
Plymouth
Opportunity
57 · Top 49%
vs57 · Top 49%
Growth
60 · Top 32%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
87 · Top 15%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
88 · Top 36%
vs93 · Top 24%
Schools
56 · Top 43%
vs87 · Top 6%
Access
92 · Top 48%
vs93 · Top 44%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs81 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Lake Elmo | Plymouth | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,140 | 79,220 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $153,669 | $136,534 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $76,087 | $71,865 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 595/sq mi | 2,422/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $597,000 | $491,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,407 | $1,766 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 93.5% | 75.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.9% | 65.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.8% | 4.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 126 | 457 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.6 | 5.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -38.2% | 0.7% | 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 | 17 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 23.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 40.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.79 | 16.45 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 53.5% | 71.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 49.9% | 72.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 25.0% | 24.4% | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lake Elmo
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Plymouth
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Lake Elmo, MN · Plymouth, MN · How this is calculated: methodology