Mankato receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mankato
Vernal
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Growth
75 · Top 10%
vs79 · Top 6%
Climate
53 · Bottom 2%
vs53 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs75 · Top 30%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs90 · Top 32%
Access
62 · Bottom 8%
vs48 · Bottom 3%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 35%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Mankato | Vernal | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,473 | 10,392 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $66,873 | $64,457 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,811 | $27,279 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,287/sq mi | 2,248/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $261,700 | $252,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,132 | $934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 50.0% | 54.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.0% | -7.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.1% | 14.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 17.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 426 | 82 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.4 | 7.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 167.9% | 82.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 6°F | 10°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.9" | 8.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 62 mi | 83 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 15.6 min | 17.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 26.5 | 29.6 | 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
Mankato
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Vernal
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Mankato, MN · Vernal, UT · How this is calculated: methodology