New Hope receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
New Hope
Richfield
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 29%
vs50 · Bottom 38%
Growth
42 · Bottom 35%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 7%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
79 · Bottom 47%
vs85 · Top 43%
Access
95 · Top 37%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
69 · Top 31%
vs73 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | New Hope | Richfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,181 | 36,642 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,662 | $85,132 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,928 | $47,856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,188/sq mi | 5,406/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $337,000 | $344,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,335 | $1,393 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 52.6% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.1% | 43.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.7% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 10 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.7" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 3 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.0 min | 24.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 39.4 | 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
New Hope
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Richfield
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: New Hope, MN · Richfield, MN · How this is calculated: methodology