Forest Lake receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
North Branch
Forest Lake
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 15%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
64 · Top 26%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
50 · Bottom 1%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs70 · Top 35%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
74 · Bottom 16%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs74 · Top 20%
Measured values
| Metric | North Branch | Forest Lake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,565 | 20,729 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $90,456 | $92,944 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,387 | $46,249 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 310/sq mi | 679/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $322,300 | $393,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,308 | $1,421 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 82.1% | 72.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.4% | 35.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 88 | 73 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.6 | 3.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -6.4% | 9.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 1°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.8" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 45 mi | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.5 | 39.6 | 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
North Branch
Elevated or high exposure: hail, strong wind.
Forest Lake
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
North Branch
64
Your Score
60
Area Score
Forest Lake
67
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: North Branch, MN · Forest Lake, MN · How this is calculated: methodology