Crystal receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Richfield
Crystal
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 38%
vs49 · Bottom 35%
Growth
40 · Bottom 31%
vs41 · Bottom 33%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 7%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
85 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 19%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs95 · Top 35%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs75 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Richfield | Crystal | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,642 | 22,476 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,132 | $92,513 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,856 | $44,831 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,406/sq mi | 3,885/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $344,000 | $296,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,393 | $1,467 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 76.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.7% | 37.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.2% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 44 | 44 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 2.0 | 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 | 31.6" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 22.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 37.7 | 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
Richfield
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Crystal
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Richfield, MN · Crystal, MN · How this is calculated: methodology