Rochester receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rochester
Greeley
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs52 · Bottom 44%
Growth
72 · Top 15%
vs75 · Top 11%
Climate
54 · Bottom 8%
vs55 · Bottom 12%
Physical resilience
55 · Top 50%
vs62 · Top 43%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 44%
vs77 · Bottom 18%
Access
99 · Top 4%
vs96 · Top 13%
Economic stability
94 · Top 2%
vs93 · Top 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Rochester | Greeley | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 228,522 | 350,396 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,882 | $97,097 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,884 | $43,312 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 92/sq mi | 88/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $306,500 | $471,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,276 | $1,539 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 76.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.5% | -2.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.0% | 33.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.5% | 9.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,495 | 3,088 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 8.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 86.4% | -0.6% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 14°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 13.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 30.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 35.3 | 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
Rochester
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, inland flooding.
Greeley
Elevated or high exposure: hail, cold wave, tornado.
Full profiles: Rochester, MN Metro Area · Greeley, CO Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology