Midland receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rochester
Midland
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs82 · Top 6%
Growth
72 · Top 15%
vs68 · Top 23%
Climate
54 · Bottom 8%
vs63 · Bottom 39%
Physical resilience
55 · Top 50%
vs60 · Top 45%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 44%
vs96 · Top 45%
Access
99 · Top 4%
vs93 · Top 19%
Economic stability
94 · Top 2%
vs84 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Rochester | Midland | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 228,522 | 180,019 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,882 | $92,952 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $50,884 | $49,552 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 92/sq mi | 99/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $306,500 | $309,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,276 | $1,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.3% | 67.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.5% | 0.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.0% | 30.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.5% | 11.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,495 | 917 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 6.5 | 5.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 86.4% | -41.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 96°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 13.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.9 | 32.9 | 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.
Midland
Elevated or high exposure: hail, wildfire, drought.
Full profiles: Rochester, MN Metro Area · Midland, TX Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology