Chubbuck receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Rochester
Chubbuck
Opportunity
56 · Bottom 49%
vs46 · Bottom 28%
Growth
69 · Top 18%
vs67 · Top 20%
Climate
54 · Bottom 3%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
57 · Bottom 49%
vs62 · Top 47%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 25%
vs87 · Top 38%
Access
98 · Top 19%
vs98 · Top 19%
Economic stability
69 · Top 31%
vs72 · Top 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Rochester | Chubbuck | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 122,330 | 16,126 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,389 | $82,977 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,671 | $34,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,159/sq mi | 2,291/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $310,500 | $341,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,399 | $1,048 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.1% | 72.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -3.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.9% | 27.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 6.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,215 | 114 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.9 | 7.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 156.3% | 21.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 7°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.7" | 11.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.0 min | 18.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.3 | 35.9 | 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.
Chubbuck
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire, earthquake.
Full profiles: Rochester, MN · Chubbuck, ID · How this is calculated: methodology