Sartell and Big Lake receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Sartell
Big Lake
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs45 · Bottom 25%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs49 · Bottom 48%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs66 · Top 42%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
82 · Top 11%
vs63 · Top 35%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs71 · Bottom 13%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs83 · Top 3%
Measured values
| Metric | Sartell | Big Lake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,758 | 12,367 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,131 | $120,549 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,415 | $42,522 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,891/sq mi | 1,710/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $297,300 | $330,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,275 | $1,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.8% | 86.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.9% | 26.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 5.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 26 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3.4% | -16.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 3°F | 3°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 28.5" | 28.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 70 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 35.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.8 | 32.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.68 | 15.88 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 66.6% | 52.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 65.4% | 57.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 21.6% | 33.1% | 2024-25 school 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
Sartell
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Big Lake
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: Sartell, MN · Big Lake, MN · How this is calculated: methodology