Sartell receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Sartell
St. Cloud
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 23%
vs31 · Bottom 7%
Growth
55 · Top 42%
vs34 · Bottom 22%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs68 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs89 · Top 34%
Schools
82 · Top 11%
vs21 · Bottom 12%
Access
52 · Bottom 4%
vs56 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
78 · Top 10%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Sartell | St. Cloud | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,758 | 70,629 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,131 | $61,374 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,415 | $32,108 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,891/sq mi | 1,756/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $297,300 | $225,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,275 | $1,003 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.8% | 48.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 40.9% | 30.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 3.4% | -81.5% | 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 | 64 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.5 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.8 | 30.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.68 | 14.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 66.6% | 26.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 65.4% | 34.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 21.6% | 70.6% | 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.
St. Cloud
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Sartell, MN · St. Cloud, MN · How this is calculated: methodology