Lakeville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
South St. Paul
Lakeville
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs59 · Top 45%
Growth
17 · Bottom 5%
vs75 · Top 10%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs55 · Bottom 5%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs97 · Top 14%
Schools
22 · Bottom 13%
vs79 · Top 16%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
77 · Top 14%
vs87 · Top 1%
Measured values
| Metric | South St. Paul | Lakeville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,611 | 74,354 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,994 | $139,041 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,011 | $57,291 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,664/sq mi | 2,014/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $281,600 | $452,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,199 | $1,806 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 87.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 50.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 2.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 795 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 10.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 9°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.2" | 31.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 36.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.47 | 17.32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.1% | 62.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 31.0% | 66.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.1% | 21.2% | 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
South St. Paul
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Lakeville
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, heat wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
South St. Paul
62
Your Score
58
Area Score
Lakeville
78
Your Score
75
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South St. Paul, MN · Lakeville, MN · How this is calculated: methodology