Albert Lea receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
St. Cloud
Albert Lea
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 7%
vs31 · Bottom 7%
Growth
34 · Bottom 22%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs53 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
68 · Top 39%
vs70 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
21 · Bottom 12%
vs26 · Bottom 18%
Access
56 · Bottom 5%
vs74 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
52 · Bottom 35%
vs45 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | St. Cloud | Albert Lea | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 70,629 | 18,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,374 | $64,603 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,108 | $39,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,756/sq mi | 1,380/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $225,000 | $157,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,003 | $857 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 48.6% | 74.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.0% | -2.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.4% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.2% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 70 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -81.5% | 200.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 3°F | 6°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 28.5" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.8 min | 19.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 30.6 | 44.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 20 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.20 | 14.59 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 26.6% | 33.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.4% | 37.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.6% | 57.8% | 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
St. Cloud
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Albert Lea
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado, cold wave.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
St. Cloud
50
Your Score
48
Area Score
Albert Lea
54
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: St. Cloud, MN · Albert Lea, MN · How this is calculated: methodology