Waconia receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Waconia
Brooklyn Park
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Growth
68 · Top 20%
vs29 · Bottom 16%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 11%
vs93 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs92 · Top 28%
Schools
83 · Top 10%
vs22 · Bottom 14%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs92 · Top 48%
Economic stability
84 · Top 3%
vs73 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Waconia | Brooklyn Park | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,434 | 83,876 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,031 | $89,891 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,078 | $38,978 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,394/sq mi | 3,217/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $431,000 | $336,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,330 | $1,325 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.3% | 70.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -2.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.9% | 32.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.1% | 9.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 180 | 110 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 13.4 | 1.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.6% | -42.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.6" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 23.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 35 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.65 | 14.78 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 63.0% | 30.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.9% | 35.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 12.3% | 64.7% | 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
Waconia
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail, tornado.
Brooklyn Park
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Waconia
77
Your Score
75
Area Score
Brooklyn Park
62
Your Score
58
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Waconia, MN · Brooklyn Park, MN · How this is calculated: methodology