Signals
Waconia
Gages Lake
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs59 · Top 45%
Climate
54 · Bottom 4%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
90 · Top 11%
vs80 · Top 23%
Housing affordability
90 · Top 32%
vs96 · Top 17%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs88 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
84 · Top 3%
vs78 · Top 11%
Measured values
| Metric | Waconia | Gages Lake | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,434 | 10,819 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $111,031 | $103,318 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,078 | $48,915 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,394/sq mi | 3,635/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $431,000 | $310,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,330 | $1,693 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.3% | 83.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.9% | 42.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.1% | 7.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 84°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 8°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.6" | 35.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.0 min | 28.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.4 | 39.8 | 2024 ACS 5-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.
Gages Lake
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Your best match
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Waconia
77
Your Score
75
Area Score
Gages Lake
77
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: Waconia, MN · Gages Lake, IL · How this is calculated: methodology