Willmar receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Willmar
St. Cloud
Opportunity
39 · Bottom 16%
vs31 · Bottom 7%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs34 · Bottom 22%
Climate
51 · Bottom 1%
vs51 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 10%
vs68 · Top 39%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs89 · Top 34%
Schools
29 · Bottom 21%
vs21 · Bottom 12%
Access
39 · Bottom 2%
vs56 · Bottom 5%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 39%
vs52 · Bottom 35%
Measured values
| Metric | Willmar | St. Cloud | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,378 | 70,629 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,280 | $61,374 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,826 | $32,108 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,502/sq mi | 1,756/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $198,400 | $225,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $910 | $1,003 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 59.4% | 48.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.7% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 25.3% | 30.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 8 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.4 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.3% | -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 | 28.7" | 28.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 91 mi | 64 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 13.9 min | 20.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 30.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.19 | 14.20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.1% | 26.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 35.5% | 34.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 65.0% | 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
Willmar
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
St. Cloud
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Willmar, MN · St. Cloud, MN · How this is calculated: methodology