Worcester and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Worcester | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 867,788 | 3,713,668 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $95,939 | $99,833 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $48,914 | $52,840 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 574/sq mi | 527/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $423,700 | $374,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,426 | $1,440 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.8% | 70.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.7% | 45.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,793 | 15,205 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.1 | 4.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.5% | 6.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 31.4 min | 25.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 38.0 | 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
Worcester
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Worcester, MA Metro Area · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology