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
Worthington
Albert Lea
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 5%
vs31 · Bottom 7%
Growth
28 · Bottom 15%
vs35 · Bottom 25%
Climate
53 · Bottom 2%
vs53 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 49%
vs70 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
18 · Bottom 8%
vs26 · Bottom 18%
Access
64 · Bottom 9%
vs74 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 20%
vs45 · Bottom 24%
Measured values
| Metric | Worthington | Albert Lea | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,780 | 18,330 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,797 | $64,603 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $27,450 | $39,282 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,733/sq mi | 1,380/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $210,300 | $157,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $938 | $857 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.2% | 74.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.9% | -2.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.6% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 11 | 6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.8 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -87.8% | 200.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 5°F | 6°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 30.5" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 57 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 19.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.5 | 44.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.98 | 14.59 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 21.0% | 33.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 30.5% | 37.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 67.6% | 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
Worthington
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
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.
Worthington
48
Your Score
46
Area Score
Albert Lea
54
Your Score
52
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Worthington, MN · Albert Lea, MN · How this is calculated: methodology