Buffalo, MN vs Elk River, MN

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricBuffalo, MNElk River, MN
Population16,49926,793
Median Household Income$88,820$108,741
Median Rent$1,182/mo$1,283/mo
Median Home Value$314,400$370,100
Cost of Living (US = 100)105105
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income43.8%39.6%
Poverty Rate8.9%3.4%
Unemployment Rate3.8% (county)3.7%
Violent Crime Rate /100k5386
Property Crime Rate /100k356724
Median AQI39—
Good AQI Days /yr255—
Summer Highs79°F81°F
Winter Lows7°F7°F
Snowfall40 in/yr36 in/yr
Avg Commute26.5 min27.4 min
Hospitals1—
Avg Hospital Rating5.0 / 5—
Students per Teacher18.419.1
College Degree Rate32%33.8%
Foreign-Born %4.3%5.8%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+4.3%+8.0%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.