Elk River, MN vs Big Lake, MN

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

MetricElk River, MNBig Lake, MN
Population26,79312,367
Median Household Income$108,741$120,549
Median Rent$1,283/mo$1,340/mo
Median Home Value$370,100$330,200
Cost of Living (US = 100)105105
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income39.6%46.9%
Poverty Rate3.4%5.6%
Unemployment Rate3.7%4.1% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k8691
Property Crime Rate /100k724495
Median AQI——
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs81°F81°F
Winter Lows7°F7°F
Snowfall36 in/yr36 in/yr
Avg Commute27.4 min33.2 min
Hospitals——
Avg Hospital Rating——
Students per Teacher19.115.4
College Degree Rate33.8%26.8%
Foreign-Born %5.8%5.2%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+8.0%+10.6%

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