Utica, MN

The affordability dashboard for Utica, MN aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code covering 1,143 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of C+ (62/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $85,417, median home value of $279,700, median rent of $1,107 per month, and 19.4% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $1,066 per month (studio $791, 1BR $868, 3BR $1,336, 4BR $1,543). Department of Labor data lists infant center-based childcare at $10,972 per year, consuming 13% of the local median household income.

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Strengths visible in the raw data for Utica, MN include rent. Pressure points are education. Unemployment currently reads 0.2% and poverty 14.1% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.