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Place dossier plate
SheetMN-CRYSTAL-MN · Crystal, MN 22,685 pop · income 68th pct
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Crystal
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Crystal on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Vega Baja zon… · lowest
22,455
Vega Baja zon… · lowest
22,455 median HH income
18.4% of the leader · rank #1
Kailua CDP (H… · near
86,743
Kailua CDP (H… · near
86,743 median HH income
71.2% of the leader · rank #2
Erie · near
86,750
Erie · near
86,750 median HH income
71.2% of the leader · rank #3
North Newton · near
86,750
North Newton · near
86,750 median HH income
71.2% of the leader · rank #4
Mazomanie · near
86,750
Mazomanie · near
86,750 median HH income
71.2% of the leader · rank #5
Crystal · this city
86,752
Crystal · this city
86,752 median HH income
71.2% of the leader · rank #6
Lino Lakes · highest
121,800
Lino Lakes · highest
121,800 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Crystal on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 22,685.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
Crystal - the verdict
Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Crystal places in the 68th percentile for household income and the 22nd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
68th
percentile, household income
62nd
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
22nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this
Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.
Data Snapshot: Crystal, MN
Census ACS 2023 estimates count 22,685 residents in Crystal, a small city within Minnesota. Households in Crystal report a median income of $86,752 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.0%. Crystal's housing stock carries a median value of $280,500, and the median resident age is 37.1 years. About 35.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 70.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 47 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 683% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2505.0 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).
Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: the state registers 98.6 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Near Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,125 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Minnesota's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Workers in Crystal report an average commute of 18.4 minutes, with 66.3% driving alone and 18.1% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 42.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Low).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Crystal's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from comparison shortlist to housing and income to population change to schools and households to work and mobility to reported crime; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Crystal, city-specific coverage includes local building permits, matched public-school count, annual population history, commute-mode shares, FBI reported-crime rates.
No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.
Question 1
Which cities make useful reference points for Crystal?
Within Minnesota, the closest population matches are New Brighton (22,900 residents, $87,272 income); Hastings (22,050 residents, $92,940 income); Columbia Heights (22,016 residents, $74,688 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Avon, IN (22,683 residents); Sun Valley, NV (22,697 residents); North Plainfield, NJ (22,667 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
How far does income reach against housing in Crystal?
The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.2 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 5.0%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.
Recent estimates point downward. A falling count can reflect migration, household size, annexation boundaries, or estimation noise, so it is a prompt to inspect the full series rather than a claim about local economic health.
Census PEP estimates show the population declined by -1,005 residents from 2020 to 2025, a -4.3% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 47 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
The NCES join finds 5 public schools within the city match. 35.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher in the ACS estimate. These measures answer different questions: the school count describes local institutions, while adult attainment describes residents and cannot be used as a school-quality rating.
The city has a broader matched school footprint, but count alone does not describe performance, capacity, program availability, or attendance boundaries. This profile deliberately avoids converting it into an unsupported family-friendliness score.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Work and mobility
What does the journey to work look like in Crystal?
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 66.3%. The reported mean trip to work is 18.4 minutes.
Public transit
3.5%
Work from home
18.1%
Drive alone
66.3%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 12,510 workers age 16+.
What can the FBI record say about safety in Crystal?
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
The joined FBI UCR record reports 2505.0 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, near the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 10% higher in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
Property rate
2225.6
Violent rate
279.4
Total reported rate
2505.0
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, incidents per 100,000. Voluntary agency reporting; not a danger score.
Above median income · poverty 5.0% (Below-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
98.6 (US=100)
Above-average cost · BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average
C
City profile score · Crystal, MN
56/100
5 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Bachelor's+ share B-
35.9%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Household income B-
$86,752
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Poverty rate B-
5.0%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Cost of living D
98.6 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Violent crime F
279 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Crystal profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Bachelor's+ share: 68/100 (B-) · 35.9%
Household income: 66/100 (B-) · $86,752
Poverty rate: 65/100 (B-) · 5.0%
Cost of living: 46/100 (D) · 98.6 index
Violent crime: 36/100 (F) · 279 /100k
Where Crystal sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
Crystal's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - Crystal highlighted among 10 peers.Read the chart values
Crystal, MN (this city): home $280,500, crime 2,505/100k
Avon, IN : home $300,600, crime 1,742/100k
North Plainfield, NJ : home $350,700, crime 1,612/100k
Hialeah Gardens, FL : home $319,200, crime 1,083/100k
New Brighton, MN : home $345,900, crime 1,312/100k
Hastings, MN : home $294,100, crime 1,113/100k
Columbia Heights, MN : home $259,900, crime 2,506/100k
Golden Valley, MN : home $423,500, crime 1,053/100k
Champlin, MN : home $338,400, crime 1,252/100k
Lino Lakes, MN : home $385,000, crime 697/100k
How does Crystal compare to other US cities?
Where Crystal sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income68% higher than other cities
Home value62% pricier than other cities
Median rent36% pricier than other cities
Safety22% safer than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Minnesota alone, Crystal ranks #202 of 229 Minnesota cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Crystal against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Minnesota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.
Minnesota-relative analysis
Median Gross Rent places Crystal near the bottom of Minnesota's cities
Among the 785 Minnesota cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Crystal ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Crystal only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#209 of 775
73rd percentile in Minnesota
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 785
0th percentile in Minnesota
Median Home Value
#175 of 774
77th percentile in Minnesota
Poverty Rate
#427 of 785
45th percentile in Minnesota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#147 of 784
81st percentile in Minnesota
How in-state ranks are ordered
Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Minnesota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.
Gauge source note
68th percentile nationally for median household income · 22nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
Crystal's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
Crystal's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.
How Crystal's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$280,50038th percentilemore affordable than 38% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023
Crystal's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.2×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#7,843 of 15,516
More affordable than 49% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#1,215 of 3,317
Small cities (10,000–49,999)
At 3.2×, Crystal sits in the moderate band:
national rank #7,843 of 15,516 and #1,215 of 3,317small cities (10,000–49,999).
Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$86,752Crystal, MN median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Crystal, MN median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Crystal, MN.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)35.9%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)5.0%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)70.4%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
22,685
Median Income
$86,752
Median Home Value
$280,500
Median Age
37.1
Poverty Rate
5.0%
Labor force participation
70.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.9%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
2505.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
279.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2225.6
per 100,000 residents
Crime reporting caveat
Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.
Schools
Total Schools
5
Public schools in this city
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Crystal's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
23,244 residents
2021
22,746 residents
2022
22,310 residents
2023
22,007 residents
2024
22,161 residents
2025
22,239 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
47
housing units authorized
Single-Family
1
detached homes
Multifamily
46
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.1
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
6
6
0
$1.3M
2020
6
6
0
$1.5M
2021
4
4
0
$1.1M
2022
5
3
2
$1.6M
2023
63
1
62
$12.5M
2024
47
1
46
$6.1M
Permit volume increased 683% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Average Commute Time
18.4 minutes
Drive Alone
66.3%
Carpool
10.5%
Public Transit
3.5%
Walk
1.2%
Work from Home
18.1%
Based on 12,510 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
Minnesota statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $225
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Minnesota at $225 (electricity about $95 , water and sewer about $45 ).
These are Minnesota statewide averages, not a meter reading for Crystal. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
Minnesota's BEA cost-of-living index is 98.6 (Near Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Crystal is $1,125/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Minnesota statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 42.4 / 100 (Low).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a Minnesota statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Crystal sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Crystal compares to similar-size Minnesota cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.