02744 and 49006 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
02744
49006
Opportunity
25 · Bottom 5%
vs19 · Bottom 2%
Growth
17 · Bottom 6%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs92 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 16%
vs59 · Bottom 21%
Access
87 · Bottom 32%
vs92 · Bottom 48%
Economic stability
55 · Bottom 42%
vs48 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | 02744 | 49006 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,716 | 26,507 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,675 | $43,639 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,070 | $31,532 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 9,774/sq mi | 4,434/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $372,700 | $208,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,224 | $990 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 34.4% | 35.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.9% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.1% | -7.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.7% | 46.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 29.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | -100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.9" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.3 min | 20.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 34.0 | 23.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.01 | 18.94 | 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
02744
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
49006
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: 02744 — New Bedford, MA · 49006 — Kalamazoo, MI · How this is calculated: methodology