45240 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
45240
48071
Opportunity
70 · Top 21%
vs74 · Top 15%
Growth
19 · Bottom 6%
vs22 · Bottom 9%
Climate
64 · Bottom 33%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 11%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 27%
vs95 · Top 22%
Access
94 · Top 44%
vs90 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
63 · Top 44%
vs62 · Top 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 45240 | 48071 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,600 | 28,419 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,947 | $69,503 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,502 | $42,044 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,057/sq mi | 4,005/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $203,700 | $199,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,284 | $1,176 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 64.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% | 2.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.8% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.2% | 33.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.0% | 10.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.4" | 29.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 18 mi | 24 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.8 min | 26.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.5 | 39.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 3 | 14 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.29 | 16.06 | 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
45240
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
48071
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 45240 — Forest Park, OH · 48071 — Madison Heights, MI · How this is calculated: methodology