45240 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
48071
45240
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs70 · Top 21%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs19 · Bottom 6%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs64 · Bottom 33%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs89 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 22%
vs92 · Top 27%
Access
90 · Bottom 40%
vs94 · Top 44%
Economic stability
62 · Top 47%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | 48071 | 45240 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,419 | 29,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,503 | $71,947 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,044 | $31,502 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,005/sq mi | 3,057/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $199,100 | $203,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,176 | $1,284 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.8% | 60.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.7% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.9% | 29.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.8% | 14.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 22°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.9" | 41.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.4 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.0 | 35.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 3 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.06 | 15.29 | 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
48071
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
45240
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Full profiles: 48071 — Madison Heights, MI · 45240 — Forest Park, OH · How this is calculated: methodology