48224 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
48342
48224
Opportunity
27 · Bottom 6%
vs32 · Bottom 11%
Growth
48 · Bottom 45%
vs51 · Top 48%
Climate
61 · Bottom 17%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 29%
vs67 · Bottom 32%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 7%
vs25 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | 48342 | 48224 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,564 | 39,668 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $35,253 | $44,856 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $21,373 | $24,121 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,359/sq mi | 6,876/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $101,300 | $88,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $999 | $1,224 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 40.5% | 55.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 10.3% | 10.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.2% | 16.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 31.7% | 33.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 59 | 1,908 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.0 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 1.7% | -32.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.2" | 29.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 30 mi | 25 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 28.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.0 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.21 | 16.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 86.1% | 90.7% | 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.
Full profiles: 48342 — Pontiac, MI · 48224 — Detroit, MI · How this is calculated: methodology