48708 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
48602
48708
Opportunity
7 · Bottom 1%
vs9 · Bottom 1%
Growth
3 · Bottom 1%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
69 · Top 38%
vs78 · Top 26%
Housing affordability
87 · Top 39%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
36 · Bottom 30%
vs29 · Bottom 21%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs98 · Top 22%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 6%
vs37 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 48602 | 48708 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,127 | 25,635 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $46,984 | $50,518 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,838 | $30,952 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,471/sq mi | 882/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $73,600 | $107,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $933 | $751 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 64.2% | 70.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 10.0% | 7.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.3% | -7.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.5% | 17.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 28.8% | 18.3% | 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 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.1" | 32.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.1 | 41.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.48 | 15.23 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 23.6% | 17.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 35.8% | 28.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 79.1% | 78.8% | 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
48602
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, inland flooding.
48708
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: 48602 — Saginaw, MI · 48708 — Bay City, MI · How this is calculated: methodology