48867 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
48706
48867
Opportunity
16 · Bottom 1%
vs23 · Bottom 4%
Growth
6 · Bottom 1%
vs11 · Bottom 2%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 25%
vs85 · Top 16%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
45 · Bottom 41%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs89 · Bottom 38%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 34%
vs46 · Bottom 28%
Measured values
| Metric | 48706 | 48867 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,974 | 27,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,747 | $59,825 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,643 | $35,234 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 588/sq mi | 202/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $155,800 | $154,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $922 | $828 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 76.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.6% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.3% | -6.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 20.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 14.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.1 | 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" | 32.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 26 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 25.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.7 | 42.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.17 | 16.47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 26.5% | 24.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.6% | 36.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 56.5% | 51.5% | 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
48706
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
48867
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: 48706 — Bay City, MI · 48867 — Owosso, MI · How this is calculated: methodology