49120 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
48706
49120
Opportunity
16 · Bottom 1%
vs24 · Bottom 4%
Growth
6 · Bottom 1%
vs13 · Bottom 4%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 25%
vs86 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
45 · Bottom 41%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
98 · Top 21%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 34%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | 48706 | 49120 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,974 | 36,495 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,747 | $65,148 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,643 | $34,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 588/sq mi | 313/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $155,800 | $178,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $922 | $906 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 78.2% | 79.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.6% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.3% | -7.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.7% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.3% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 0 | 2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.0 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.1" | 39.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.7 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 44.7 | 42.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.17 | 18.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 26.5% | 35.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.6% | 46.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 56.5% | 60.4% | 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.
49120
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 48706 — Bay City, MI · 49120 — Niles, MI · How this is calculated: methodology