49001 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
48708
49001
Opportunity
9 · Bottom 1%
vs19 · Bottom 2%
Growth
6 · Bottom 1%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Climate
60 · Bottom 16%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
78 · Top 26%
vs92 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
98 · Top 22%
vs94 · Top 44%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 16%
vs40 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | 48708 | 49001 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,635 | 20,946 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,518 | $56,432 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,952 | $29,405 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 882/sq mi | 2,731/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $107,700 | $157,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $751 | $1,152 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.1% | 51.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.6% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.3% | -7.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 30.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.3% | 20.1% | 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 | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.1" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 12 mi | 16 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 20.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.9 | 32.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.23 | 18.83 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.8% | 64.5% | 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
48708
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
49001
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: 48708 — Bay City, MI · 49001 — Kalamazoo, MI · How this is calculated: methodology