48867 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
48867
48706
Opportunity
23 · Bottom 4%
vs16 · Bottom 1%
Growth
11 · Bottom 2%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs60 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 16%
vs79 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
39 · Bottom 34%
vs45 · Bottom 41%
Access
89 · Bottom 38%
vs98 · Top 21%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 28%
vs50 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | 48867 | 48706 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,500 | 38,974 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $59,825 | $62,747 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,234 | $36,643 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 202/sq mi | 588/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $154,400 | $155,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $828 | $922 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.0% | 78.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 7.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.9% | -7.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.9% | 24.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.7% | 12.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 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 | 32.0" | 32.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 26 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.4 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.7 | 44.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 12 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.47 | 18.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 24.2% | 26.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.6% | 46.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.5% | 56.5% | 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
48867
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
48706
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: 48867 — Owosso, MI · 48706 — Bay City, MI · How this is calculated: methodology