49002 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
49002
49519
Opportunity
43 · Bottom 26%
vs38 · Bottom 18%
Growth
49 · Bottom 48%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 8%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs94 · Top 24%
Schools
75 · Top 21%
vs65 · Top 33%
Access
94 · Top 44%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
69 · Top 32%
vs65 · Top 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 49002 | 49519 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,737 | 27,965 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,647 | $73,762 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,871 | $35,252 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,146/sq mi | 3,498/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $246,400 | $238,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $962 | $1,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 58.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.5% | -7.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.5% | 28.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.4% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 184 | 326 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 75.2% | 31.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.2" | 39.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.1 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.6 | 32.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.37 | 15.55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 51.1% | 40.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 66.6% | 55.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 19.0% | 75.6% | 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
49002
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
49519
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 49002 — Portage, MI · 49519 — Wyoming, MI · How this is calculated: methodology