49008 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
49004
49008
Opportunity
26 · Bottom 6%
vs29 · Bottom 8%
Growth
7 · Bottom 1%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 8%
vs92 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
99 · Top 13%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
94 · Top 44%
vs93 · Bottom 49%
Economic stability
73 · Top 25%
vs59 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | 49004 | 49008 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 17,815 | 16,137 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,453 | $74,943 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,744 | $41,033 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 808/sq mi | 2,403/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $192,300 | $218,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,141 | $1,052 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.5% | 66.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.5% | -7.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.7% | 55.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 11.3% | 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 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -100.0% | -100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.2" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 16 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 19.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 33.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.55 | 18.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.1% | 67.1% | 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
49004
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
49008
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: 49004 — Kalamazoo, MI · 49008 — Kalamazoo, MI · How this is calculated: methodology