49014 and 48162 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
49014
48162
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 3%
vs28 · Bottom 7%
Growth
26 · Bottom 12%
vs25 · Bottom 11%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs62 · Bottom 25%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs72 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
49 · Bottom 47%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Access
100 · Top 4%
vs94 · Top 44%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 16%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | 49014 | 48162 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,980 | 28,156 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,009 | $67,876 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,668 | $36,647 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 303/sq mi | 490/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $181,100 | $200,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,021 | $925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.0% | 76.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.3% | -7.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.4% | 22.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 10 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 12.5% | 25.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.5" | 34.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 18 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 25.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 43.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.10 | 18.51 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.1% | 30.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.9% | 47.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.4% | 61.6% | 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
49014
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
48162
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 49014 — Battle Creek, MI · 48162 — Monroe, MI · How this is calculated: methodology