49014 and 49015 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
49015
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 3%
vs23 · Bottom 4%
Growth
26 · Bottom 12%
vs26 · Bottom 12%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
49 · Bottom 47%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Access
100 · Top 4%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 16%
vs59 · Top 50%
Measured values
| Metric | 49014 | 49015 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,980 | 27,765 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,009 | $68,821 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,668 | $37,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 303/sq mi | 1,021/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $181,100 | $184,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,021 | $1,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.0% | 72.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 5.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.3% | -7.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.4% | 27.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 10.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 12.5% | 12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.5" | 31.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 21.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 39.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.10 | 16.07 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.1% | 32.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.9% | 35.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.4% | 57.3% | 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.
49015
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 49014 — Battle Creek, MI · 49015 — Battle Creek, MI · How this is calculated: methodology