49014 and 49120 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
49120
Opportunity
21 · Bottom 3%
vs24 · Bottom 4%
Growth
26 · Bottom 12%
vs13 · Bottom 4%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 12%
vs86 · Top 15%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
49 · Bottom 47%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
100 · Top 4%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 16%
vs46 · Bottom 27%
Measured values
| Metric | 49014 | 49120 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,980 | 36,495 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $69,009 | $65,148 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,668 | $34,555 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 303/sq mi | 313/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $181,100 | $178,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,021 | $906 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.0% | 79.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.3% | -7.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.4% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.1% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 9 | 2 | 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% | -95.2% | 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" | 39.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 7 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 24.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.1 | 42.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 15 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.10 | 18.27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 30.1% | 35.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.9% | 46.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 37.4% | 60.4% | 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.
49120
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 49014 — Battle Creek, MI · 49120 — Niles, MI · How this is calculated: methodology