49091 and 48161 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
49091
48161
Opportunity
25 · Bottom 5%
vs26 · Bottom 6%
Growth
41 · Bottom 35%
vs25 · Bottom 11%
Climate
62 · Bottom 20%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 28%
vs72 · Top 33%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs100 · Top 9%
Access
83 · Bottom 26%
vs92 · Bottom 46%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 33%
vs45 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | 49091 | 48161 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,337 | 26,304 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,333 | $67,414 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,676 | $35,777 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 222/sq mi | 587/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $182,600 | $176,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $841 | $975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 74.0% | 76.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.8% | -7.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.4% | 19.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 12 | 10 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 0.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 140.0% | 25.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.6" | 30.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 35 mi | 22 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 26.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.6 | 42.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.66 | 19.62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 67.2% | 58.8% | 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
49091
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
48161
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 49091 — Sturgis, MI · 48161 — Monroe, MI · How this is calculated: methodology