49202 and 49442 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
49202
49442
Opportunity
6 · Bottom 1%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs33 · Bottom 23%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs64 · Bottom 31%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 10%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 49%
vs86 · Top 40%
Schools
27 · Bottom 20%
vs21 · Bottom 11%
Access
83 · Bottom 25%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 16%
vs32 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | 49202 | 49442 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,519 | 44,766 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $42,632 | $48,563 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,575 | $23,995 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,457/sq mi | 1,091/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $116,100 | $136,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $934 | $971 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.2% | 69.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 9.3% | 7.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.7% | -7.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.3% | 10.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.8% | 20.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 181 | 54 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.8 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 110.5% | -8.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.2" | 35.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 36 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.5 min | 23.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.8 | 37.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 20 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.93 | 15.49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 17.0% | 10.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 33.3% | 27.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 69.0% | 78.4% | 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
49202
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, strong wind.
49442
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: 49202 — Jackson, MI · 49442 — Muskegon, MI · How this is calculated: methodology