49203 and 48911 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
49203
48911
Opportunity
12 · Bottom 1%
vs16 · Bottom 1%
Growth
52 · Top 47%
vs36 · Bottom 27%
Climate
61 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 10%
vs84 · Top 17%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs95 · Top 20%
Access
81 · Bottom 22%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 22%
vs48 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | 49203 | 48911 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,474 | 39,876 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,201 | $56,631 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,080 | $30,118 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,378/sq mi | 2,300/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $159,100 | $146,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,019 | $943 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.9% | 54.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 9.3% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.7% | -8.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.4% | 26.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 20.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 181 | 229 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.8 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 110.5% | -9.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.2" | 33.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 19.7 min | 22.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.0 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 11.57 | 16.93 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 77.3% | 88.3% | 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
49203
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, strong wind.
48911
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 49203 — Jackson, MI · 48911 — Lansing, MI · How this is calculated: methodology