49441 and 48198 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
49441
48198
Opportunity
38 · Bottom 17%
vs37 · Bottom 16%
Growth
39 · Bottom 32%
vs36 · Bottom 27%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs96 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 27%
vs86 · Top 41%
Schools
42 · Bottom 38%
vs36 · Bottom 30%
Access
75 · Bottom 16%
vs97 · Top 24%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 30%
vs55 · Bottom 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 49441 | 48198 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 36,779 | 39,244 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,427 | $63,326 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,125 | $34,318 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,695/sq mi | 1,176/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $213,500 | $189,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,158 | $1,276 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 75.8% | 57.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.9% | -7.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 28.8% | 34.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.6% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 169 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 8.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | -47.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.1" | 30.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.5 min | 27.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.9 | 33.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.27 | 12.65 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.0% | 20.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 43.0% | 25.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.0% | 73.4% | 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
49441
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
48198
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 49441 — Norton Shores, MI · 48198 — Ypsilanti, MI · How this is calculated: methodology