49442 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
49442
48529
Opportunity
6 · Bottom 1%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Growth
33 · Bottom 23%
vs40 · Bottom 34%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs75 · Bottom 43%
Schools
21 · Bottom 11%
vs21 · Bottom 11%
Access
78 · Bottom 19%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 10%
vs27 · Bottom 6%
Measured values
| Metric | 49442 | 48529 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,766 | 9,339 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,563 | $41,333 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,995 | $23,454 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,091/sq mi | 1,944/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $136,400 | $86,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $971 | $989 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 61.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 5.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.9% | -6.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.4% | 8.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.4% | 26.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 54 | 34 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.5% | 21.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.1" | 32.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 43.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 20 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.49 | 14.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.3% | 6.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 27.8% | 31.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.4% | 90.2% | 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
49442
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
48529
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: 49442 — Muskegon, MI · 48529 — Burton, MI · How this is calculated: methodology