49442 and 49037 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
49442
49037
Opportunity
6 · Bottom 1%
vs9 · Bottom 1%
Growth
33 · Bottom 23%
vs26 · Bottom 12%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs61 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs89 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs85 · Top 42%
Schools
21 · Bottom 11%
vs28 · Bottom 20%
Access
78 · Bottom 19%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 10%
vs31 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | 49442 | 49037 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,766 | 20,550 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,563 | $42,690 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,995 | $23,763 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,091/sq mi | 1,064/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $136,400 | $99,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $971 | $871 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 59.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 5.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.9% | -7.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.4% | 12.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.4% | 24.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 54 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.5% | 12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.1" | 31.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 19.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 35.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 20 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.49 | 15.36 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.3% | 14.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 27.8% | 30.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.4% | 79.4% | 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
49442
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
49037
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: 49442 — Muskegon, MI · 49037 — Battle Creek, MI · How this is calculated: methodology