49442 and 49202 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
49202
Opportunity
6 · Bottom 1%
vs6 · Bottom 1%
Growth
33 · Bottom 23%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs61 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs89 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 40%
vs81 · Top 49%
Schools
21 · Bottom 11%
vs27 · Bottom 20%
Access
78 · Bottom 19%
vs83 · Bottom 25%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 10%
vs38 · Bottom 16%
Measured values
| Metric | 49442 | 49202 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 44,766 | 18,519 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $48,563 | $42,632 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $23,995 | $29,575 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,091/sq mi | 1,457/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $136,400 | $116,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $971 | $934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 55.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% | 9.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.9% | -6.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.4% | 16.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.4% | 21.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 54 | 181 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 5.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.5% | 110.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.1" | 32.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 36 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 37.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 20 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.49 | 16.93 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 10.3% | 17.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 27.8% | 33.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 78.4% | 69.0% | 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.
49202
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: 49442 — Muskegon, MI · 49202 — Jackson, MI · How this is calculated: methodology