49444 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
49444
48340
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 7%
vs30 · Bottom 9%
Growth
39 · Bottom 32%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Climate
64 · Bottom 31%
vs61 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs76 · Bottom 44%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs16 · Bottom 6%
Access
78 · Bottom 19%
vs84 · Bottom 27%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 16%
vs47 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | 49444 | 48340 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,372 | 25,669 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,054 | $47,891 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,164 | $26,623 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,069/sq mi | 3,352/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $165,900 | $119,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $979 | $1,135 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.3% | 45.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 10.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.9% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.6% | 13.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.1% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 30 | 59 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.0% | 1.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.1" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 32 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 34.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.00 | 18.65 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.7% | 12.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.0% | 26.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.3% | 74.8% | 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
49444
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
48340
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: 49444 — Norton Shores, MI · 48340 — Pontiac, MI · How this is calculated: methodology