49504 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
49503
49504
Opportunity
28 · Bottom 7%
vs29 · Bottom 8%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs56 · Top 39%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
78 · Bottom 46%
vs88 · Top 37%
Schools
24 · Bottom 15%
vs33 · Bottom 27%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs98 · Top 22%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 40%
vs57 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | 49503 | 49504 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,489 | 40,036 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,661 | $70,119 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,781 | $37,577 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,440/sq mi | 3,623/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $241,900 | $243,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,301 | $1,231 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 36.2% | 56.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.4% | -7.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.8% | 39.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.7% | 15.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 874 | 874 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 4.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 91.7% | 91.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.4" | 39.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 12 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.2 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.1 | 32.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.51 | 15.64 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 14.4% | 15.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 25.4% | 38.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 68.9% | 71.7% | 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.
Full profiles: 49503 — Grand Rapids, MI · 49504 — Grand Rapids, MI · How this is calculated: methodology