49509 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
49507
49509
Opportunity
23 · Bottom 4%
vs31 · Bottom 10%
Growth
56 · Top 39%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs96 · Top 19%
Schools
14 · Bottom 4%
vs12 · Bottom 3%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 39%
vs76 · Top 18%
Measured values
| Metric | 49507 | 49509 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,487 | 28,152 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,461 | $65,132 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $28,890 | $31,505 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,947/sq mi | 3,871/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $199,300 | $202,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,108 | $1,051 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 62.0% | 69.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.4% | -7.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.5% | 18.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.6% | 9.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 874 | 326 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.4 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 91.7% | 31.5% | 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 | 8 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.8 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.1 | 33.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 12 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.20 | 17.10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 7.6% | 9.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 14.3% | 16.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 86.2% | 86.9% | 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: 49507 — Grand Rapids, MI · 49509 — Wyoming, MI · How this is calculated: methodology