49519 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
49508
49519
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 9%
vs38 · Bottom 18%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
80 · Top 50%
vs94 · Top 24%
Schools
52 · Top 49%
vs65 · Top 33%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 15%
Economic stability
67 · Top 36%
vs65 · Top 41%
Measured values
| Metric | 49508 | 49519 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 42,720 | 27,965 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,120 | $73,762 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,638 | $35,252 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,628/sq mi | 3,498/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $281,600 | $238,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,264 | $1,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.7% | 58.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.4% | -7.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.4% | 28.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.8% | 12.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 119 | 326 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 54.5% | 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 | 5 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.3 | 32.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 13 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.30 | 15.55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 34.4% | 40.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.2% | 55.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.4% | 75.6% | 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: 49508 — Kentwood, MI · 49519 — Wyoming, MI · How this is calculated: methodology