49002 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
49512
49002
Opportunity
31 · Bottom 10%
vs43 · Bottom 26%
Growth
44 · Bottom 40%
vs49 · Bottom 48%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs62 · Bottom 20%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs92 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
77 · Bottom 46%
vs96 · Top 18%
Schools
65 · Top 33%
vs75 · Top 21%
Access
99 · Top 15%
vs94 · Top 44%
Economic stability
78 · Top 15%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | 49512 | 49002 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 18,373 | 19,737 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $71,329 | $73,647 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,915 | $43,871 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 798/sq mi | 1,146/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $314,900 | $246,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,249 | $962 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.0% | 70.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.4% | -7.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.7% | 41.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.2% | 7.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 119 | 184 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 3.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 54.5% | 75.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.4" | 33.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 20.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 39.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 5 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.21 | 17.37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.9% | 51.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 58.4% | 66.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.5% | 19.0% | 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
49512
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
49002
Elevated or high exposure: hail, tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: 49512 — Kentwood, MI · 49002 — Portage, MI · How this is calculated: methodology