49534 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
49544
49534
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 42%
vs53 · Bottom 47%
Growth
39 · Bottom 32%
vs39 · Bottom 32%
Climate
62 · Bottom 23%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 4%
vs94 · Top 4%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 31%
vs90 · Top 33%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs70 · Top 26%
Access
95 · Top 38%
vs96 · Top 35%
Economic stability
73 · Top 26%
vs76 · Top 18%
Measured values
| Metric | 49544 | 49534 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,631 | 23,719 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,390 | $81,657 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,151 | $44,283 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 484/sq mi | 673/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $264,000 | $306,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,204 | $1,280 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.0% | 70.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 2.9% | 2.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.4% | -7.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.6% | 35.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.3% | 7.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 57 | 57 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 16.3% | 16.3% | 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 | 16 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 22.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.1 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.56 | 15.13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 37.7% | 48.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.2% | 55.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 43.0% | 38.1% | 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: 49544 — Walker, MI · 49534 — Walker, MI · How this is calculated: methodology