48034 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
55812
48034
Opportunity
36 · Bottom 15%
vs45 · Bottom 29%
Growth
30 · Bottom 16%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Climate
47 · Bottom 1%
vs61 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 4%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 36%
vs71 · Bottom 36%
Access
90 · Bottom 41%
vs92 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
50 · Bottom 33%
vs58 · Bottom 47%
Measured values
| Metric | 55812 | 48034 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,859 | 14,796 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,505 | $62,938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,787 | $44,606 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,609/sq mi | 3,436/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $322,700 | $265,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,170 | $1,299 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.6% | 25.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 6.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.3% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.7% | 41.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 25.6% | 11.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 153 | 82 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.8 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -27.5% | 645.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 78°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 2°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.2" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 17.0 min | 24.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 23.2 | 40.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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: 55812 — Duluth, MN · 48034 — Southfield, MI · How this is calculated: methodology