Adrian and Alpena receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Adrian
Alpena
Opportunity
23 · Bottom 2%
vs18 · Bottom 1%
Growth
46 · Bottom 42%
vs42 · Bottom 36%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs55 · Bottom 4%
Physical resilience
82 · Top 20%
vs93 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
89 · Top 34%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
56 · Top 44%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Access
89 · Bottom 39%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
31 · Bottom 7%
vs33 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Adrian | Alpena | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,395 | 10,154 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $50,209 | $47,545 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,974 | $35,201 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,547/sq mi | 1,243/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $138,000 | $118,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $956 | $625 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.7% | 66.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.9% | -6.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.9% | 16.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.3% | 21.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 28 | 14 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 1.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 75.0% | 600.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 13°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.9" | 31.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 12.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 46.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 15 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.68 | 16.55 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 32.8% | 27.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.9% | 46.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 56.3% | 62.5% | 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
Adrian
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Alpena
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Adrian, MI · Alpena, MI · How this is calculated: methodology