Signals
Alpena
Butte-Silver Bow
Growth
42 · Bottom 36%
vs56 · Top 40%
Climate
55 · Bottom 11%
vs47 · Bottom 2%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 2%
vs83 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs87 · Bottom 30%
Access
94 · Top 17%
vs98 · Top 7%
Economic stability
18 · Bottom 8%
vs46 · Bottom 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Alpena | Butte-Silver Bow | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 28,880 | 35,785 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $53,950 | $61,754 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,583 | $35,951 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 50/sq mi | 50/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $153,900 | $255,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $673 | $863 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 80.0% | 70.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.3% | 28.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.0% | 14.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 49 | 111 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 8.9% | -6.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 8°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.9" | 12.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 17.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.8 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Alpena
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Butte-Silver Bow
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake, wildfire.
Your best match
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Alpena
67
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Area Score
Butte-Silver Bow
70
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Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Alpena, MI Micro Area · Butte-Silver Bow, MT Micro Area · How this is calculated: methodology