Alpena receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Alpena
Battle Creek
Opportunity
18 · Bottom 1%
vs18 · Bottom 1%
Growth
42 · Bottom 36%
vs28 · Bottom 14%
Climate
55 · Bottom 4%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 8%
vs89 · Top 13%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs94 · Top 22%
Schools
47 · Bottom 45%
vs35 · Bottom 29%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
33 · Bottom 10%
vs42 · Bottom 19%
Measured values
| Metric | Alpena | Battle Creek | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,154 | 52,374 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,545 | $55,693 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,201 | $30,455 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,243/sq mi | 1,229/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $118,700 | $141,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $625 | $957 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.0% | 66.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.0% | -7.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.2% | 21.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 21.2% | 17.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 14 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.4 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 600.0% | 12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 13°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.9" | 31.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 1 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 12.6 min | 20.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 46.0 | 38.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 37 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.55 | 16.41 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 27.3% | 24.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 46.3% | 36.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 62.5% | 57.8% | 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
Alpena
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Battle Creek
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Alpena
61
Your Score
58
Area Score
Battle Creek
58
Your Score
54
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Alpena, MI · Battle Creek, MI · How this is calculated: methodology