Ann Arbor receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ann Arbor
Ypsilanti
Opportunity
55 · Bottom 47%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Growth
57 · Top 38%
vs37 · Bottom 27%
Climate
60 · Bottom 13%
vs63 · Bottom 27%
Physical resilience
96 · Top 2%
vs96 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
61 · Bottom 21%
vs55 · Bottom 15%
Schools
88 · Top 5%
vs44 · Bottom 41%
Access
93 · Top 47%
vs96 · Top 30%
Economic stability
39 · Bottom 17%
vs46 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Ann Arbor | Ypsilanti | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 122,036 | 19,857 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $82,212 | $46,588 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,459 | $32,628 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,299/sq mi | 4,625/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $453,400 | $232,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,649 | $1,080 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 45.5% | 33.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.1% | -7.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 77.9% | 46.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 23.8% | 24.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 679 | 169 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.6 | 8.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 68.9% | -47.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 15°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.8" | 30.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 25.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 27.7 | 27.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 42 | 29 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.52 | 14.99 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 64.2% | 26.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 75.5% | 39.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 29.0% | 60.5% | 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
Ann Arbor
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Ypsilanti
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Full profiles: Ann Arbor, MI · Ypsilanti, MI · How this is calculated: methodology