Jackson receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bay City
Jackson
Opportunity
16 · Bottom 1%
vs24 · Bottom 3%
Growth
30 · Bottom 18%
vs43 · Bottom 38%
Climate
60 · Bottom 28%
vs61 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 16%
vs90 · Top 4%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
97 · Top 9%
vs82 · Top 39%
Economic stability
57 · Top 43%
vs53 · Top 46%
Measured values
| Metric | Bay City | Jackson | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 103,008 | 160,060 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,763 | $66,073 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,602 | $35,930 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 233/sq mi | 228/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $152,200 | $193,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $860 | $985 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.0% | 75.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.4% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -7.3% | -6.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 23.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.2% | 11.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 61 | 352 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.6 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 96.8% | 34.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 18°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.1" | 32.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 38 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.3 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.9 | 41.5 | 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
Bay City
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Jackson
Elevated or high exposure: tornado, strong wind.
Full profiles: Bay City, MI Metro Area · Jackson, MI Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology