Burton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Burton
Flint
Opportunity
18 · Bottom 1%
vs7 · Bottom 1%
Growth
42 · Bottom 35%
vs5 · Bottom 1%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs60 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 19%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 20%
vs74 · Bottom 40%
Schools
17 · Bottom 7%
vs16 · Bottom 7%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs80 · Bottom 23%
Economic stability
47 · Bottom 26%
vs20 · Bottom 2%
Measured values
| Metric | Burton | Flint | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,500 | 80,175 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $60,052 | $37,646 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,917 | $21,720 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,263/sq mi | 2,398/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $141,600 | $53,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,009 | $915 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.2% | 53.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 12.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.8% | -6.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.8% | 14.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.1% | 34.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 34 | 0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 0.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 21.4% | -100.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 16°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.0" | 32.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 43 mi | 40 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.1 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.7 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 16 | 52 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.47 | 16.25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 11.1% | 14.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 24.0% | 26.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 85.8% | 86.8% | 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
Burton
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Flint
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Full profiles: Burton, MI · Flint, MI · How this is calculated: methodology