Novi receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Dearborn
Novi
Opportunity
51 · Bottom 40%
vs78 · Top 9%
Growth
22 · Bottom 9%
vs41 · Bottom 34%
Climate
62 · Bottom 24%
vs61 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs94 · Top 6%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 49%
vs89 · Top 34%
Schools
31 · Bottom 24%
vs86 · Top 7%
Access
99 · Top 14%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
34 · Bottom 11%
vs72 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Dearborn | Novi | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 107,423 | 66,717 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,324 | $110,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,588 | $62,114 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,430/sq mi | 2,206/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $218,800 | $421,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,327 | $1,747 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 68.4% | 66.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.6% | 64.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 24.3% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 15 | 68 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -42.3% | -44.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 19°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.3" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.4 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.3 | 40.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 40 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.92 | 16.66 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 22.2% | 71.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 36.2% | 72.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 80.5% | 11.8% | 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.
Full profiles: Dearborn, MI · Novi, MI · How this is calculated: methodology