Signals
East Lansing
Waverly
Opportunity
23 · Bottom 2%
vs39 · Bottom 17%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 17%
vs83 · Top 19%
Housing affordability
43 · Bottom 6%
vs98 · Top 13%
Schools
80 · Top 13%
vs39 · Bottom 34%
Access
99 · Top 8%
vs99 · Top 8%
Economic stability
26 · Bottom 4%
vs63 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | East Lansing | Waverly | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 45,758 | 23,575 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $45,687 | $75,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,335 | $47,266 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,407/sq mi | 2,590/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $270,800 | $234,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,171 | $1,170 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 38.5% | 55.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -8.1% | -8.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 66.6% | 44.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 33.0% | 10.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.3" | 33.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 20.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 21.3 | 41.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 11 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.95 | 16.34 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 50.9% | 25.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 82.9% | 41.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 35.5% | 58.7% | 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
East Lansing
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Waverly
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, tornado.
Your best match
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East Lansing
58
Your Score
55
Area Score
Waverly
69
Your Score
—
Area Score
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Full profiles: East Lansing, MI · Waverly, MI · How this is calculated: methodology