Farmington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Farmington
Southfield
Opportunity
67 · Top 28%
vs48 · Bottom 34%
Growth
57 · Top 38%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
61 · Bottom 16%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 9%
vs82 · Top 48%
Access
94 · Top 41%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
73 · Top 21%
vs53 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Farmington | Southfield | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,504 | 76,236 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $97,750 | $68,166 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $54,364 | $41,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,320/sq mi | 2,903/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $297,200 | $236,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,340 | $1,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.7% | 53.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 6.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 62.4% | 40.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.8% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 14 | 82 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 366.7% | 645.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.2" | 29.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 25.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.0 | 42.3 | 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.
Your best match
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Farmington
78
Your Score
77
Area Score
Southfield
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
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Full profiles: Farmington, MI · Southfield, MI · How this is calculated: methodology