Fenton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fenton
Detroit
Opportunity
64 · Top 33%
vs35 · Bottom 11%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 10%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 14%
vs68 · Bottom 31%
Schools
67 · Top 31%
vs11 · Bottom 2%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs94 · Top 41%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs19 · Bottom 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Fenton | Detroit | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,906 | 638,530 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $39,938 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,080 | $24,594 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,790/sq mi | 4,603/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $235,900 | $83,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,275 | $1,074 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 50.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 10.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.2% | 18.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 32.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 49 | 1,908 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 600.0% | -32.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 20°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.0" | 29.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.0 min | 26.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 35.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 220 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.66 | 17.80 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.8% | 11.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.3% | 22.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.2% | 85.4% | 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
Fenton
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Detroit
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Fenton, MI · Detroit, MI · How this is calculated: methodology