Livonia receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fenton
Livonia
Opportunity
64 · Top 33%
vs79 · Top 8%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs54 · Top 44%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs62 · Bottom 24%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 10%
vs81 · Top 21%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 14%
vs100 · Top 8%
Schools
67 · Top 31%
vs66 · Top 32%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs97 · Top 22%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs71 · Top 26%
Measured values
| Metric | Fenton | Livonia | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,906 | 93,851 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $98,460 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,080 | $48,664 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,790/sq mi | 2,629/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $235,900 | $281,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,275 | $1,322 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 87.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 0.9% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.2% | 41.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 4.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 49 | 168 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 600.0% | 572.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 84°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 19°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.0" | 34.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 44 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.0 min | 26.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 44.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.66 | 16.57 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.8% | 46.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.3% | 56.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.2% | 32.8% | 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
Fenton
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Livonia
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Fenton, MI · Livonia, MI · How this is calculated: methodology