Troy receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fenton
Troy
Opportunity
64 · Top 33%
vs78 · Top 10%
Growth
63 · Top 28%
vs43 · Bottom 37%
Climate
60 · Bottom 15%
vs63 · Bottom 28%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 10%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 14%
vs94 · Top 21%
Schools
67 · Top 31%
vs84 · Top 9%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs87 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
74 · Top 20%
vs73 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Fenton | Troy | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,906 | 87,898 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $120,045 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $46,080 | $58,119 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,790/sq mi | 2,628/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $235,900 | $420,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,275 | $1,602 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 73.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.2% | 64.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.9% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 49 | 150 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 600.0% | -37.2% | 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 | 28 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.0 min | 25.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.8 | 42.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.66 | 16.56 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 43.8% | 62.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 61.3% | 72.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.2% | 15.6% | 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.
Troy
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Fenton, MI · Troy, MI · How this is calculated: methodology