Ferndale receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Ferndale
Pontiac
Opportunity
76 · Top 12%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs61 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
94 · Top 5%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 8%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Schools
20 · Bottom 11%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
74 · Top 19%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Ferndale | Pontiac | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,190 | 62,104 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $94,640 | $44,329 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $62,094 | $26,080 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,950/sq mi | 3,123/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $247,700 | $121,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,311 | $1,063 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% | 46.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 10.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 57.9% | 16.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.0% | 24.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 33 | 59 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -60.7% | 1.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.9" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.3 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 16.74 | 16.38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 11.3% | 34.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 34.7% | 43.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 60.1% | 52.7% | 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.
Full profiles: Ferndale, MI · Pontiac, MI · How this is calculated: methodology