Niles receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Flint
Niles
Opportunity
17 · Bottom 1%
vs28 · Bottom 6%
Growth
25 · Bottom 14%
vs23 · Bottom 11%
Climate
60 · Bottom 26%
vs61 · Bottom 30%
Physical resilience
83 · Top 11%
vs94 · Top 2%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 39%
vs95 · Top 47%
Access
80 · Top 42%
vs91 · Top 22%
Economic stability
42 · Bottom 38%
vs37 · Bottom 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Flint | Niles | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 403,305 | 153,288 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,281 | $65,425 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,334 | $38,351 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 633/sq mi | 270/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $182,400 | $224,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $989 | $942 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 72.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 4.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -6.8% | -7.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.3% | 30.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 437 | 317 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 4.0% | -24.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 32.0" | 39.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 40 mi | 23 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.9 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.6 | 42.7 | 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.
Physical risk tradeoff
Flint
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind.
Niles
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Flint, MI Metro Area · Niles, MI Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology