Fraser and Pontiac receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Fraser
Pontiac
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 31%
vs33 · Bottom 9%
Growth
26 · Bottom 12%
vs50 · Bottom 49%
Climate
62 · Bottom 19%
vs61 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
80 · Top 25%
vs94 · Top 5%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs75 · Bottom 42%
Schools
49 · Bottom 46%
vs51 · Bottom 49%
Access
86 · Bottom 31%
vs85 · Bottom 30%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Fraser | Pontiac | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,583 | 62,104 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $64,354 | $44,329 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,471 | $26,080 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,522/sq mi | 3,123/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $215,900 | $121,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $843 | $1,063 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.3% | 46.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 10.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.7% | 16.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.4% | 24.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1 | 59 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | 1.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 18°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.0" | 29.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 31 mi | 30 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.7 min | 23.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.0 | 36.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.43 | 16.38 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 28.9% | 34.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 45.2% | 43.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.5% | 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: Fraser, MI · Pontiac, MI · How this is calculated: methodology