Hamtramck and Chester 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
Hamtramck
Chester
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 8%
vs40 · Bottom 17%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs43 · Bottom 36%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs71 · Top 46%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs91 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 31%
vs69 · Bottom 33%
Access
93 · Top 47%
vs99 · Top 14%
Economic stability
16 · Bottom 1%
vs28 · Bottom 5%
Measured values
| Metric | Hamtramck | Chester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,743 | 33,619 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $39,293 | $41,342 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $14,915 | $23,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 13,274/sq mi | 6,956/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $131,000 | $83,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $989 | $1,091 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.3% | 40.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.8% | 7.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 2.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 14.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 39.9% | 29.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.0% | -30.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 88°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.9" | 44.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 20 mi | 7 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 26.5 | 33.9 | 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.
Full profiles: Hamtramck, MI · Chester, PA · How this is calculated: methodology