Novi receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hamtramck
Novi
Opportunity
32 · Bottom 8%
vs78 · Top 9%
Growth
29 · Bottom 16%
vs41 · Bottom 34%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs61 · Bottom 16%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs94 · Top 6%
Housing affordability
68 · Bottom 31%
vs89 · Top 34%
Access
93 · Top 47%
vs93 · Top 47%
Economic stability
16 · Bottom 1%
vs72 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Hamtramck | Novi | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 27,743 | 66,717 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $39,293 | $110,723 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $14,915 | $62,114 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 13,274/sq mi | 2,206/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $131,000 | $421,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $989 | $1,747 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.3% | 66.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 8.8% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | 1.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.8% | 64.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 39.9% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 68 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 1.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.0% | -44.7% | 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 | 20 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.6 min | 28.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 26.5 | 40.0 | 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 · Novi, MI · How this is calculated: methodology