Tonawanda receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Harper Woods
Tonawanda
Opportunity
45 · Bottom 26%
vs48 · Bottom 33%
Growth
36 · Bottom 26%
vs43 · Bottom 37%
Climate
63 · Bottom 28%
vs61 · Bottom 17%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 21%
vs80 · Top 25%
Housing affordability
84 · Top 44%
vs100 · Top 8%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
49 · Bottom 31%
vs53 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Harper Woods | Tonawanda | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 15,116 | 15,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $65,022 | $58,326 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,520 | $36,905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,750/sq mi | 3,952/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $157,200 | $173,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,351 | $835 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.1% | 73.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 6.5% | 4.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.9% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 28.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.8% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 34 | 27 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 1.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 81°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 20°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.9" | 33.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.5 min | 24.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.1 | 43.5 | 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
Harper Woods
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Tonawanda
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
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Harper Woods
56
Your Score
54
Area Score
Tonawanda
69
Your Score
66
Area Score
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Full profiles: Harper Woods, MI · Tonawanda, NY · How this is calculated: methodology